|
SLIM IS STANDING ON THE RIGHT WITH LENNY SMITH ON THE LEFT AND RAY VAL SEATED PLAYING
LAP STEEL. THIS PICTURE IS FROM 1958 WHEN THEY FORMED THE BERKSHIRE MOUNTAIN BOYS IN BROCKTON, MASS.
|
SLIM'S MUSIC CAREER BEGAN IN 1942
AT AGE 11 WHEN HE WON A TALENT CONTEST AT THE COMMUNITY THEATER IN NEW AUBURN, MAINE. HE GOT HIS FIRST GUITAR AT THAT TIME
AND HAS SPENT THE PAST 69 YEARS ENTERTAINING THROUGHOUT NEW ENGLAND, THE MIDWEST, THE SOUTHEAST AND NOW BACK IN MAINE.
UPON GRADUATION FROM DORCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL IN BOSTON, MASS.,IN 1948, HE JOINED THE U.S. ARMY AND SPENT THREE
AND A HALF YEARS IN GERMANY WHERE HE ALSO ENTERTAINED THE TROOPS PERIODICALLY ON SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATING
IN THE BERLIN AIR LIFT DURING THE BLOCKADE. UPON DISCHARGE, HE MARRIED HIS HIGHSCHOOL SWEETHEART, PEARL (MAC NEIL), FATHERED
FIVE SONS AND ONE DAUGHTER, ENTERED THE INSURANCE BUSINESS AND CONTINUED HIS CAREER AS A COUNTRY PERFORMER AND VOCALIST WITH
SEVERAL GROUPS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AREA.
IN 1958 HE FORMED THE BERKSHIRE MOUNTAIN BOYS IN BROCKTON,
MASS. AFTER 13 YEARS THERE, HE RETURNED TO MAINE IN 1971, FORMED THE WELL KNOWN CUMBERLAND VALLEY BOYS, CREATED
THE STATE OF MAINE COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS IN 1976 WITH GINI EATON, OF EATON HALL, IN WINDHAM, ME., WHICH THEY RE-NAMED THE SINGLE
SPUR. TOGETHER THEY CREATED THE BOOKING BUSINESS OF SLIM ANDREWS ENTERPRISES, RAN THE SINGLE SPUR, MARRIED IN 1979, AND CONTINUED
TO OPERATE THE BUSINESSES TOGETHER UNTIL 1985 WHEN THEY MOVED TO MICHIGAN. DURING THAT TIME SLIM WORKED WITH, AND BOOKED,
MANY NASHVILLE ACTS INTO THE FAIR CIRCUIT IN NEW ENGLAND, PRIMARILY IN MAINE, AND ALONG WITH DICK CURLESS AND AL HAWKES WAS
RECOGNIZED BY THE MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM SOUNDTRACK MAGAZINE AS ONE OF THE TOP THREE PROMOTERS, PRODUCERS, AND MOVERS OF COUNTRY
MUSIC IN THE STATE OF MAINE.
IN 1977, SLIM AND GINI, ALONG WITH BARRY DEAN & ED HAZEN OF WPOR IN PORTLAND, BEGAN
THE FOUNDING OF THE MAINE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION, WITH SLIM BECOMING THE ACTING PRESIDENT UNTIL REGULAR OFFICERS WERE ELECTED
IN JUNE OF THAT YEAR. HE AND BARRY DREW UP AND REFINED THE INITIAL CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS.
IN
1978 BARRY DEANE AND SLIM WERE INSTRUMENTAL ALONG WITH GINI, IN INTRODUCING THE FIRST MAINE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
ON BEHALF OF THE MCMA WITH KEN MC KENZIE, HAL LONE PINE AND DICK CURLESS INSTALLED AS THE FIRST INDUCTEES IN APRIL.
IN MARCH OF 1985 SLIM LEFT FOR KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN WHERE HE FORMED THE GENERAL INSURANCE AGENCY, THE KNAPP AGENCIES OF MICH,
INC. WITH A PARTNER, MYRNA KNAPP. GINI AND HIS YOUNGEST SON JAMIE JOINED HIM IN JULY OF THAT YEAR. SLIM CONTINUED
TO WORK WITH OTHER MUSICIANS IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN AREA, NOTABLY AN OLD FRIEND FROM MAINE, DALE BENNET, OF THE FREIGHTLINERS
FAME.
