Andy Wildrick

Biography

Andy Wildrick began his music career at age 17 as a guitarist for the Springfield, Illinois-based band Park. In 2002, he formed The Junior Varsity, which led to collaborations with producers Matt Squire, Sean O’Keefe, and Mike Watts. The band toured with Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, and other notable acts of the time. Their music appeared on TV shows and in video games, including, "The Real World", "Road Rules", "Amped 360", and "MVP Baseball 2006."

In 2007, Andy moved to Boston to join the progressive rock band The Dear Hunter as a guitarist and keyboardist. The band built their own recording studio and produced albums for acts on labels such as Tooth and Nail, Triple Crown, and East/West Records. Their work charted on the Billboard Top 200, and the band toured with The Offspring, Incubus, Coheed and Cambria, Circa Survive, and Thrice. A highlight of this period was a feature in Guitar Player magazine and a tour with the Soundwave Festival in Australia.

In 2010, Andy returned to school at American University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Business and Music, followed by a Master of Arts in Audio Technology. He taught courses in studio production and worked with Grammy-winning engineer Andros Rodriguez. In 2013, he moved to Nashville to teach at SAE-Nashville, and in 2015, he toured as the bassist for American Idol winner David Cook. He also toured as bassist for country artist Leah Turner in 2016, opening for Brad Paisley and Neal McCoy.

In 2017, Andy became the audio program director at SAE-Nashville and helped develop a Bachelor of Science degree. When he isn’t teaching audio technology courses at the Curb College, he is often working out of his home studio, Wild Rick Sound.