"Just like that old Jazz musician says to the young rocker in the film THAT THING YOU DO “You got to watch your money!” I protect myself with copyrights and filings for music publishing (in my case BMI). And scrutinize contracts like my life depends upon it."

Andy Bernstein: Let The Roots Roll 

Andy B. AKA Andy Bernstein has been the primary singer-songwriter for roots rockers The VooDUDES since 1990. As that band passed its silver anniversary, Andy found his composition book full of tunes – many that didn’t fit The VooDUDES’ M.O. Inspired by the rise of Americana and soul music, Andy began a solo recording project choosing John “JP” Pittas to co-produce (his credits include productions for Blues Leaf Records, among others). The resulting collection is entitled My Roots are Showing released under the moniker Andy B.AND (as in “Andy B and whoever he’s playing with”). The songs range around Americana influences from the funky mountain spiritual Great Time Coming, to the DAP Records-style soul of Break Someone Else’s Heart; from the Bert Berns-inspired AM radio rocker In My Dreams, to the rockabilly gospel of One More River. Even The VooDUDES “ghost” perform on the driving-and-crying tune, My Baby’s Gone. These songs showcase Andy B’s love of eclectic roots genres and emotional, storytelling lyrics sung in a voice one reviewer labeled “the sound of a bourbon bottle lined with gravel.”

(Andy B. AKA Andy Bernstein)

Andy B is now bringing his own project to life at select events featuring original, indie artists. Andy B.AND previous release LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN (2019) is top to bottom Roots Rock/Americana album, an artistic journey from the heart of Andy B to your ears. The downtime was spent tightening up the personnel and sound of SoulFolk. The line-up is: Gary Ambrosy (guitar); Paul Daloia (bass); Matty Hahn (keys); and Bill Homeyer (drums). Everybody sings. The widely experienced players brought new insights to Andy's songs. The result is TELLIN' MYSELF WEIRD LI'L STORIES (The single "Risen from the Dead" will be released in late Winter; Album drops in May 2025 on Deko Entertainment/ADA Warner Music Group), and production was completed in 2024. Along with eight originals, the album includes a Motown cover and the traditional "House of the Rising Sun" featuring Juke Joint Johnny on guitar and is an original arrangement that Andy did with him in their touring days.

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the American Roots music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

My grandparents were all immigrants. Three of them lived into my adulthood, so I heard about their lives and processed that information through my own adult experiences. My father’s father came to America at 14, and loving cowboy stories, road the rails out west. Though the frontier was gone, he learned a lot of English from listening to the hobos singing folks songs – similar to what Woody Guthrie experienced when he traveled the country. So as a youngster when I would sing traditional American music, like Candyman on my new, solo album (or the many “trad” New Orleans songs on The VooDUDES’ discs), my grandpa would know the tune and be able to add to my understanding of it.

My mom’s father had played music in Europe as a teenager. Once in America, he enjoyed the company of others who enjoyed music, particularly waltzes, which were the rhythm of so many early country songs. His experience was the fellowship of music. For me having an ear for traditional American music was key.  American folk music started with an arcane mix of English - Irish - Scots - African sounds and rolled on to incorporate every other wave of immigration that arrived. So to discover zydeco or conjunto or reggae just seemed like a natural progression. Being based in New Jersey where many Greeks settled, we all grow up knowing how to “OPA” when the situation requires it!

How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process?

I think first and foremost is my improved lyrical skills tied to the musicality of my "weird" stories. Cutting back on wordiness has made the lyrics better fit the groove. Now the tales I'm spinning in song are clearer to the listener.

Another aspect of growth has to do with my voice. I worked very hard on pitch when I was a young singer. Since my last recording, I've had several cases of covid. It scarred my lungs and thickened my throat. So I've learned alternate means for expressing emotions and keeping high vocal quality in my music. I DO NOT autotune!  It also helped bringing keyboardist Matty Hahn onboard; he in turn brought his wife Barbara, who is a singer, to be a guest on the recording. They arranged choral parts and the other band members and myself formed the choir. That way I didn't have to strain my voice singing lots of different parts. I had forgotten how much fun it was being part of a choir and how human voices are the original musical instrument.

