Dori Freeman is an American singer-songwriter based in

Galax, Virginia Galax is an independent city in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,720. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Galax with neighboring Carroll County for statisti ...

Biography

Freeman is from the Appalachian town of

where she grew up in a musical family. Her father, Scott Freeman, and grandfather, Willard Gayheart, both play music and their family owns the Front Porch Gallery and Frame Shop which is part of The Crooked Road, Virginia's heritage music trail. In late 2014, she sent a Facebook message to

Teddy Thompson Teddy Thompson (born 19 February 1976) is an English folk and rock musician. He is the son of folk rock musicians Richard and Linda Thompson and brother of singer Kamila Thompson. He released his first album in 2000. Biography Teddy Thompso ...

who liked her music so much he decided to produce her album. Thompson says that it took him "maybe 10 to 12 seconds to realize she's great" and he was struck by her "straight-to-the-heart delivery." The album was funded through

Kickstarter Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...

and released by Free Dirt Records on February 5, 2016. '' Rolling Stone Country'' called the album "a strong contender for

Americana Americana may refer to: *Americana music, a genre or style of American music * Americana (culture), artifacts of the culture of the United States Film, radio and television * ''Americana'' (1981 film), an American drama film * ''Americana'' (20 ...

debut of the year" and

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', said "the purity of Dori Freeman's voice and the directness of her songwriting reflect not only her Appalachian hometown – Galax, Va. — but also a determined classicism, a rejection of the ways modern country punches itself up for radio and arenas." ''

NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...

s Ann Powers said the "debut album shows great range and incredible emotional nuance." NPR also said "it's startling to hear such a fully formed singing and songwriting voice come out of nowhere." ''Rolling Stone'' recently included Freeman on their list of "10 New Country Artists You Need To Know: February 2016."

Influences

Freeman has cited

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spanned seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local r ...

and

Rufus Wainwright Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright (born July 22, 1973) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter, and composer. He has recorded eleven studio albums and numerous tracks on compilations and film soundtracks. He has also written two classical opera ...

as major influences. In an interview with ''The Bluegrass Situation'', she mentioned that a common theme in her music is "dealing with relationships and breakups, and wanting to be strong and independent, but also wanting to have a partner through things." Freeman is also heavily influenced by traditional

Appalachian music Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. Traditional Appalachian music is derived from various influences, including the ballads, hymns and fiddle music of the British Isles (particularly Scotland), ...

: "I was brought up here and have spent the better part of my adult life here... I think a large part of America has a very specific idea of what Appalachia or bluegrass is. I think people think of this area and they think of

hillbillies ''Hillbilly'' is a term historically used for White people who dwell in rural, mountainous areas in the United States, primarily in the Appalachian region and Ozarks. As people migrated out of the region during the Great Depression, the term sp ...

and being isolated and poverty and things like that. My experience living here is one of meeting genuine, honest people who don't have any affectation and are really proud of their culture. I’m really proud of my culture as a result of that."

Discography

;Solo *''Porchlight'' (2011), self-produced *''Dori Freeman'' (2016),

Free Dirt Records Free Dirt Records is an American independent record label and label services company founded in 2006 by John Smith and Erica Haskell that releases folk and Traditional music, roots music. The label's releases have received three Grammy Award, Gram ...

*''Letters Never Read'' (2017), Blue Hens Music / MRI *''Every Single Star'' (2019), Blue Hens Music *''Ten Thousand Roses'' (2021), Blue Hens Music *''Do You Recall'' (2023), Blue Hens Music

References

External links

Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Freeman, Dori American country singer-songwriters Country musicians from Virginia Singer-songwriters from Virginia American women country singers Living people Year of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American women guitarists 21st-century American guitarists Guitarists from Virginia 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American singer-songwriters