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PHOTO: Slim Andrews, cofounder of the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Mechanic Falls, died Jan. 15 at 90. (Lauryn Hottinger photo)
By Maria Holloway
MECHANIC FALLS — Slim Andrews, cofounder of the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame, was not only a champion of country music in the state, but also a warm and gentle man who will be deeply missed by the music community he championed.
Andrews, a longtime Auburn resident, died Jan. 15, at 90. He was a lifelong country music singer, songwriter, guitarist and recording artist. He cofounded the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame in 1978 and in 2008 was instrumental in establishing the Hall of Fame Museum in Mechanic Falls. He was inducted into the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002.
Until shortly before his death, Andrews was active in the day-to-day business of the Hall of Fame, including as chair of the Induction Committee and museum tour guide. He made recent appearances on local television, including Maine Public and WMTW Channel 8.
I cherish sweet memories of Slim — a kind, warm, gentle man with a sharp wit and bright sense of humor. He had a way of making those he met feel like an old friend. He put people at ease and valued, respected and appreciated them. His infinite knowledge of Maine country music history was astounding.
Slim was dedicated to family – his wife, Carole Ann, predeceased him by three days – as well as work and music. He was a man who faced many life challenges and losses but who bravely soldiered on, giving it his all, no matter the circumstances. “I’ve been blessed,” he would say through it all, as one door closed and another opened.
Jim Flynn of Lewiston, a good friend of Andrews, and a notable songwriter and educator himself, wrote of Andrews’ legacy in 2018, saying Andrews was a dedicated country music artist, as well as a leader and catalyst for growth in Maine country music for five decades.
“Slim Andrews’ influence on Maine country music has made it one of the most popular of the performing arts in the state,” Flynn, who died in 2019, wrote.
Andrews gave his first public performance in 1942, when he was 11, winning a talent contest at the Community Theater in Auburn. His impact on the state’s country music scene began in 1971, when he opened The Silver Spur in Windham, with Gini Eaton, who would become his second wife. The Silver Spur offered live country music and dancing. Soon Andrews and Eaton formed Slim Andrews Enterprises Booking Agency, which brought well-known acts to Maine.
The pair introduced the first State of Maine Country Music All Star-Review of Top Maine Talent and, in 1977, along with Barry Deane, founded the Maine Country Music Association, according to Flynn. Andrews became its first president and in 1980, was recognized by the Maine Sunday Telegram as one of Maine’s most influential drivers of country music.
The Maine Country Music Hall of Fame Museum was founded in 2008, and is now at The Silver Spur, in Mechanic Falls.
Through it all, Andrews performed and recorded albums, including songs he’d written himself and with his son, Jamie Huntington.
“Slim Andrews is one-of-a-kind,” Flynn wrote. “His courage and perseverance over the years is extremely admirable.”
Andrews wasn’t slowed by bouts with cancer, including throat cancer, or the loss of three wives (including Carole Ann, who died Jan. 12) and three sons to illness. “Somewhere along the way he found the strength to write a song called ‘Born to Win,’” Flynn wrote.
Andrews also penned an award-winning song, “The Autumn of Our Lives,” a tribute to his Carole Ann, “who is loved not only by Slim but by everyone who knows her,” Flynn wrote. “Where God finds these inimitable men like Slim, I can’t say. I can say that Slim Andrews is in a class all by himself.”
For more information, visit Andrews’ Wikipedia page, which includes an in-depth summary of his early life, military service, music career and awards, or visit the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 207-654-2227 or email mariaholloway207@gmail.com to book an appointment. Donations in his memory may be made to the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame.
