Traveling
WV Video
featuring Andrew White
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Andrew
James White grew up in Annapolis Maryland. He was born in Chelmsford, MA and
moved to Annapolis at the age of one. He is the son of Susanna
and James William White. His father served in the US Navy as an
engineer for 21 years and continued working as an engineer until
his recent retirement. Susanna White, while raising 5 children,
received a graduate degree in graphic design and currently owns
a media and advertising firm.
Andrew attended St. Mary’s Elementary School and High School.
Upon graduation, in 1997, White enrolled at West Virginia University
where he received a dual
degree in philosophy and Spanish. He graduated from WVU Summa Cum Laude in 2001.
During his sophomore year Andrew decided to study abroad in Spain. While purchasing
a guitar as a souvenir in Madrid, Andrew met a man who would become an influential
marker in his career. The man was a guitar maker named Ignacio Rozas. Andrew
asked to see his work space in hopes of learning a few Spanish words. While doing
so he made a huge discovery; he wanted to make a guitar.
When he returned from his trip, he was eager to brag of his plans. And the following
Christmas Andrew’s plans were put to the test when he received a gift of
wood. It was wood for one guitar.
Andrew started building his first guitar in his basement efficiency apartment.
As he worked in this tiny space, his workbench and tools quickly encroached upon
his living space. It took one year to build his first guitar. The patience he
needed was now exceedingly obvious. Nevertheless, Andrew rose to the challenge.
Over the next three years he had made over fifty guitars and moved himself and
his shop into a two bedroom apartment where his tools took the larger room, and
where his career as a builder took shape.
In 2005 Andrew White entered and won the WV Business Plan Competition which gave
him the means and opportunity to move his shop into its own space, which is where
you see him today in this picture.
Andrew is currently building his guitars, running a small import steel drum business,
Steel Drums Unlimited, and is working to organize the Young Entrepreneurs League
of West Virginia in Morgantown, WV.
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