Blog Posts

"The Smile You Couldn't See"

2/17/2023

Hey Everybody,
Two posts, same month- Crazy!!
I have been writing songs since my middle school days in the late 1970's, and there has yet to be a year where I didn't write at least one. Still, every year, I always wonder / worry, "When is the first one going to come? Is this the year I don't get a song?" So, I am really happy to say that, thus far in 2023, I already have two!. A couple days ago, after a nice Valentine's Day dinner with Laura, I wrote "The Smile You Couldn't See", using that dinner with her as a means of reflecting on a few things. A couple weeks earlier, I wrote a 20-minute "story song" called "I Ain't From Here (But, I Live Here Now)" that chronicles my 1993 move to Minneapolis and my life here since then. And, even though it was a 2022 song, another recent one is titled "Christmas '22", an ode to my maternal Grandfather that I wrote for my Mom. I wrote and recorded that one in December 2022. So, all in all, it's been a fertile few months!
In other news, I am really looking to playing IceHouse again in June, and am working on / hoping to book a few shows before then.
The days are getting longer, the snow is melting and, though we're not quite there, Spring is on the way!
Take care, Everybody!
Bob

Happy New Year and, umm, Valetine's Day!!

2/9/2023

Hey Everybody,
Well, another year done and another one started and I'm really late in making my first post of the new one and didn't make near enough in the last one! All in all, though, 2022 was a solid year, most especially with the release of my record "Ghost" and some cool shows I played in support of it. I was so excited to play at IceHouse in July & November, and at the White Squirrel in September. I was also excited to get some airplay on Twin Cities 89.3 the Current, both on Bill Deville's United States of Americana show and Mike Pengra's Radio Heartland. Thanks a bunch to Bill & Mike!
Over the last year or so, I've written a few new songs that will likely appear on my next record, whenever that happens. These include "Martyr With a Crutch", "Beauty in the Break", "Waterloo Shakes" and "I'm Not From Here (But I Live Here Now)". The latter I just finished a couple of weeks ago. It's a 20-minute epic that chronicles my move to Minneapolis back in 1993. I'm not sure if I'll ever play it live or, even, record it, but, it was pretty fun to write and I recorded a rough cut on my iPhone.
Speaking of, my iPhone has, for years now, served as a great songwriting tool. I use the Voice Memo function to record snippets of ideas and, when I have a full song, record a version of it. I also use the Notes function to write and save lyrics & ideas. Pretty cool.
This year, in addition to writing and playing as much as possible, a goal of mine is to increase and improve my online presence. My music streams on all of the typical platforms, but, I am going to try to gain more listeners / "followers". I have resisted Twitter & Instagram, and will probably continue to do so, as just keeping up this site and Facebook are about as much as this old dude can handle. Still, I'll do what I can and, again, continue to make my music.
I'm excited to be returning to IceHouse on Thursday, June 8th. Hopefully, haha, I'll post on here again before then!
Stay Warm, Everybody!
The days are getting longer and warmer and Spring is on the way!
Bob

A cool Summer!

9/6/2022

Hey Everybody!
Wow, it's been a pretty cool Summer. I released my record, "Ghost", on June 14th. The record received some excellent reviews, including the one cited in my last post from Folking.com, and another one from a cool site called MaximumVolumeMusic.com. I also booked and played some great shows, most notably an IceHouse show in July and a show at White Squirrel Bar tomorrow nite. I'm forever behind in trying to keep my website current, but, at least, this time, it's partly because I've been working hard trying to get "Ghost" out into the world... which it is! It is streaming on all the typical platforms and easy to stream / download , whatever works for you. As we head into Fall, I wish each of you my best as Laura and I try to adjust to the college departure of our son, Jonathan. Have a great Fall, everybody! Bob

"Ghost" - First Review!!

5/11/2022

Hey Everybody!
A big thanks to Bill Golembeski and Folking.com for writing / publishing the first review for Ghost!! It's a great review and I feel like Bill really understood the vibe of the record. I'm looking forward to officially releasing the album mid-June and am in the process of booking some shows to celebrate and promote the record. More to come!! Love, Bob

"Ghost" - CDs in Hand!!

4/19/2022

Hey Everybody, I'll write more soon, but I am excited to say I picked up the CDs of my new record "Ghost" on Friday, 4/15! It looks great, it plays, and I am looking forward to officially releasing it in June 2022. In the meanwhile, I am seeking reviews and working on booking a release show. Onward!! Hope all of you out there are doing great! Bob

Happy New Year / "Ghost"!!

1/24/2022

Hello, Everybody! Happy New Year!
It's been a chilly one so far, but, the cold weather has not prevented me from moving closer to finishing and releasing my record "Ghost". I hope to have the mastering process complete by mid-February, then will move ahead with the duplication process which will result in records-in-hand! I really debated whether to create physical copies of this album, or, alternatively, to release it only via online streaming / download platforms. In the end, I suppose I'm too much of my generation, and I can't wrap my head around putting in all of the work that is involved with making an album and not having a physical product. So, I will make CDs- can't afford the vinyl!!- and I hope you are as excited to get one as I am to get you one! The final track order looks like this-
1) A Restless Heart and a Troubled Mind
2) Paladin
3) Ghost
4) Hard Luck Girl
5) Guillotine
6) I Wish I Was a Dog
7) Gig
8) Movin' On
9) Runner
10) Who's a-Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone
11) One More Time
Truth be told, I could have had this record ready to go pretty much any time in the last 8 months. I just haven't been in a hurry to release it- obviously- as I would like to have some shows booked to support the release and COVID has made live shows an iffy proposition. Still, it's a new year and I am super excited about this record!
I posted, on this site's "Home" tab, a new video for the title track "Ghost", shot and edited by my good buddy and longtime musical collaborator Marc Conklin. Check it out! I hope you are doing well and look forward to sharing music with you in the near future! Happy 2022!
Bob