As for what remains the same - my love for all kinds of Roots and Jazz genres. The band and I even explored some things new to us like the Reggae of "Whiskey, Black Powder & Cigarettes" and Pop-Soul of "Y'know I Love You". I was very happy that three of the SoulFolk members from past shows and the last recording decided to stay. That would be Gary Ambrosy (guitars, lapsteel, mandolin); Paul Daloia (upright/electric bass), and Bill Homeyer (drums, percussion). These guys are seasoned, musical vets experienced in a wide variety of styles. They not only bring instrumental skill, but are deeply thoughtful about arrangements and instrumental voicings in my songs.

”Blues was a natural born component (along with Jazz) of US performing arts and remains so today. To work with what's up ahead, people need to know what that future is built on. For musicians, it's the blues.” (Photo: Andy B. AKA Andy Bernstein emerged from the New Brunswick music scene)

Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album “Tellin' Myself (Weird) Li'l Stories” (2025)?

It was really a treat having Blues Leaf Recording artist Juke Joint Jonny play on "House of the Rising Sun". Paul and I had done a few road trips with him. The arrangement on my recording came out of those. Johnny is retired from playing now, but he is a crazy, talented guy and someone who lights up a room with his personality. It was great to have him in-studio laying down that old Blues picking at the heart of the song.

The story that most moves me is sending my tribute song "When Nancy Played Some Blues" to Nancy's family. Nancy Wertheim Swarbuck, aka Big Nance, was a world-class harmonica player who toured with Sonny Rhodes, Bluesman Willie and Yolanda Briggs. When she wasn't touring, Nance had a Wednesday night residency at the legendary Court Tavern in New Brunswick, NJ, with her band The Supreme Court. Like the Court Tavern, Nance (and the band members mentioned in the song) are gone now. So I sent the track to her family and received a beautiful note back from Nance's sister. Not just about how the song captured the magic of those Wednesday nights, but about our youth, the friends we made back then, a bar that felt like home. It brought me to tears; still does whenever I reread it.

Why do you think the song: “House of The Rising Sun” and “Money (That's What I Want)”, continues to generate such a devoted following?

Call me biased but I think the stories behind those songs are what continues to draw listeners. "House of the Rising Sun" is one of the oldest surviving US Roots tunes. Yet many aspects of the lyrics beg questions from listeners. Tie those to the creepy, atmospheric chord progression and you know some bad juju is going down in that house. And nobody knows who actually composed the tune.

"Money (That's What I Want)" was the first Motown song to hit the national charts. There's a lot of controversy about authorship on this one. Sung by Barrett Strong, he is credited as a writer on some versions and gets no credit on others. Motown founder Berry Gordy almost always gets credit. The Beatles recording it started a golden landslide with several covers hitting the charts over the years. And it's the opposite of just about every love song ever written - the singer will forego all of life's good stuff for money. How would that not keep listeners returning to the tune?!?

”A visual artist (and amateur accordionist) once told me that great arts only come from honest emotions painted into the work. It's the same with music. You can write a song for the hell of it, say to have fun. Or, you can put deep feeling into it. That would mean something to people of any age. (Photo: Andy B and SoulFolk is Andy Bernstein; Gary Ambrosy; Paul Daloia; Matty Hahn; and Bill Homeyer)

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What does the blues mean to you? 

My family arrived in the US about the time that the Blues was having its first heyday on records and infant radio. My maternal grandfather was a bootlegger, so he may well have heard a Blues tune or two in speakeasys. But I guarantee you the radio was on all day at his house. I believe the surrounding culture helped acclimate these new immigrants to American life. Blues was a natural born component (along with Jazz) of US performing arts and remains so today. To work with what's up ahead, people need to know what that future is built on. For musicians, it's the blues.

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

I don't consciously try to be relevant. The songs are arranged and voiced to work with the groove and tell the story. That kind of artistic integrity connects people's listening habits to the foundations of Roots Music forms. Another is hearing real instruments played by human beings. This was one of the reasons I've chosen to work with producer John Pittas. He insists on using real instruments as much as possible. Where we can't, such as with the keyboard choices, John employs first-class sample patches (or Matty programs the desired instrument on a Nord). I think it's very exciting to hear all of those real instruments played, which clearly compliments the emotions of the song.

A visual artist (and amateur accordionist) once told me that great arts only come from honest emotions painted into the work. It's the same with music. You can write a song for the hell of it, say to have fun. Or, you can put deep feeling into it. That would mean something to people of any age.

”I think first and foremost is my improved lyrical skills tied to the musicality of my "weird" stories. Cutting back on wordiness has made the lyrics better fit the groove. Now the tales I'm spinning in song are clearer to the listener.” (Photo: Andy B. AKA Andy Bernstein)

Are there any specific memories or highlights with Levon Helm and Johnny Adams that you would like to tell us about?!

