Andy Budd - Chevy Dealer / Singer / Songwriter / Guitarist
Virginia-based Chevy Dealer and singer/songwriter Andy Budd grew up as the youngest of five kids of a military man. Budd, whose father, Tim, was a career Marine officer, lived in more U.S. states before graduating high school than most people ever visit in a lifetime.
Despite the numerous addresses, he was lucky to be raised in a musical family with nearly every immediate family member talented at playing piano, guitar, ukulele or singing. Andy naturally gravitated to learning music and started taking a year of piano lessons in the third grade. He started on the trombone in fourth grade and played until graduating high school where he also played tuba and baritone. Andy was given his first guitar for Christmas when he was 16. Later in high school, Andy’s mom worked for a dentist who played guitar and sang at a local dive, and often invited Andy to fill-in for him during breaks at the bar. Andy says his fill-in slot soon led to other performing gigs at local bars that lasted until he was 20.
Andy probably could have very easily pursued a career in music, but life took him in another direction at 21. Marriage and family responsibility became a priority in his young life, and he says he “pretty much quit playing music” so he could devote his attention to supporting his family. Andy worked in fast food joints, bussed tables at restaurants, worked as a bartender, cab driver, and even that old clichéd job where he toiled as a ditch digger. He finally landed a job at a car dealership as the night clean up boy, where he got noticed and was promoted to service advisor and parts counterman. Within that company and a dozen different dealerships over the next 20 years, Andy worked his way up to car salesman and eventually through the management ranks.
Oddly enough, it was his work in the automobile business that led Andy back into a life of music. He bought a Chevrolet dealership in 1997 and also owns three independent used car dealerships and a software company that provides programs for other automobile dealers. Andy’s dealership did so well that he won a corporate contest in 2004 that came with a high-end list of prizes from which he could select.
“I chose a Martin guitar – a Brazilian rosewood Eric Clapton limited edition – and when it arrived, I ran my fingers over it and fell in love,” Andy says, speaking of the moment when his early love of music came rushing back into him.
With an amazing new guitar in hand, Andy set aside one hour before and after work to start practicing and to fulfill his renewed obsession. Within a year, Andy was writing songs that would end up on the country-flavored Americana folk rock cd Saints & Scoundrels, his debut album released in 2007. Andy is following up Saints & Scoundrels with Too Proud To Whitewash - Too Poor To Paint, an album that furthers his growth as a singer/songwriter with more acoustic/electric countrified folk tunes.“Jimmy Buffett for President” is the rollicking, humorous first single.
Looking back on all the childhood moving and traveling, Andy doesn’t regret walking away from music at 21, but he’s sure glad he found his way back to music today.