Ho Jo Fro On the Making Of “Timidly Free”
What was the creative process like for this particular song?
I am one-third of Derringer Discoveries (DD) - A Music Adventure Podcast. Recently, after interviewing international hitmaker Dean Friedman for DD episode 74, DD hired Dean to play at our Charlottesville coffee house on March 29. On a whim, I asked Dean if, while he was here, he would join me in the studio and record a song with me. I expected him to say no, but instead he said yes. So now, the pressure was on me to write a song worthy of Dean's participation. I took an old song of mine that I had never professionally recorded and I revamped it with new lyrics, new chorus, and a new long tail. I invited DD co-host Alton Derringer to play bass on the song. I also included other friends: Tim Ryan on guitars and engineering, Jim Ralston on drums, and I played piano. Then, I added Kelly O'Donohue from Germany on trumpet. "Timidly Free" has 4 verses: I gave verses 1 and 4 to Dean. I gave verse 2 to my studio friend Iyla Elise. And I took verse 3. The three of us all sing the chorus and the long tail. Also on the chorus and long tail that's Dean singing the falsetto parts.
What impact do you hope "Timidly Free" will have on your audience?
I would like for people to hear the message of hope in a time of despair. My new lyrics captured my dismay that Kamala Harris lost the November US national election. I don't say her name in the song, but I was thinking of her. To add confusion, the cover of the single is a picture of my wife Betsy and I back when we were dating, circa 1988-89. I still play the guitar in the picture. And Betsy and I were both equally devastated by Kamala's loss.
What did you enjoy most about making this track?
I enjoyed how "the team" came together. We were all excited that Dean would be with us (Dean had real Top 40 hits in the US, Canada, UK, and several other countries), so we did our absolute best to impress Dean. Jim Ralston on drums played multiple drum parts, including congas on the chorus and tail. If you wear headphones, you will Jim bang the tom tom from left speaker to right speaker over and over again on the long tail when the lead guitar and trumpet come in full force.
Can you share a bit about your musical background and the journey that led you to where you are today?
For 34 years, I have had a professional job that takes care of my family financially. Briefly, prior to that, I attempted to see how far I could make it as a singer-songwriter. I didn't make it far. But, in recent years, I have found a wonderful, local recording studio called Studio 607 and owned by Tim Ryan. Tim seems to believe in my songwriting (and singing) capabilities and he encourages me to continue when I feel like giving up in the face of indifference and harsh scrutiny, especially by playlist curators.
How do you see the future of the music industry, especially with changes in technology and how people consume music?
I used to make CDs. Selling my product was humbling. Plus, I never knew if anyone was actually listening to my CDs. I love digital-streaming, especially Spotify, because now I know if people are listening. Some of my songs do well while other songs do not. I find myself trying to write better and better songs in my never-ending quest to connect with listeners around the world. I also included my song "Your Sister's Room" as the theme song for DD and we are now in our 5th year as a podcast with regular listeners in 30+ countries, an accomplishment that brings me much joy.
