Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Herrington.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Andy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was first introduced to the art of DJing by my older brother Alan back in 2008. He owned a pair of technics and would scratch over our favorite hip-hop records. Somehow I managed to convince him to let me borrow his gear when I left for college, and what was once just a hobby quickly began to grow into something more serious. By 2012, I had surrounded myself with people who were obsessed with music, including my best friend and DJ brother Robbie Beck aka Robbie Dude. We would sometimes go to 3-4 shows a week at the Georgia Theatre or New Earth, all while balancing school, jobs, etc. I began building relationships with these venues, and in April of 2013, I was presented my first real chance to play a booked gig (opening for Archnemesis) by Tyler Glenn. From there, it snowballed. I played shows everywhere I could get booked, from Macon to Milledgeville.
In 2014, I graduated with a degree in Landscape Architecture but elected to continue pursuing my dreams. I stayed in Athens, got two part-time jobs, and started working full time on music production & DJing. At this point, I was working with venues to throw my own shows, including a couple of residencies at the Green Room & the Georgia Theatre, trying to grow the humble electronic scene that existed in Athens. My friend Will Weber, aka Stellar Shores, along with myself and few others began throwing these massive house parties known as “Rowdy Dowdy”. These parties looked like scenes of a movie- kegs, free booze, bonfires, lights in the trees, even security. We had huge names like Griz, Wick-it the Instigator, Cherub, and more come and perform at afterparties we threw. I attribute a good deal of my early success to performing at these events, growing the brand one packed living room at a time.
In 2015, I got to perform at my first big festival, Counterpoint in Rome, GA. From there, things expanded even further. The next year my best friend, Jonathan Sims, approached me willing to take on the role of manager/booking agent. Jon began helping me and that’s when it really started to become clear that my dreams could become reality. Jonathan founded Heartwood Entertainment, which handles artist management, event coordination & promotion, etc., and we constructed a team of committed individuals. I stayed in Athens until March of 2018 when I relocated back to my hometown of Atlanta, Georgia with my beautiful girlfriend Lexi. The music scene in Atlanta is unmatched, and I’m very excited to now be a true part of it. I now work on my craft during the day and work at Aisle 5 during the night. Music has pretty much consumed my life entirely, and I couldn’t be happier.
Has it been a smooth road?
The biggest struggle I faced early on was getting booked and being taken seriously without any representation. It can difficult to get booked when you’re a small name that represents yourself. That all changed when Jonathan began working as my manager. Besides that, the biggest struggle has been coming out of college with debt, trying to make it on a part-time job. I’m hoping that one day all of this hard work and time spent being broke will pay off.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I take a lot of pride in my DJing. It is quite common these days to see a DJ do nothing more than play one song after another for an entire set, more or less pretending touch knobs & faders. I try to push myself every time I’m on stage to make my performance a real show. Whether it’s scratching vinyl samples over tracks, utilizing acapellas to make live remixes, or blending multiple genres, two sets are never the same. I also write my own hip-hop influenced bass music that I like to incorporate into mixes. You can find my original music on all streaming platforms.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I moved back to Atlanta specifically for the music scene. There are so many people that support the scene, whether it’s as fan, performers, or promoters, and it’s great to be a part of something that is so special. There is a great deal of competition, but I believe that helps inspire everyone to grow & improve.
Contact Info:
- Email: Jonathan@HeartwoodEntertainment.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andy_bruh
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealAndyBruh
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealandybruh
Image Credit:
Alec Robertson, Andrew Najjar
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