Don Freed
Encyclopedia
Donald Freed is a Canadian
singer and songwriter best known for his works about life on the Western Canadian
prairies and the province of Saskatchewan
in particular.
, he was raised in Saskatoon. Freed, who is of Métis
descent, began his musical career in 1966. In 1969 appeared with Johnny Cash
in the documentary Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music
. In the film, Freed is shown visiting Cash backstage where he performs two songs, after which Cash promises to get the singer an audition with Columbia Records
. He was subsequently signed by Capitol and recorded an album for them in 1972, which was never released. Freed went on to record a number of albums in the early 1980s which were regionally popular in Western Canada including Off in All Directions and Pith and Pathos. Many of Freed's songs about prairie life have been incorporated into high school curricula throughout Saskatchewan.
Among performers who have collaborated with Freed on his recordings have been Colin James
(who made some of his earliest recordings with Freed), Jane Siberry and actress Linda Griffiths
. He also collaborated with Joni Mitchell
on her album Taming the Tiger
, co-writing the song "Crazy Cries of Love". Mitchell and Freed were romantically linked in the mid-1990s.
Beginning in the early 1990s, Freed began to shift his musical focus from that of being a solo performer to being a promoter of Métis and First Nations
culture, particularly involving children. His work in teaching songwriting to children in northern Saskatchewan was covered nationally by CBC Newsworld
and even earned an article in the American Billboard
magazine. Several albums have been released of Freed's collaborations with children, as well as an album of songs called Mystery Boyz created in collaboration with young offenders incarcerated at the North Battleford Youth Centre in North Battleford, Saskatchewan
.
In 1999, Freed co-wrote Sasquatch Exterminator, a book (with accompanying CD) aimed at teaching Aboriginal language to children. It was produced in conjunction with the Gabriel Dumont Institute
.
In recent years, Freed has brought his songwriting workshops to the Edmonton Folk Music Festival
and to venues throughout the Northwest Territories
and Yukon
. Freed's most recent CD release is 2005's The Valley of Green and Blue, which celebrates his Métis heritage.
Early pressings of Off in All Directions included a comic book
entitled Scratchatune Comics, featuring illustrated adaptations of Freed's songs.The title of the comic is taken from Freed's music publishing company, which in turn is a play on the name Saskatoon.
In addition, Freed released a cassette single
, "Saskatchewan" in 1988. (The song was originally to have been released on a 45 rpm vinyl single a year earlier, however a production problem resulted in its release being cancelled at the last minute.)
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
singer and songwriter best known for his works about life on the Western Canadian
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
prairies and the province of Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
in particular.
Life and career
Born in New Westminster, British ColumbiaNew Westminster, British Columbia
New Westminster is an historically important city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and is a member municipality of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. It was founded as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia ....
, he was raised in Saskatoon. Freed, who is of Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
descent, began his musical career in 1966. In 1969 appeared with Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
in the documentary Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music
Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music
-Cast:*Johnny Cash - Himself*Anita Carter - Herself*June Carter Cash - Herself *Helen Carter - Herself*Mother Maybelle Carter - Herself*Bob Dylan - Himself*Marshall Grant - Himself*Bob Johnston - Himself*Merle Kilgore - Himself...
. In the film, Freed is shown visiting Cash backstage where he performs two songs, after which Cash promises to get the singer an audition with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. He was subsequently signed by Capitol and recorded an album for them in 1972, which was never released. Freed went on to record a number of albums in the early 1980s which were regionally popular in Western Canada including Off in All Directions and Pith and Pathos. Many of Freed's songs about prairie life have been incorporated into high school curricula throughout Saskatchewan.
Among performers who have collaborated with Freed on his recordings have been Colin James
Colin James
Colin James is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer, who plays in the blues, rock, and neo-swing genres. He grew up as a Quaker.-Early years:...
(who made some of his earliest recordings with Freed), Jane Siberry and actress Linda Griffiths
Linda Griffiths
Linda Griffiths is a Canadian actor and playwright.Born in Montreal, Quebec, Griffiths studied at Dawson College, the National Theatre School for one year, and McGill University....
. He also collaborated with Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
on her album Taming the Tiger
Taming the Tiger
Taming the Tiger is the sixteenth studio album by Joni Mitchell. It was released in 1998 and was widely believed to be the last album of new material Mitchell would ever release . The title refers to the unexpected commercial and critical success of her previous album Turbulent Indigo...
, co-writing the song "Crazy Cries of Love". Mitchell and Freed were romantically linked in the mid-1990s.
Beginning in the early 1990s, Freed began to shift his musical focus from that of being a solo performer to being a promoter of Métis and First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
culture, particularly involving children. His work in teaching songwriting to children in northern Saskatchewan was covered nationally by CBC Newsworld
CBC Newsworld
CBC News Network is a Canadian English language Category C specialty news channel owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . It broadcasts into over 10 million homes in Canada. It is the world's third-oldest television service of this nature, after CNN in the United States and...
and even earned an article in the American Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine. Several albums have been released of Freed's collaborations with children, as well as an album of songs called Mystery Boyz created in collaboration with young offenders incarcerated at the North Battleford Youth Centre in North Battleford, Saskatchewan
North Battleford, Saskatchewan
In the late 2000s a large number of Ruthenians have emigrated to Canada, concentrating in North Battleford.-History:Prior to European settlement, the Battlefords area was home to several aboriginal groups...
.
In 1999, Freed co-wrote Sasquatch Exterminator, a book (with accompanying CD) aimed at teaching Aboriginal language to children. It was produced in conjunction with the Gabriel Dumont Institute
Gabriel Dumont Institute
The Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research is a post-secondary educational institution in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is administered by and services the Métis population of Saskatchewan...
.
In recent years, Freed has brought his songwriting workshops to the Edmonton Folk Music Festival
Edmonton Folk Music Festival
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is an annual four-day outdoor music event held the second weekend of August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, established in 1980 by Don Whalen. The festival continues to draw many people from around the world as both spectators and performers. The current producer of...
and to venues throughout the Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
and Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
. Freed's most recent CD release is 2005's The Valley of Green and Blue, which celebrates his Métis heritage.
Album discography
- 1972 - unreleased album for Capitol Records
- 1981 - Off in All Directions
- 1982 - Pith and Pathos
- 1989 - On the Plains (audio cassette release only)
- 1992 - Live ARR! (audio cassette release only)
- 1993 - Young Northern Voices
- 1996 - Singing About the Métis
- 1998 - Inner City Harmony: A Class Act
- 1999 - Borderlands
- 1999 - Sasquatch Exterminator (CD and book)
- 2000 - Mystery Boyz
- 2001 - Our Very Own Songs
- 2005 - The Valley of Green and Blue
Early pressings of Off in All Directions included a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
entitled Scratchatune Comics, featuring illustrated adaptations of Freed's songs.The title of the comic is taken from Freed's music publishing company, which in turn is a play on the name Saskatoon.
In addition, Freed released a cassette single
Cassette single
A cassette single is a music single in the form of a Compact Cassette.- History :...
, "Saskatchewan" in 1988. (The song was originally to have been released on a 45 rpm vinyl single a year earlier, however a production problem resulted in its release being cancelled at the last minute.)