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Skott Freedman | |
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 Photo courtesy of Violent Yodel Records | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Skott Elliot Freedman |
| Born | March 22, 1983 New Jersey, USA |
| Origin | East Brunswick, New Jersey, USA |
| Genres | Folk, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, piano, banjo |
| Years active | 1996–present (solo career) |
| Labels | Violent Yodel Records |
| Website | facebook |
Skott Freedman (born March 22, 1983) [1] is an American singer/songwriter. Freedman is formally trained in piano.
Freedman was born and raised in New Jersey. His music makes heavy use of the piano, which has led to regular comparisons with chanteuse Tori Amos. Similar to Amos, Freedman was a child piano prodigy and won statewide competitions while growing up. Freedman has said that repeated bouts of depression during his adolescence inspired him to write his first songs. [2] He cites Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, Paula Cole, and Beethoven as major influences. Freedman's music blends pop and folk influences with a confessional lyrical style. His hallmark rapid staccato style is classically influenced (audio sample below). Freedman's first public performance was at the Butterfield Beanery in New Brunswick, NJ on April 26, 1996. He went on to formally study piano at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. [3] Freedman has since been based out of Chicago, Boston, Charleston, and San Diego.
In 1999, Freedman released his first album Swimming After Dark on the independent label Violent Yodel Records. The debut was met with rave reviews, including a feature on Indie-music.com. "I've never heard anything like this. It's heartbreaking, passionate, and unabashedly honest. He [Freedman] lives in a beautiful world, even when it's painful, and I'm finding it hard to leave." [4]
Following the success of his first album, Freedman released a follow-up album in 2001, Anything Worth Mentioning. His second release strayed from the intimate quality of Swimming After Dark and featured full-band arrangements, including an enigmatic banjo solo during the opening number. Critics hailed Freedman's sophomore release as proof the songwriter was maturing. Billboard Magazine gave Freedman a full page profile, dubbing the young pianist "a star-in-waiting." [5] Freedman began nationally touring at that time, performing at colleges, festivals, and coffeehouses across the country.
Freedman returned to the studio in 2003 to record a third album, Some Company. Along with 10 new original numbers, the album included a popularly downloaded version of Marc Cohn's Walking in Memphis. Some Company was reminiscent of Freedman's early roots and consisted solely of vocal-piano numbers. Freedman's fan base began to expand about that time, spreading as far as Australia where Freedman toured for three months promoting the album. Billboard Magazine featured Freedman for the second time, [6] and The Village Voice and The New York Times both wrote about Freedman's unique vocal and musical stylings. "In a husky voice similar to Marc Cohn's, he croons childhood memories and hopes of true love while the arpeggios ripple." [7]
After the release of Some Company, Freedman began to field the idea of a cover album. In response to fan suggestions, Freedman posted 30 songs on his website where fans voted on which tracks to record. In 2005, the aptly titled Judge a Book was released featuring the top-voted tracks. Collaborations appeared for the first time including the controversial "Soldiers of Christ" by "I Kissed a Girl"'s Jill Sobule (who also sings on the track). A spin on The Magnetic Fields' "Papa Was a Rodeo" was recorded with singer-songwriter Mark Weigle, and indie singer-songwriter Edie Carey lent vocals to the pop-tinged "Good Morning Baby". A bonus track of The Cranberries' "Zombie", recorded on an old church organ in Charleston, SC, also appeared on the cover album. "Zombie" was subsequently released as a single in 2009, [8] and featured in the 2016 finale of the popular Italian talent show, Amici di Maria De Filippi. [9]
Freedman disappeared from the music scene between 2006 and 2010 in order to earn his Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Communicative Disorders from San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. At the urging of fans, Freedman released a fifth album in June 2009, The Cottage Sessions. The album was a collection of deeply personal songs including the final track "Stay", which bared Freedman's religious side for the first time.
Between 2011 and 2014, Freedman uploaded home video performances to his YouTube channel in order to maintain a connection to his fanbase.
Freedman received his Doctor of Philosophy in Language and Communicative Disorders from San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego. He is currently an associate professor at his undergraduate alma mater, Ithaca College. Freedman is Jewish. [10]
The Cranberries were an Irish rock band formed in Limerick, Ireland. Originally named the Cranberry Saw Us, the band was formed in 1989 by lead singer Niall Quinn, guitarist Noel Hogan, bassist Mike Hogan, and drummer Fergal Lawler. Quinn was replaced as lead singer by Dolores O'Riordan in 1990, and the group changed their name to the Cranberries. The band classified themselves as an alternative rock group, but incorporated aspects of indie rock, jangle pop, dream pop, folk rock, post-punk and pop rock into their sound.
No Need to Argue is the second studio album by Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries, released on 3 October 1994 through Island Records. It is the band's best-selling album, and has sold 17 million copies worldwide as of 2014. It contains one of the band's most well-known songs, "Zombie". The album's mood is considered to be darker and harsher than that on the band's debut album Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, released a year prior.
Dolores Mary Eileen O'Riordan was an Irish singer, musician and songwriter. She was the lead vocalist and lyricist of alternative rock band the Cranberries. One of the most recognizable voices in rock in the 1990s, she was known for her lilting mezzo-soprano voice, signature yodel, emphasized use of keening, and strong Limerick accent.
"Zombie" is a protest song by Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries, written by the band's lead singer, Dolores O'Riordan, in response to and in memory of two young victims of a bombing that occurred during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It was released on 19 September 1994 by Island Records as the lead single from their second studio album, No Need to Argue (1994), two weeks ahead of the album's release. Music critics have long recognized "Zombie" as "a masterpiece of alternative rock", as well as a grunge number uncharacteristic of the band's other work.
