An award-winning storyteller, Andy Russell was born into a family rich with storytellers. Andy grew up in North Carolina, where family gatherings were often filled with stories of history and hard times, simple pleasures and heartfelt emotions. Andy’s stories sparkle from time spent with his grandparents, big Southern breakfasts, fishing for catfish with a cane pole and making music with friends. Oh, and watermelon!

In the words of one listener, listening to Andy’s stories is like “sitting by a wood stove on a chilly mountain evening.” One minute, you are bent with laughter, and the next, you are quietly wiping away a tear. Andy’s years writing songs in Nashville serve him well here, too, as many of his stories have related songs that complement or expand the story and are often simply wonderful all on their own. 

In February 2025, Andy won the StorySlam Championship by Six Feet Apart Productions, competing against all of the monthly winners from 2024.

In 2024, Andy appeared as a Regional Teller at the Georgia Mountain Storytelling Festival, and was selected as a New Voice Teller at the Old North State Storytelling Festival in Cary, NC.

Andy has appeared as a “New Voice” teller at the Stone Soup Storytelling Festival in Woodruff, SC, a regional teller at “A Taste of Storytelling” in LaGrange, GA, and has made four consecutive appearances at the Florida Storytelling Festival in a Member Showcase or as a Porch Teller.

He has been featured on multiple online programs, including MoonShine Stories, Traditions and Truth, and Better Said Than Done.

Andy is a member of the National Storytelling Network, Storytellers of Central Florida, the Florida Storytelling Association, and the North Carolina Storytelling Guild.

In recent years, Andy has volunteered at an area animal sanctuary, working with lemurs and other endangered species for more than five years. He continues to be a champion for their ethical treatment. "So many of these animals have had a rough start in life," Andy says. "Helping them to adjust and adapt to a lifestyle much more like what they would experience in the wild is one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had."

Andy lives in Ocala, Florida with two dogs and a three-legged cat (but no lemurs!).