IN 1990 THEY OPENED A NEW GENERAL INSURANCE AGENCY IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA UNTIL
2000, WHERE SLIM CONTINUED PERFORMING AS THE LEADER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION BAND, THE COUNTRY VETS, ENTERTAINING IN NURSING
HOMES AND RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES FOR THE VETERANS THERE, AS AN OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR THE AMERICAN LEGION. HE AND GINI BEGAN
SUMMERING BACK IN MAINE FROM 1996 UNTIL 2000, WHEN THEY RETURNED PERMANENTLY. GINI PASSED AWAY IN MAY, 2001 AFTER BATTLING
BREAST CANCER FOR 14 YEARS.
IN 2002 SLIM WAS INDUCTED INTO THE MAINE COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME, MET AND MARRIED
HIS WIFE CAROLE ANN (MC KEAGUE) AND CONTINUES TO PERFORM THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SLIM IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
AS EITHER A SOLO PERFORMER, OR STAGE SHOW PRODUCER AND ENTERTAINER.
FINALLY: SLIM'S MUSIC CAREER WAS REALLY HIS
SIDELINE. HE WAS IN THE INSURANCE BUSINESS SINCE 1961 AS AN AGENT, GENERAL AGENT, AND INDEPENDENT GENERAL AGENT. EVEN THOUGH
THE COUNTRY MUSIC BUSINESS IS HIS FIRST LOVE, IT WAS NECESSARY TO EARN A LIVING TO RAISE 6 CHILDREN, SO SLIM WORKED DILIGENTLY
IN THE INSURANCE BUSINESS. BUT HE WORE A DIFFERENT COWBOY HAT NITES AND WEEKENDS FOR ALL THESE 60 ODD YEARS, AND RECENTLY
WROTE ANOTHER SONG WHICH WAS RELEASED ON HIS 2006 ALBUM ENTITLED: "DON'T GIVE UP YOUR DAY JOB, SON". THE CD IS CALLED
"SIMPLY SLIM, w/HARRY."
__________________________________________________________
SLIM IS A LIFETIME
MEMBER AND FOUNDER OF THE MAINE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION; A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, CHAIRMAN OF HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
COMMITTEE, & A MEMBER OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE.
IN NOVEMBER 2009 THE MAINE COUNTRY MUSIC
HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM BECAME ITS OWN SEPERATE ENTITY UNDER THE IRS AS A 501 C 3 NON PROFIT CORPORATION AND SLIM WAS ELECTED
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THE INDUCTION COMMITTEE WHICH HE STILL CONTINUES.
HE IS A MEMBER OF THE
PINE TREE STATE COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION, & THE FIRST RECEIPIENT OF THE "TRAILBLAZERS AWARD" IN MAY, 2006.
SLIM WAS INDUCTED INTO THE MAINE OLE' OPRY ON OCTOBER 7th, 2007, along with BOB ELSTON, DENNIS DOIRON, AND STEVIE CEE.
THEY ARE THE VERY FIRST INDUCTEES INTO THE OPRY.
SLIM IS A MEMBER OF THE MAINE ACADEMY
OF COUNTRY MUSIC AND IN 2008 WAS HONORED WITH THEIR LIVING LEGEND AWARD.
SLIM
WAS PRESENTED THE BETTY GRIBBIN PERSONALITY AWARD ALONG WITH MAC MCHALE AT THE 2011 HALL OF FAME CEREMONIES ON MAY 21ST. ON MAY 22nd 2011 SLIM WAS PRESENTED THE RUSTY ROGERS AWARD BY RUSTY AT THE PTSCMA 2011 AWARDS SHOW. HE
IS A PAST COMMANDER OF THE GEORGE K. GANNAM AMERICAN LEGION POST 184, 1995-1996,THUNDERBOLT, GEORGIA.
PAST VICE-COMMANDER
FIRST DISTRICT, 1998/1999, AMERICAN LEGION, DEPARTMENT OF GEORGIA.
|
