Area musician gets shoutout from Beach Boy

HOW TO GO

Who: Andy Gabbard

Where: Omkega Music, 318 E. Fifth St., Dayton

When: 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5

Cost: FREE

More info: 937-275-9949 or omegamusicdayton.com

Artist info: Bandcamp

Songwriter Andy Gabbard of Middletown, who performs at Omega Music today at 4 pm, has experienced some honors over the course of his musical career.

Shortly after forming the band Buffalo Killers with his brother, Zachary, in 2006, the group were signed to Alive records. They were selected by Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes to open a string of dates for the popular Georgia group a short time after that.

But Andy Gabbard’s latest accolade may top them all.

This week the guitarist and singer released a five-song EP of some of his favorite Beach Boys tunes with the tongue-in-cheek title Andy Butchers The Beach Boys. Here's the kicker: he started recording it last week, playing all the instruments.

"I decided I wanted to occasionally make little EPs of me covering some of my favorite artosts' songs. I'm not putting that much thought into it. I'm just recording them in my laundry toom," Gabbard said. "I always fall in and out of just being obsessed with The Beach Boys. Recently, that's all I've been listening to."

But the joke is on him, because, through the help of a mutual friend, the release has caught the attention of Brian Wilson himself…and he likes what he’s heard. So much so, Wilson posted a link to Gabbard’s site where fans can purchase the album.

"If I had known that Brian was going to listen to it, I would have paid for studio time," Gabbard said. "I just saw it and it made me smile really big."

The Wilson nod has led to a lot more attention in the form of hits and downloads on Gabbard's Bandcamp site, and he plans on recording more tribute EPs down the road.

"I'm not doing it to get anyone's attention or anything," Gabbard said. "I sent my buddy a screen shot (of Wilson's page) and said, 'Can you believe this?' He said, 'Oh my god! Well, you've got to do Paul McCartney next!'"

In light of all this new attention, the affable Gabbard has been far from a braggart. But he did feel it necessary to name drop to one person in particular.

"It was cool to tell my mom, because when I was a teenager, she used to make fun of me for listening to (The Beach Boys album) Smile. She thought I was such a nerd!"

My buddy Andy from the Buffalo Killers just dropped this little 5-song today: https://andygabbard.bandcamp.com/album/andy-butchers-the-beach-boys @andygabbardmusic @buffalokillers
Posted by Brian Wilson on Wednesday, August 3, 2016

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Jim Ingram