Paul Freeman (songwriter)
Encyclopedia
Paul Freeman is a Welsh-born singer-song writer of folksy pop songs now living in the United States
.
Freeman’s EP You and I was released on the Arista label on 12 November 2008. The four songs on that album are the title track, “Tightrope,” “That’s How It Is” and “Earthquakes.”
His EP That’s How It Is was released on 1 August 2009. It was produced by Howard Benson
(Daughtry, Flyleaf, Motörhead, My Chemical Romance) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge
(U2, Leona Lewis, Snow Patrol).
Freeman’s song “That’s How It Is” was featured near the close of an episode of the Fox Network show Past Life
called “Soul Music” (S01E03), first broadcast on 18 February 2010. His Song "Tightrope" was also featured on the Season Finale of Make It or Break It.
His six-song EP
Tightrope was released on 2 March 2010.
within 20 minutes of the birthplace of Welsh favourite son Dylan Thomas
, Freeman’s favorite poet. He also says he was named Paul after the Beatle Paul McCartney
.
According to Freeman, he found his first guitar atop a dumpster, although his parents and grandparents bought the 12-year-old Freeman a new six-string and a book of chords the following Christmas. Freeman’s first song came two years later, an ode called “Some Day.” Freeman contends that he is completely self-taught as a musician.
During high school, Freeman worked at the legendary Linford Manor
, a recording studio north of Oxford
in Great Linford
, where he says he taught himself to play piano. Said Freeman: “There were all these wonderful instruments lying around. I would never go to bed, I would just stay up and play them. What really got me into playing the piano was having access to the grand piano at the studio.”
. He became a guitar player for British superstar James Blunt
.
Weary of London, Freeman then moved, carrying just one suitcase and his guitar, to Santa Monica
, California
, in the United States after reading the book East of Eden by John Steinbeck
. “This Steinbeck book was so inspiring, because it's so detailed and vivid. I moved months after that.”. Six months after emigrating, Freeman released an EP.
Freeman’s music came to attention of Michael King, founder of King World, who invited Freeman to play a benefit concert. Contacts made from the benefit brought Freeman’s EP to the attention of Clive Davis
, who signed Freeman to Arista Records
after a bidding war.
Freeman says he devises a song’s title before he ever writes the song.
Freeman calls Bruce Springsteen
, to whom he’s sometimes compared, and the Beatles
his influences. He also said that his song “Waiting for a Miracle” was “for want of a better phrase, my Obama
song or my Clinton
song.” As Freeman explained it in an interview, the song expresses the need for change in America.
Freeman wanders into the crowd during his shows in order “to remind people I'm just a guy playing a guitar. You enjoy music, and I enjoy music.” He is currently touring as Roger Daltrey's opening act on the American leg of Daltrey's "Tommy Reborn" tour.
Freeman has said he writes poetry as well as songs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Freeman’s EP You and I was released on the Arista label on 12 November 2008. The four songs on that album are the title track, “Tightrope,” “That’s How It Is” and “Earthquakes.”
His EP That’s How It Is was released on 1 August 2009. It was produced by Howard Benson
Howard Benson
Howard Benson is a two-time Grammy-nominated music producer and aerospace engineer.-Biography:Howard Benson has a degree in materials engineering from Drexel University and studied composition at the Philadelphia College for Performing Arts. Later he worked for Garrett AiResearch, where he worked...
(Daughtry, Flyleaf, Motörhead, My Chemical Romance) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge
Chris Lord-Alge
Chris Lord-Alge is a mixer who has worked on various albums. He is the brother of Tom Lord-Alge, another audio engineer. Chris Lord-Alge is known for his extreme use of dynamic range compression in both hardware and software plug-in versions....
(U2, Leona Lewis, Snow Patrol).
Freeman’s song “That’s How It Is” was featured near the close of an episode of the Fox Network show Past Life
Past life
Past life may refer to:* Past lives in reincarnation* Pre-existence, the belief that each individual human soul existed before conception- Popular culture :...
called “Soul Music” (S01E03), first broadcast on 18 February 2010. His Song "Tightrope" was also featured on the Season Finale of Make It or Break It.
His six-song EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Tightrope was released on 2 March 2010.
Early life
On his MySpace page, Freeman says he was born in South WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
within 20 minutes of the birthplace of Welsh favourite son Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
, Freeman’s favorite poet. He also says he was named Paul after the Beatle Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
.
According to Freeman, he found his first guitar atop a dumpster, although his parents and grandparents bought the 12-year-old Freeman a new six-string and a book of chords the following Christmas. Freeman’s first song came two years later, an ode called “Some Day.” Freeman contends that he is completely self-taught as a musician.
During high school, Freeman worked at the legendary Linford Manor
Linford Manor
Linford Manor is an old mansion or manor house converted into a recording studio complex in Great Linford, Milton Keynes, England. It is now owned by Pete Winkelman who is chairman of football club....
, a recording studio north of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in Great Linford
Great Linford
Great Linford is a historic village, district and civil parish in the northern part of Milton Keynes, England, between Wolverton and Newport Pagnell.-Great Linford village:...
, where he says he taught himself to play piano. Said Freeman: “There were all these wonderful instruments lying around. I would never go to bed, I would just stay up and play them. What really got me into playing the piano was having access to the grand piano at the studio.”
Recording history
Freeman moved first to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He became a guitar player for British superstar James Blunt
James Blunt
James Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
.
Weary of London, Freeman then moved, carrying just one suitcase and his guitar, to Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, in the United States after reading the book East of Eden by John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
. “This Steinbeck book was so inspiring, because it's so detailed and vivid. I moved months after that.”. Six months after emigrating, Freeman released an EP.
Freeman’s music came to attention of Michael King, founder of King World, who invited Freeman to play a benefit concert. Contacts made from the benefit brought Freeman’s EP to the attention of Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
, who signed Freeman to Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
after a bidding war.
Freeman says he devises a song’s title before he ever writes the song.
Freeman calls Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
, to whom he’s sometimes compared, and the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
his influences. He also said that his song “Waiting for a Miracle” was “for want of a better phrase, my Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
song or my Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
song.” As Freeman explained it in an interview, the song expresses the need for change in America.
Freeman wanders into the crowd during his shows in order “to remind people I'm just a guy playing a guitar. You enjoy music, and I enjoy music.” He is currently touring as Roger Daltrey's opening act on the American leg of Daltrey's "Tommy Reborn" tour.
Freeman has said he writes poetry as well as songs.
External links
- Paul Freeman's MySpace page
- YouTube video of Paul Freeman's song "That's How It Is"