Venue: School II
Date: Wednesday, November 17th
Time: 7:00pm
Andy Lindquist is an artist whose struggles reach far beyond that of perfecting his music. He believes every challenge creates an opportunity for growth; opportunity has repeatedly knocked on his door. Lindquist is a musician with an unstoppable work ethic. He averages two Cd releases each year of original works, does all his own pre- and post-production work, writes every chance he gets, and is a classically trained luthier. Each year, he sets a goal to master a new aspect of music; this year, it was an Irish jig.
His goals are not always obtained, or retained, easily. At age 32, Lindquist was hospitalized with Behcet’s disease. He was in the isolation unit, believed to be dying, and it was there he married his wife. Over the following years, Lindquist suffered a series of strokes. Each stroke caused loss of motor skills, paralysis, or blindness, or a combination. There was never a guarantee the loss would be reversed. Prior to this, Lindquist never identified himself severally from his music and it provoked no small amount of soul-searching. Lindquist’s positive attitude allowed him to forge ahead.
When intricate work on the guitar threatened to prevent him from composing music, Lindquist bought a piano and now it is what he uses for the majority of his writing. Music is Lindquist’s form of pain management and writing is his vehicle to leave a mark on the world. Lindquist, in speaking of his writing habits, states, “I write like a dying man. I have come so close to death many times and know I want to write as often as I can and express myself as much as I can in this short life we have.”
Before his hospitalization, Lindquist already secured a solid list of accomplishments including competing on Star Search at age 22. Living in Seattle for a time, Lindquist performed as a sideman playing guitar with several national acts. Years after returning to Minnesota, Lindquist is thriving on the challenge posed by what he dubs the “musical wild west.” He is delighted with the changes technology has brought to the music scene. Independently releasing two Cd’s in a year, which he averages, was impossible as few as five years ago.
The ability to record and master his own material allows Lindquist the autonomy necessary for his eclectic brand of music. In the past, he has been criticized for failing to fit neatly into a particular genre, but Lindquist has found that even without it he has established a recognizable sound. His work ethic and perfectionism ties him to each project so fiercely, that by the release date, he is disgusted with it. He works at it like a mad scientist through completion only to need distance from it for an extended period of time before he is able to find appreciation for it. As obsessive as it gets during the production, Lindquist will still tell anyone, “If you don’t like this one, wait five minutes and I’ll write another!”
Discover more about Andy Lindquist
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