Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Tannus.
Hi Andrew, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I was exposed to a wide variety of music from the ’70s -’90s and developed a taste for music of all kinds. Going into my early teenage years, I started developing tastes for early heavy metal, hard rock, and other genres that go well with teenage adolescence and angst. These also were instrumental in developing my chops for bass guitar for when I eventually joined a jazz band in high school. From my time in high school on, I ended up playing in every group and ensemble I could. This exposed me to so many different genres of music and ways to utilize the bass to create sound. I also picked up many percussion skills in marching band and orchestral ensembles, eventually leading to my time marching Drum Corps with The Boston Crusaders in 2012, 2014, and 2015. After high school, I continued practicing and playing but did not pursue any professional aspirations with bass or percussion. I stopped regularly bass after high school to pursue a career in the fitness industry and finish my business degree.
Fast-forward to 2020, and my career has stopped due to the pandemic. I became interested in performing music again, partly due to my fiancé urging me to play with a good group of people in the CFCArts Big Band. I picked up my bass, brushed up on reading music, and got to work. From there, things snowballed, and I found myself looking for people to play with on Facebook groups and started regularly gigging around Central Florida. The amount of performances I did just snowballed faster and faster, and I eventually ended up performing with more and more people in various styles! Big bands, cocktail trios, cover bands, musical pits, I started doing it all and falling back in love with the world of performing music.
None of this would be possible without the many teachers and instructors I’ve had throughout the years: My mother and father, Ron Lambert and the late Robert Schaer from Lakewood Ranch High School, Ellis Hampton, Chauncey Holder, Chris Lennox, Russell Wharton, and Taylor Ransom from my time in Drum Corps, and many more amazing people who’ve helped shape me into who I am today and how I approach life and music. None of these opportunities would be possible without the love and support of my wonderful fiancé, who pushes me to keep pursuing and accomplishing my goals and offers unparalleled support. Without these people, I would not be as fortunate as I’ve been or have been able to capitalize on the opportunities that have presented themselves fully.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The road so far has been smooth, and I have all my preparation and experiences to thank for that! Working through long days and nights, handling loads of music, and ensuring I am prepared to perform best are all thanks to the training and instruction I’ve received from my teachers and leaders.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a performing bassist, I play in shows that span a variety of styles and genres for all performance groups. As far as specializing goes, I am not specialized. I have enough knowledge and experience playing various genres and shows to play for any opportunity that needs a bassist. The biggest accomplishment I am most proud of is how regularly I can perform live music for willing audiences. I wouldn’t have believed it if someone told me 10 years ago that I would be a gigging musician with regular shows and meet some of the coolest people in the area because of it! What sets me apart from most other bassists is that I bring two basses to virtually every show I play: a bass guitar and an electric upright bass. This adds a new palette of textures and sounds, which can fill up the sound when playing smaller groups and reinvent even the most played radio tunes and crowd favorites.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Thanks to my years in drum corps, I’ve been able to travel through 48 of the 50 states! Alaska and Hawaii are still on the list, but down the road, opportunities will arise that will help me get to those last two!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://andrewtannus.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/andrew_tannus?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrewtannus0394?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Ashleigh Ann, Gardner CThmsn, Live Music Photography
