Posted: Thursday, March 31, 2016 12:00 pm Tom Netherland Bristol Herald Courier

BRISTOL, Tenn. – Brian Andrews loved music. He loved people and people loved him.

Andrews, a red-bearded, floppy-hat-wearing presence on the local music scene, died recently at age 39. He supported countless local musicians as a front-row dancer. Now a long list of local musicians will support Andrews.

A Celebration of the Life of Brian Andrews will stage on April 1 at the Willow Tree Coffeehouse and Music Room in Johnson City. Musicians including Bristol’s JP Parsons and Johnson City’s Amythyst Kiah will appear in Andrews’ honor. All proceeds will benefit a fund established in Andrews’ name.

“He was an angel,” said Ivan Andrews, Brian’s father, during a memorial last Thursday in Bristol. Tears fell, smiles broadened, memories swapped during the memorial. A parade of Andrews’ friends sang songs in his memory, including Bristol’s Adam Lawson.

“Brian Andrews was one of the kindest, friendliest and most loyal souls that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing,” said Lawson. “If there was music to be heard, it was most likely that Brian was there to show his support for our scene.”

Lawson’s moving rendition of “Wayfaring Stranger” captivated while capturing the spirit of such profound loss. “You would see him at any given night dancing and singing his cares away to a local or regional band or artist,” Lawson said. “The scene lost a really special guy last weekend.”

A number of Andrews’ friends, including Stan Blankenship, recalled their friend as the music played. “He’s an icon,” said Blankenship. “Now he’s a legend.”

Picture Andrews. Let’s say The Black Lillies were on stage at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. Whether the crowd was large or small, Andrews danced near and typically in front of the stage, dancing on his own with nary a care in the world. He wore a floppy hat adorned with buttons. If chilly, he wore one of several large fur coats. Then there was his long red beard, big shiny smile and friendly hello for whomever he met.

Andrews epitomized freedom. He was a leaf in a breeze. “He was on cloud nine when the music played,” said Evie Andrus, a locally-based fiddler and organizer of Friday’s celebration in Andrews’ honor. “There were music fans and then there was Brian. He took it to a whole other level.”

If his favorites were on stage, then Andrews was sure to show. “He had that big ass red beard, that old hat, wild shirt and his fur coat,” said Scott Thomas, a drummer and longtime fixture on the local music scene. “If you knew him, for some insane reason it made sense.”

Andrews lived in Bristol, Virginia. He worked by day as a handyman. Quite well, too. By night, he followed the music and musicians that he loved.

“You couldn’t help but like Brian,” said Randy Broyles, formerly of Hundred Acres and long known as The Crooked Man. Broyles dedicated his rendition of Johnny Cash’s take on “Hurt” to Andrews during his memorial last week. Lawson backed him on guitar.

“Despite how hard this life can be we can’t forget to smile, to sing, and to dance,” Lawson said. “Be excellent to each other…that’s what Brian would do.”

Andrews’ hat passed from person to person, head to head, friend to friend during his memorial. No doubt, Andrews’ hat will turn up one more time during his celebration.

Amid the tears from loss and the cries of goodbye, were he able to return for one more song, then surely Brian Andrews would dance. And smile. And love one and love all.

“He was an angel in life,” Ivan Andrews, Brian’s father said. “Now he is an angel.”