Magnification is the nineteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 10 September 2001 by Eagle Records. It is their only album recorded as a four-piece band, and their final album to feature founding member Jon Anderson on vocals. At the departure of keyboardist Igor Khoroshev in 2000, the band agreed to record a new studio album with orchestral arrangements, something they had not done since their second album, Time and a Word in 1970. The album was recorded and mixed using Pro Tools with producer Tim Weidner and orchestral arrangements by Larry Groupé conducting the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Drummer Alan White plays piano on some tracks.
Mark Weigle is an American singer/songwriter. At the 2003 Outmusic Awards, Weigle received five Outmusic nominations and won in three categories, including: "Outsong of the Year", "Outstanding New Recording", and "Outstanding Producer".
"The Freshmen" is a song by American alternative rock band the Verve Pipe. Released in January 1997 as the third single from their second studio album Villains, the song became the band's breakthrough hit and is the group's highest-charting single, peaking at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, number six in Canada, and number 28 in Australia.
5:30 Saturday Morning is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Lennon. It was released on September 11, 2001, by Arista Records. Lennon, who signed to Arista at eighteen and was nineteen at the time of its release, wrote or co-wrote all twelve songs on the record, in addition to performing piano for some of the tracks. The album's compositions and production were generally classified as rock or metal, although they were also noted for incorporating elements of pop-rock and trip-hop, while its lyrics were noted for their anger and defiance. The album's musical style also inspired comparisons to Alanis Morissette, Korn, Kid Rock, and others.
Christopher Taylor White is an English musician. He came to prominence in the mid-1960s as the bass guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of the rock band The Zombies. White is one of the main composers of the Zombies' music, and made major lyrical contributions to the band's songs. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019 as a member of the Zombies.
Arthur Hanlon is an American pianist, songwriter and arranger who is widely known in the Latin music realm and has had multiple hits on the Billboard charts. Born to Irish-American parents, he hails from Detroit, Michigan, but found his calling in Latin music and has received widespread recognition in that realm, becoming the first pianist to reach the Billboard Latin airplay charts in more than a decade and the first to have a No. 1 on Billboard's Tropical Airplay chart. Arthur’s most current work includes a series of collaborations all under the Sony label. He is an exclusive Yamaha Pianos artist.
"Good Morning Baby" is a song by Dan Wilson and Bic Runga. The song was released as a single in New Zealand in June 1999 and peaked at number 15. The song is featured in the 1999 film American Pie soundtrack.
"Ode to My Family" is a song by Irish band the Cranberries, released on 21 November 1994 by Island Records as the second single from their second studio album, No Need to Argue (1994). The song was written by bandmembers Dolores O'Riordan and Noel Hogan. It was a hit in Oceania and several European countries, topping the charts in Iceland, and reaching number four in France, number five in Australia, and number eight in New Zealand. Its music video was directed by Samuel Bayer. In 2017, the song was released as an acoustic, stripped down version on the band's Something Else album.
Denny DeMarchi was a Canadian musician best known as a keyboardist and singer-songwriter. He was also a guitarist, backing vocalist, audio engineer and record producer. DeMarchi played with the Irish band the Cranberries during their reunion tour (2009–11), and also performed with Dolores O'Riordan as her keyboardist and guitarist during her solo world tour in 2007. He played the signature keyboard notes for the 1990 No. 1 Billboard hit song "More Than Words Can Say" by the band Alias, which features his brother, Steve on guitar.
ECR Music Group is an American independent music company based in Manhattan. It was founded by recording artist and producer Blake Morgan in 2002 as record label Engine Company Records. Re-branded as ECR Music Group in late 2012, it now includes a roster of both labels and artists. The label differs from its counterparts in its artist-friendly philosophy and partnership wherein all ECR artists and labels own 100% of their master recordings.
Slightly Stoopid is an American rock band based in the Ocean Beach neighborhood of San Diego, California, who describe their music as "a fusion of folk, rock, reggae and blues with hip-hop, funk, metal and punk." As a band, they have released thirteen albums, with their ninth studio album entitled Everyday Life, Everyday People on July 13, 2018. The band was originally signed by Bradley Nowell from the band Sublime to his label Skunk Records while still in high school.
Katrina Carlson is an American singer-songwriter. She currently resides in Santa Monica, California with her husband, Kenneth A. Carlson, and her three children, Mackenzie, Alexander and Ruby Rose.
Throughout their career, The Cranberries recorded several radio and television sessions in the form of recording studio sessions, live studio sessions, and live audience sessions.
X Ambassadors is an American pop rock band from Ithaca, New York that consists of lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris, and drummer Adam Levin. Russ Flynn is a touring member who plays guitar and bass. Their most notable songs include "Jungle", "Renegades", and "Unsteady". The band's debut full-length album, VHS, was released on June 30, 2015. Their second album, Orion, came out on June 14, 2019. Their third album, The Beautiful Liar, was issued on September 24, 2021.
Bad Wolves is an American heavy metal band formed in 2017. Initially finding fame from their first single, a cover of the Cranberries' 1994 hit "Zombie", the band proceeded to find further success with a number of songs topping the Billboard Mainstream Rock songs chart, including "Remember When", "Killing Me Slowly", and "Sober". The band has released three studio albums, Disobey (2018), N.A.T.I.O.N. (2019) and Dear Monsters (2021). In January 2021, original lead vocalist Tommy Vext left the band and was replaced by Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz. Tensions ensued between Vext and the band, resulting in legal proceedings including Better Noise Music.
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