Robbie Freeman

by FAITH BENNETT
Lyrically, Robbie Freeman isn’t exactly John Donne; he doesn’t really go the ostentatious route at all. He’s much more like Bukowski, keeping with short, simple and declarative lines. “All my songs are about, I guess, girlfriends, basically,” he admits and laughs. After a pause he continues, “Or they’re about relationships or friends of mine’s relationships. I guess all my songs now are about things I did when I was young and playing music and being with the ones you love.”
Freeman has been touring exhaustively since 2008, although in different musical projects. He crossed the United States in a hardcore band and then with the bluegrassy Little High Little Low. He’s only been touring solo since June of last year. After a long tour with Little High Little Low he realized how much material he had written by himself. “It was all songs that I wrote and played, so I just released that under my name instead of coming up with something clever,” he says.
His current style of music is deeply influenced by having lived in Gainesville and playing so many acoustic folk shows. “I started playing acoustic music because all my friends were punk rock kids and not very reliable. I wanted to start writing music and doing it all the time, so I did it by myself because I didn’t have to rely on anyone else to be there.”
Freeman just released a new song called ‘Valrico’ mixed and recorded by Boys No Good’s Bob Presson. It is available for free streaming on Bandcamp at robbiefreeman.bandcamp.com. Due to his recent Kickstarter success, he plans to record and release more songs after he makes it back to Jacksonville.
On November 30th Shantytown will host his homecoming show, and it should be a great time for all. Freeman will be playing with Joshua Tison and Evan Faulkner as well as sharing stories from the road. There will even be a potluck. Admission will be free but donations are welcome.