Levon Helm pulled a practical joke on The VooDUDES drummer Dave Ambrosy. We were opening for him at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum. He let Dave use his drums, but Levon set him up by not tightening the screw on his rack tom. Levon's band finishes their soundcheck and walk off. We get up on stage and the audio tech tells Dave to hit the drums. First hit and the rack tom falls off the hardware, bounces off the kick drum and hits the floor. Dave has a look of utter horror on his face - he broke Levon's drums. Then we hear the laughter. Levon is standing in the wings cracking up. He comes back out, tells Dave he does this to openers and says it's OK. Great way to get "broken" in for what turned out to be a series of shows.

Opening for Johnny Adams at New Orleans Rock 'n' Bowl, I used a personal monitor because of the loud ambient noise in the room. Adams had never seen one before and wanted to try it. I gave him a quick lesson and got off stage. His band starts up, Adams begins to sing, then stops everything and says "Where is that Andy VooDUDE at?". Wherever I was, I ran up to the stage and helped him with the monitor. This time, the sound was right and he went on to do a great show. I am not a soundman by any stretch of the imagination. But at least I got it right that time.

How do you describe your songbook and sound? Where does your creative drive come from?

My compositions encompass the roots music that I think will fit the subject matter. A song about a wild woman I met has a combination Rockabilly and Second Line groove; a tune about trying to attract a more reticent person is set to Texas Swing. On the previous album LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN, I wanted the listener to experience pumping coins into a roadhouse jukebox. That vibe runs through the nine tracks that present some funky Blues, Country Rock and retro Country, Folk Rock – short catchy tunes that work for dancing, singing along and drinking. Lyrically I’m always telling myself (and the listeners) some little story.  It could be about a woman, a historical event or even a non-sectarian article of faith. The drive comes from a need to express my interests to the world. A musician friend said I was always name-dropping in my music. Well yeah, I am because I’m interested in how that person or situation affects my own thinking.

"New Jersey is home. It’s where I came up, made mistakes, got shot down and was helped up again. It’s where I can pick up the phone and either reach people-in-the-know or have them call me back. It’s the kind of place where if I’M coming from a gig with a couple of hundred dollar bills in MY pocket, and the local bartender can’t break them, somebody will buy me a beer. It’s a small place with lots of big opportunities. It’s surrounded by three urban music markets and has its own culture as well." (Photo: Andy B.)

Which acquaintances have been the most important experiences? What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?

I’ve spent close to 30 years with The VooDUDES, so those certainly guys loom large in my life.  It’s one of the reasons I convinced guitarist Gary Ambrosy to come work with me on this solo project – he’s my security blanket. I also have a close relationship with John Rizzo better known as Blues Leaf Recording artist Juke Joint Jonny. I did some touring with him as his percussionist, harmonica player and relief vocalist. He’s a life-long musician who has played and lived all over the world. His advice and encouragement has been key to my doing this solo project. As for advice, it’s not been so much what was said, but the example set by so many of “the greats” I’ve played with. Whether it was Levon Helm, Johnny Adams, Buckwheat Zydeco or countless others, they all made it look like they were having the time of their lives. I saw Muddy Waters on his last tour – the man couldn’t stand up through the whole set. And yet he sang and played with all his heart, and he smiled in acknowledgement of the audience’s applause. When an audience spends their hard-earned money to see me play, they should get a great show, where I smile and entertain them – share their good time.

Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

The VooDUDES tour of Greece set up by Johnny Angelatos where we met you.  Lots of fun, lots of beautiful people and places. And those dates we did with Levon Helm, all very special. The story I’ll share with your readers is that after our first gig with Levon (at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum), the two bands went out for dinner at a barbecue joint where Robert “Junior” Lockwood was playing. Lockwood sits down on his break to eat with us and I ended up seated between him and Helm. They begin debating who was the best drummer in Muddy Waters’ classic bands. And then they asked my opinion. Here are two great musicians whose music I’ve grown up with! I don’t want to offend the guy we’re touring with, nor do I want to argue with Robert Johnson’s stepson and heir. I’m sitting there and NOTHING is coming over my mouth.  I finally picked a drummer that hadn’t been mentioned yet. They realized that I was playing the neutral party – like Switzerland – and started laughing.  Nice to be able to make my heroes laugh even if I was the butt of their joke.

