Andy Kushner, guitar and vocals

Andy began playing guitar at age 10 after 3 years with the instrument being at the top of his Santa list. His parents finally broke down after Andy taught himself piano basics out of a book at age 9 and later that year learned to play the sax in the elementary school band. At 12 he began playing with his dad’s buddies from work at monthly informal warehouse jams. It didn’t take long before he fit right in, also fooling around on the drums.

Andy met local blues guitarist Allen Vega at a Super Bowl jam at the former UK Café in downtown Livermore when he was 16. Allen invited Andy to come out to his Thursday night Blues jams and that’s where Andy developed his love for the Blues. Andy met and played with many musicians at the UK Café including the band’s current singer, bass player, and drummer- Chris, Mark, and Steve. In the fall of 2003 Andy caught the attention of Ronnie Stewart, the Executive Director of the San Francisco Bay Area Blues Society. Ronnie liked what he heard (“where’d a white boy from the suburbs learn to play the Blues like that?”) and provided a new nickname for Andy- “Kid Blue”.

Andy is appreciative of the learning experience gained from sitting in with several local bands including Allen Vega and the Hurricanes, Boogie D Blues Band, Georgi and the Rough Week, Kathleen Cairns & Tattoo Blue, Moreality, and the Bay Area Blues Society Caravan of All Stars. During the fall of 2003 Andy began regular practice sessions with Mark Campbell and Steve Millard, eventually becoming Generation Blue and shortly after added Chris Gattuso-Fish to the lineup.

Andy’s musical influences include Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Albert King, Led Zeppelin, BB King, and Pink Floyd.

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