Fall 2021

10/25/2021

Hey Everybody!
As October's end nears, here I am with another of my too infrequent posts. Perhaps, I suppose, because there is not much news to report. I just returned from a wonderful journey with my son Jonathan. 1668 miles, 27.5 hours in the car, 3 universities- Northwestern, University of Wisconsin, and Indiana University, all in 3.5 days! It was such a pleasure to spend so much time with Jonathan, both in general and as he considers where he might attend school next Fall.
Music-wise, I am pretty much just sitting on my "Ghost" record. There are a few tweaks still to be made, and I still need to have it mastered, but, I'm in no real hurry to release it as I would, ideally, play a release show and, due to COVID, I am unsure if / where I might be able to schedule such a show. I have some ideas, though, and know that the show will happen when the time is right. Definitely in 2022!
I did decide to include my most recent song, titled "Paladin", on the record and am, overall, super excited about the record as a whole.
I did, in late September, play a cool set at Thomas Lowry Park- aka Seven Pools Park- in Minneapolis to celebrate the preservation and reopening of this cool little park. The show was extra cool for me as it is the park where, in August 1999, Laura and I were married.
I hope Fall is treating you well and look forward to posting news about my next show!
Take care, Friends!
Bob

Summer 2021

6/21/2021

Hey Everybody!

So, here we are, another Summer. Musically speaking, I am in the midst of finishing my next record ("Ghost"). It's really pretty much ready to go, but I am no rush to finish as I consider where- and how- best to release it. It feels good, though, to know the "heavy lifting" is done and I can put some time into being very intentional about my next moves. Meanwhile, I am treasuring the time my job as a teacher affords me in these Summer months, treasuring the time I get to spend with Laura, Jonathan, and my friends far and near.

I remain so saddened that Honey- my musical "home base"- was an early COVID casualty. As I seek and consider new venues, I continue to write and to play and am excited to begin the post-COVID musical life that awaits.

Have a great Summer, Friends.

I'll be in touch!

Bob

"Ghost" Sessions 2/24 - 2/28/2021

3/15/2021

Hey Everybody,
I am very happy to share that my weekend in the woods was very, very productive. With the help of good buddies Corey Hess and Marc Conklin, I was able to lay down all of the vocal and guitar tracks for my next record, tentatively / likely titled "Ghost". For years- decades, even- I have wanted to record at my family's place in the woods of Northern Wisconsin. Despite COVID, the time was right, and I had the "right" songs and the right people and everything went great.

I am really excited to finish and release this record. The songs are sparse and dark but filled with Love and I think the joy of recording them with good friends in my favorite place is evident in the recordings. Again, this is a record I have wanted to make for a very long time. Tracks will include a lot of songs that were part of my sets before COVID hit, and a few I have written over the span of this year of quarantine. The full track listing, in alphabetical order, is as follows-

*A Restless Heart and a Troubled Mind
*Almost Out of Cleveland
*Ghost
*Gig
*Guillotine
*Hard Luck Girl
*I Wish I Was a Dog
*Little Mystery
*Movin' On
*One More Time
*Runner
*That Perfect Season
*Who's a-Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone?

I am excited to hear how these songs develop as my friend Rachel Calvert adds her awesome violin playing and I may play a bit of harmonica. But, we are very close... close enough that I can start thinking about liner notes and covers and track order, all that kind of thing. I am going to make CD's, even as the format seems to be fast fading, the vinyl resurgence fully underway. And, of course, the album will be available via multiple streaming / online platforms. I am excited, probably more than I have been about any record I have made...

Take care everybody! I am really looking forward to sharing these songs with you.
Bob

P.S. Oh, yeah! If you are interested, there is a rough cut of "A Restless Heart and a Troubled Mind" posted in the Video section of this website (www.bobfreymusic.com). Go check it out!

2021 - Another New Year!

2/1/2021

Hey Everybody!
Man, only my third "News" post in a year... Bad Bob!! I suppose I can blame my lack of presence on COVID as it has now been about a year since my last live show. I miss playing a lot... a lot.
But, things are happening! I wrote some cool songs over the last year, including a NSFW song called "A New Year's Adieu", one that's been in the back of my head for years called "I Wish I Was a Dog", a short little deal called "Almost Out of Cleveland" and one I really enjoy playing called "A Restless Heart and a Troubled Mind". The latter three will likely appear on my next record, which I am very excited to record at the end of this month in the woods of Northern Wisconsin. I cannot wait. I am going to record over the course of a few days at my family's longtime retreat, with the help of my frequent collaborators Corey Hess and Marc Conklin. I will be playing my trusty Guild JF30, my 1946 Gibson LG-2 and my 1966 Gibson ES-330. I have been looking forward to this project for a long time, hard to believe the date is now so near!
As much as I am excited about recording, I am also so eager to begin playing live shows again. COVID has pretty much brought all live performances to a halt, but I am hopeful that the end of the pandemic is in sight. Along those lines, my status as a MN teacher allowed me to get vaccinated yesterday, and I will receive my second dose of the Moderna vaccine on 3/1/21, the day after I return from recording. I hope that everybody who wants to be vaccinated has that opportunity soon, and that businesses of all sorts can open again and life will return to something close to what it was pre-pandemic.
Til then, stay safe everybody!
Much Love,
Bob