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

First there’s the artistic part: I love the convenience of CDs and downloads. But I miss the art of album jackets. I also dig digital recording and working in producer John Pittas’ set-up allowed my new band, SoulFolk, to play live in the studio almost eyeball-to-eyeball. That would not have been possible with analog recording. I do not hear any difference between the sound and production quality of my own digital recordings and the analog ones cut with The VooDUDES, so there’s no problem for me on that point. Then there’s the mercenary part: In a world where Peter Frampton only made $1700 on digital downloads last year, what chance do I have of making a living that way? Whatsmore, the fees for live shows have not kept up with the cost of living here in the US. It’s one of the reasons that musicians jump from band to band and juggle gigs. My own hope is to license and sync music for media. When I’m home, I watch a lot of documentaries and mini-series on TV. Many of these are now employing independent music on their soundtracks. To me that’s an income stream that continues to pay off and lets me play the gigs I want to. This was one of the main reasons for going with the IOA Records label for this recording’s release. Of course it still pays to showcase. In March I’ll be in Austin, Texas playing such a show for my record label at South By Southwest Festival’s Music Week.

"My compositions encompass the roots music that I think will fit the subject matter. A song about a wild woman I met has a combination Rockabilly and Second Line groove; a tune about trying to attract a more reticent person is set to Texas Swing." (Photo: Andy B. with The VooDUDES)

If you could change one thing in the musical world and it would become a reality, what would that be?

I would like to have experienced the time when the corporate record companies actually supported creativity. The Band and Little Feat never had big hit records, yet they found homes on Capital and Warners respectively where they could work at their sound and which allowed them to make those great records of the 1960s and 1970s. To have that kind of patronage keeping the wolf from the door is a reality I would’ve liked to have known. I should say in defense of my own label that IOA Records is extremely supportive in terms of digital distribution, promotion, personal encouragement, suggestions-without-arm-twisting and a general sense of fun. I trust that the things we’ve discussed, ie, licensing/syncing and booking support, will come if my project proves to have legs.

What touched (emotionally) you from the NJ music scene? What characterizes NJ in comparison to other circuits?

New Jersey is home. It’s where I came up, made mistakes, got shot down and was helped up again. It’s where I can pick up the phone and either reach people-in-the-know or have them call me back. It’s the kind of place where if I’M coming from a gig with a couple of hundred dollar bills in MY pocket, and the local bartender can’t break them, somebody will buy me a beer. It’s a small place with lots of big opportunities. It’s surrounded by three urban music markets and has its own culture as well.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your paths in music industry?

Just like that old Jazz musician says to the young rocker in the film THAT THING YOU DO “You got to watch your money!” I protect myself with copyrights and filings for music publishing (in my case BMI). And scrutinize contracts like my life depends upon it.

What is the impact of Roots music and culture to the racial, political, and socio-cultural implications? 

As I’m sure your readers know, we’re at a crossroads in America. Something about the changing demographic, ie, more non-white people, more empowered women, more vocal LGBTQ frighten the status quo of white people. I grew up in a city of Black and Hispanic people where I was in the minority, so those changes don’t bother me.  But I find it shocking that even among the mostly white Blues Societies, there is fear and anger at groups that were once quiet minorities and now want to be heard. I think that my own childhood experience surrounded by people different from myself, prepared me to be open and accepting of things, whether that’s music, alternative politics or just who my neighbors are. I don’t believe that it’s absolutely necessary to love everyone. To me justice and fairness are much more important. Exposing oneself to different music AND the people who make that music will only make this a more balanced world.

Let’s take a trip with a time machine, so where and why would you really want to go for a whole day?                                              (Photo: Andy B. AKA Andy Bernstein)

1) Buddy Bolden and his band playing the first jazz dances at the Funky Butt Hall in New Orleans around the turn of the 20^th Century.

2) A.P. Carter coming down from the Appalachians in the 1920s with a collection of traditional songs and playing them for his wife and her cousin who would all become the Carter Family.

3) Early 1930s: Robert Johnson teaching Robert Lockwood how to play guitar (maybe he could teach me a little something as well).

4) Late 1940s, Houston, Texas: Clifton and Cleveland Chenier (allegedly) invent zydeco.

5) The early 1950s in the American South to see the classic line-up of Hank Williams band.

6) The mid 1960s to either be with the Ike & Tine Turner Revue on the road or in Texas to see Baldemar Huerta – later known as Freddy Fender – mix rock, country and Mexican folk music at roadhouse gigs..

This is why that musician called me a name-dropper!

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