A Country Music Historian
Southern charm and truth can sometimes be difficult to find, but they are the embodiment of Freeman Arthur. Born on a small family farm in rural west Tennessee, Arthur does not wear his cowboy boots in character, rather they are a deeply rooted part of who he is and what he does. He has a colorful baritone voice that peaks your curiosity when he speaks, and affirms your suspicion when he sings. His deep love for country music is accredited mostly to his father who influenced him with the sounds of George Jones, Alan Jackson and Randy Travis giving him a medium of songs he could identify with and relate to. Shoes that Arthur believes he could never fill, but admits he would love to just try them on. His love and admiration for country music, especially its rich history will always make him first a fan, and second an artist.
Arthur’s journey first began when he started learning the piano at age nine. His first musical gigs were local churches who granted a warm welcome to the young performer through his teenage years. He joins the league with all other small town southern folks who grew up in a “little white church” where everybody knows everybody. When in high school his grandmother encouraged him to follow his music as a career. He started singing in dance halls, clubs, and festivals across parts of Tennessee and Kentucky. "She would drive me all over the south to different venues, talent shows, or whatever she could find where I could play, I actually hated it at first, but I’m glad someone was there to push me and believe in me. It kinda felt the way Hank Williams mom would drive him all over to gigs, except this was my grandma.”
Freeman may have been born in 1995, but his mind holds the history of someone in their late 80s. He sights the 1990s as having the biggest influence on his style, but he isn’t afraid to dig back in the catalog...and I mean way back. Not just the well known legends like George Jones, Hank Williams, Roy Acuff, or even the Carter Family. When’s the last time you played a record by Moon Mullican, Sid Harkreader, Uncle Dave Macon, Rod Brasfield or Rose Maddox? For Freeman it was probably within the last few days. One of his mentors is hall of fame disk jockey Eddie Stubbs who has been worthily nicknamed “Country Music’s Encyclopedia” Getting to hear stories either by listening to Eddie’s WSM nightly broadcast or working with him in the studio, Freeman admits it’s a huge blessing “I admire Eddie Stubbs for his ability to quote not only things like recording date information about a certain song, but he can tell you every single person who played on it, what instruments they were playing, what studio it was recorded in, and sometimes the backstory behind the process. I love that.” A spooky coincidence for these two country music lovers is that Eddie Stubbs recalls moving to Nashville on March 21, 1995.. That is also the day Freeman Arthur was born.
There is no mistaking Freeman’s love for piano, his first instrument, but spend any amount of time with him and it won’t take you long to discover his love for “twang.” He has cited Paul Franklin, Mike Johnson, Tommy White, Buddy Emmons, & Lloyd Green among his favorite musicians. All notable pedal steel guitar players. An element of country music that he refuses to lose. It’s no surprise that he dabbles in the instrument himself from time to time. He proudly owns his very own vintage 1977 Shobud LDG made possible by his dear friend Ross Beckham. That steel guitar comes with a great story which you can watch right here: https://www.facebook.com/freemanarthur/videos/276329383278641/
A graduate of Belmont University, a school that’s alumni include Brad Paisley, Josh Turner, Lee Ann Womack, and even Minnie Pearl. He is also a radio personality. Having been featured on the radio home of the Grand Ole Opry 650 AM WSM.
Arthur 's latest EP "Superman" is available now wherever you listen to music. The 2021 release was dedicated in memory of his late grandfather. The title track in named in his honor.