
A.p. Harbor
Though the songwriting of Andrew Preston – experimental pop theatrics, but rooted in the deep wellsprings of folk music – and his quirky live shows have become recognizable mainstays of central Appalachia’s burgeoning indie scene, his new embrace of lo-fidelity musings and a collective of musical friends have breathed new life into the A.p. Harbor sound. Among their hallmarks: eclectic vocals, offbeat instrumentation, literarily dense lyrics steeped in storytelling, all balanced by a healthy penchant for the absurd.
A.p. Harbor is the pseudonym/band name of producer/singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Andrew Preston (and his rotating collective of collaborators), who has been developing his style of deeply personal, narrative-driven lyrics and musically dynamic arrangements since his early schooldays. Inspired heavily by 2000's indie/folk pop theatrics like those of The Hush Sound, KT Tunstall, and The Decemberists, as well as the intimate lyricism of John Prine, Stephin Merrit, and Regina Spektor, he became a musician organically, teaching himself to play several instruments and to record songs in his grandmother’s apartment in his hometown of Van Lear, Kentucky. His career burst forth suddenly, when Preston was featured in the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Songwriter Showcase for his song “The Mountain Wayfarers”.
In 2015, Preston adventured from releasing online lo-fi records into the realm of progressive folk/old-time music alongside Austin Tackett, Melissa Caskey, and Matt Holleran as The Woodsheep. Preston lead the Woodsheep in over 600 shows across the United States, Ireland, the UK, and China, produced three records, and was featured in Bluegrass Today and on PBS in only 3 years. In an effort to combine the DIY methodology of his solo work with the lush productions of later Woodsheep performances in the face of a frequently rotating band, Preston embarked on an effort to revisit his entire discography and brand it under a pen name- thus, A.p. Harbor was born. The A.p. Harbor band is a rotating collective of musicians and singers live and on records, with some of the most consistent members including drummer Matt Holleran, guitarist Michael Jarvi, and singer Mary Morris.
In addition to Preston's touring, his songwriting continues to pave his musical career- in 2018, his song "Lost", recorded with fellow Woodsheep Melissa Caskey singing lead, was nominated for the 2018 Audioverse Awards. As of 2020, Preston has written, produced, and recorded four solo records as Andrew Preston, three for The Woodsheep, co-produced Becki Alfrey's debut album "Three Mile Creek", and engineered, mixed, and mastered songs for Michelle Canning, Key & The Boys (which was awarded a Lexington Music Award in 2019), Gianelli Pizarro, Morehead State University, Elizabeth Bowman, and more.

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