Andy Falco has deep New York roots. Stretching across the South Shore of Long Island and into the Hudson Valley, these roots gave him his introduction to bluegrass music, leading him to Nashville, The Infamous Stringdusters, and soon, Borderland Festival in East Aurora.
Born in Greenwich Village, growing up in Garden City and now residing in Sayville, Falco first played music at bars on Long Island. His brother Tom brought him to Fadeley’s, a small deli and bar in Patchogue, and one of the few places on Long Island in the late 1990s to find craft beer, on multiple taps no less. While it may seem unassuming from outside, Falco recalls the room fondly, saying “There’s something about that room, the wood or something, it really sounded good in there. Like playing inside an old Martin guitar.”
As he and his brother got into bluegrass via Old and in the Way, they were then introduced to The Seldom Scene, a bluegrass band from Bethesda, MD. For Falco, this was the way. “Getting into Bill Monroe at first felt a little harsh to hear, like a single malt scotch. At first maybe you’re like ‘Whoa what is that?’ and then you start to get used to it.” While tuning into David Bromberg for his more bluegrassy tunes, he met Buddy Merriam, a Long Island guitar teacher and member of Back Roads, and who has played traditional bluegrass music for more than 40 years. Merriam, who was friends with and played music alongside Bill Monroe, made mix tapes of various Monroe and Jimmy Martin tunes, a taste of more traditional, first generation bluegrass.
Falco would bridge the gap to Monroe in playing with Buddy for a number of years before Falco headed to Nashville. By 2021 The Infamous Stringdusters had released their GRAMMY nominated A Tribute to Bill Monroe, playing traditional bluegrass for a change, picking some of their favorites to record, mixing them at home during 2020’s shutdown, and finally mastered by Fred Guarino on Long Island.
Finding his way to Winterhawk Bluegrass Fest (now Grey Fox), Falco discovered his love for acoustic guitar during a workshop with Jack Lawrence, Doc Watson’s playing partner for more than three decades.
Reflecting on Winterhawk/Grey Fox, Falco recalls the time spent there fondly, noting that he and fellow Stringduster Chris Pandolfi “cut their teeth on that hill.” Hanging an Italian flag above their campsite, the pair would spend days in workshops, watching bluegrass, and jamming at night time pickin parties. This would be one of the first places Falco would run into Andy Hall, setting the stage for their eventual connection in Nashville where Falco joined the Stringdusters in 2007.
“I decided I wanted to play bluegrass guitar on that hill. I checked out a guitar workshop led by Jack Lawrence, went down there in the morning and it turned out he was Doc Watson’s playing partner, and he brought Doc with him. I sat so close to him I could string his guitar. I went and bought a Martin guitar not too long after that and just really got into bluegrass.
Andy Falco
Given this was the 1990s, there weren’t as many festivals in New York State as there would be a decade later, so Winterhawk and a charity-focused Labor Day festival on Long Island – Bradstock – would be the extent of Falco’s festival experiences. At Bradstock 2 in 1995, Falco would play his first real gig with Water Street Blues Band, and was the only other festival he would perform at until moving to Nashville.
Looking ahead to Borderland Festival, where The Infamous Stringdusters have played three times previously, Falco looks eagerly towards the Western New York festival. “The people are always so awesome to play for and the community they’ve put together is lovely to be a part of.” Borderland Festival founder Jennfier Brazill leads this community, having known the band for over a decade, having first worked with the band as a partner at WinterWonderGrass Festival in Colorado. Said Brazill, “I am their biggest fan and always want them as a part of my events.”
The Infamous Stringdusters have been on the lineup four times, but a hurricane prevented their arrival one year, in 2018. Held in 2022 over the weekend of September 17 and 18, The Infamous Stringdusters will perform on Sunday the 18th ahead of The Flaming Lips, who headline the night. The festival also features Portugal. The Man, Keller Williams, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Spafford, Dogs in a Pile, NYS Dead Coalition, Folkfaces and many more.
Having been on the road with Greensky Bluegrass earlier this year, the shift from buses to flights – given a shortage of drivers and parts for buses – has led to more hotels, less sleep and heading right to venues to soundcheck and prepare for a gig. Add in the crew who are working harder, arriving earlier and staying late, the collective effort is not lost on Falco. “When you’re on stage and playing music in front of everyone, it’s worth it. More people are coming to festivals, despite all the travel woes. It feels like it’s over, the music is still coming back in this transitional time that is by no means normal. You have to appreciate every moment.”
