In the Boulder foothills of Colorado, Andy spent his days playing fiddle, guitar and banjo. Surrounded by so much nature, Andy’s impromptu concerts drew unique wildlife listeners, but Andy’s favorite audience was Foxy the fox.
“So, I would be out there, writing music on the deck or jamming for the deer and jamming for the turkeys,” said Andy. “I was playing for any animal who would listen.”
When Foxy heard Andy playing music out on his deck, he seemed drawn to it, stopping to listen. And the more Andy saw Foxy, the more he realized Foxy’s particular taste in music.
“Every time he comes over to visit us, I try to see what he likes to hear,” said Andy. Of Andy’s three instruments, Foxy seemed to like listening to the banjo the most.
But Foxy only seemed to like it when it was played the way he liked. “I normally play banjo with picks on, and it’s a little bit flashier,” said Andy. But whenever Andy used the picks, Foxy seemed uninterested or he would run away.
Andy was playing clawhammer, a style that eschews picks for a more folksy sound, and he noticed that Foxy seemed more interested. “I just think he likes the simple stuff,” said Andy.
Andy and his partner were always happy when their fox friend visited. “We’re really lucky that we get to live on this beautiful land, and we have this amazing nature right out of our living room window,” said Andy. “It’s a dream.”
