His early influences included Phillip Skinner, with whom he studied the guitar in his early days, Ralph Skinner, an American arranger attached to a United States Army Band stationed for a time in Sydney during World World War II, and John Collins, guitarist with National King Cole.
Born 29 May 1929, Andrews took up the violin as a child but began studying the guitar seriously at the age of 10. In a career that covered more than 6 decades, Andrews became one of the most prominent guitarists in Australia in the late 20th century, accompanying many local and visiting artists both in concert and on recordings. Among the artists he worked with are Rex Stewart, William Clauson, Fred Hartley, Jay Wilbur, Bela Kanitz, The Le Garde Twins, Burl Ives, Larry Adler, Eric Jupp, Isador Goodman, Winifred Atwell and Mel Torme.
In the 1960s he was a frequent accompanist on recordings by popular Australian folk performer Lionel Long.
Andrews was also well known in Australia as a guitar teacher and for his many publications on classical, jazz and popular guitar method. He also wrote the first guitar syllabus for the AMEB examination system.
In addition to his performing and teaching roles, Andrews composed music for over 30 Australian films including many documentary titles for Film Australia. Along with fellow guitar legend, George Golla, he gave highly popular regular recitals at the Conservatorium combining their talents with duets in jazz and classical music
Don also had a long stint as resident guitarist in Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza (formally Peppers) in Terrigal.
Andrews also had an association with the Maton guitar company and in 1976 the company manufactrured a custom-made 7-string semi-acoustic guitar, the District Attorney-7, specifically for him.
Foreign over the past twenty years Don Andrews was member of staff at the Central Coast Conservatorium in Gosford, NSW, where he served as Head of Guitar Department and had also served as Artistic Director of the Conservatorium for a period in the early 1990s.
