Andrews, Andy 1959-

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ANDREWS, Andy 1959-

PERSONAL:

Born May 22, 1959, in Birmingham, AL.

ADDRESSES:

Agent—c/o Author Mail, Thomas Nelson, Inc., P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214.

CAREER:

Comedian, motivational speaker.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Comedian of the Year, National Association of Campus Activities (NACA); Entertainer of the Year, NACA.

WRITINGS:

Andy Andrews Live at Caesars, Tahoe (sound recording), First Image (Nashville, TN), 1988.

Storms of Perfection, Lightning Crown Publishers (Nashville, TN), Volume 1: In Their Own Words, 1991, Volume 2: Letters from the Heart, 1994, Volume 3: A Pathway to Personal Achievement, 1996, Volume 4: Letters from the Past, 1997.

Andy Andrews' Tales from Sawyerton Springs, Lightning Crown Publishers (Nashville, TN), 1995.

The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2002.

The Lost Choice: A Legend of Personal Discovery, Thomas Nelson (Nashville, TN), 2004.

SIDELIGHTS:

A successful comedian and motivational speaker, Andy Andrews actually began his career on a dare, when his friends challenged him to try out his jokes at a local Pizza Hut. The brief stint doing stand-up next to the salad bar earned him some free pizzas, and convinced him that he had the talent to succeed in more professional settings. Before long, he was playing on the college circuit, where he earned the title Comedian of the Year from the National Association of Campus Activities. He went on to become a Las Vegas fixture, where his distinctly clean, family-friendly humor set him apart, garnering raves from radio host Paul Harvey and invitations to appear before Presidents Reagan and Bush, Sr.

In addition to comedy and motivational speaking, Andrews has also sought to reach audiences through inspirational writings. In the four volumes of Storms of Perfection, he compiles his correspondence with some of the world's most successful people to reveal the critical turning points and decisions that allowed them to overcome trials, failures, and even tragedy and to emerge victorious. In the fourth volume of the series, Letters from the Past, he imagines similar correspondence with historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, and Albert Einstein, who all had to overcome painful obstacles and setbacks to reach their goals.

Andrews followed this up with another fictional self-help title, The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success. In the story, David Ponder must struggle back from the brink after losing his job and with it his confidence, and then gets into a car accident that leaves him unconscious. In the Capraesque tale, Ponder finds himself transported through time to meet figures such as King Solomon, Christopher Columbus, and Harry Truman, who each impart to him a particular gift of wisdom. He awakens in a hospital bed, clutching letters given to him by his mentors. "At book's end, there is a strong element of faith, but Andrews uses a light touch," concluded Library Journal contributor Douglas Lord. "Some astute thinkers may be put off by the simplistic story line, but Andrews does an exemplary job at providing positive suggestions for overcoming life's obstacles," concluded a Publishers Weekly contributor.