Andrew Kreider in Concert

Andrew Kreider was born and raised in London, England – growing up caught between the sounds of the English “folk-baroque” scene and new wave musician poets like Elvis Costello. Throw in the influence of Canadians Joni Mitchell and Bruce Cockburn, then stir in the upheaval of a move to Midwestern Indiana in his 20s, and you get the fertile soil for some first-class songwriting with a “transatlantic drawl.”

Trained in a Mennonite seminary, Kreider spent over a decade as a pastor before stepping away from the ministry, to give more time to family and to his writing.   While he doesn’t explicitly identify himself as a “Christian artist,” his deep spiritual life runs at the heart of his work.

By turns witty, spiritual and poignant, Kreider turns his poet’s eye on everything from the nuisance of a local scrap-metal crusher to the moon shining through a hotel window, from the heartbreak of a broken relationship, to a mass arrival of ancient Greeks at a small-town airport. He moves stylistically from folk and country ballads to rock to spare solo numbers, always centering on his voice and guitar.   There is an edge to his work, too; that moment where the listener is not quite sure whether Kreider is serious or not – “wait!  What did he just say?”  And then it’s gone.  The goofy, manic unpredictability of his live performances translates into a wide-ranging catalog of songs available online and on three CDs. 

With strong melodies, carefully crafted lyrics and understated playing, Kreider’s songs reward repeated listening.   Meanwhile, his poetry continues to unfold from month to month on his blog:  Penguin Poems.

Andrew Kreider is joyfully and hilariously married to the lovely Katie. They have three children, a loving dog and a six-foot inflatable penguin named Ollie.