Andrew Carter Baker

Andy, age 54, passed away at home (Appleton, WI) on Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023. He was recently diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer and had just received his first Chemo treatment.

He is the son of Judith Fudenski and the late James Baker, and the partner to Patricia Traas. He is preceded in death by his father in August of 2022. Jim and Judy were also both professional musicians.

Born in Evansville, IN., he studied cello and composing after being struck by a car while riding his bike at the age of 10. He eventually gave up Football and Second Base in Pony League to become the first Evansville recipient of an American Federation of Musicians scholarship to the Congress of Strings, All-City & All-State Honors Orchestras, Evansville Philharmonic and first chair in World Youth Symphony at Interlochen Center for the Arts. He often spoke about his time in Michigan. He was also featured on the cover of "International Musician" magazine.

After High School, he was exposed to other kinds of music, and as the story goes, he wasn't as interested in Cello. He wanted to learn and play Guitar, which he did spendidly!

At this time, he was a member of the Evansville Chess Club. In 1997, he was Co-Champion of the Club Championship and USCF Chief Tournament Director. In this event, Andy defeated Russian Master, Eugene Zelensky. A tremendous victory and achievement. This information was supplied by his good friend, Stephen.

He them moved to Asheville, NC to pursue a Music Career. A noted band in which he played during this time was Hot Gravy. I'm sure there were more, but I have limited information from this time. While pursuing that dream, he worked at a Bakery in Asheville for many years. Yep, Andy Baker was a baker. In an article written about him when he left they said, "Andy had put his name on no less than 4 million bagels." He did tell the funniest stories about working there. It was across the street from the Biltmore Estate, which strangely comes up again in this story.

He went back to Evansville in 2010. He was working at a pizza shop and working on writing and recording his music. You can find many of his recordings on YouTube, SoundCloud, & ReverbNation. Please take the time to visit his pages.

Andy and I met in a chat room in 2013. We always laughed about that. He said he had lived in NC. I told him I have carried a picture in my wallet since I was 16 of the prettiest place I had ever been ... Asheville, NC., and I visited the Biltmore. That was the beginning. After many visits back and forth, he moved here, Appleton, in January 2016.

He continued to write and play his music. Some of his favorite interests are Classical Music, Celtic Music (all music really), watching Chess/chessbrahs, UFC (a fan from the very beginning), Orchestration Online, and his many, many friends online.

One of his great accomplishments is a piece he wrote called "Bildungsroman" for cello/narrator and piano ..."for the indelible child in us all." Since his death, a very dear friend of his, Laura JH Ball, has taken the reins and done miracles to try to get some very wonderful musicians to make a recording. Once that is achieved, one day we are hoping to have it performed with a live Orchestra. Laura and I both believe that he wanted this piece to be his legacy. If you can help in any way, please let me know.

MUSICIAN, POET, COMPOSER, DEEP THINKER

Andy was indeed a very private, quiet, talented man. It was a privilege to love and be loved by him. Thank you to all of his family, teachers, and friends, too numerous to mention. Thank you to my family and friends.

Please visit his FB page and continue to post/read memories. His photos are a story in themselves! We will be having a party later in September with friends to celebrate Andy.

Love to you all. I miss him terribly. Patti

"I would like to be well known as a composer. I'd like to write something for a symphony and come in and conduct it. Or just be in the audience, sit back and enjoy hearing it played." Andrew Carter Baker - age 16

We are trying.............