Interview with Freebo

Freebo, the multi-faceted and talented artist, has been hard at work to achieve recognition and respect in the field of music. He has been a long-standing band member with the famous Bonnie Raitt. He first attracted Raitt's attention as a member of Philadelphia's Edison Electric Band. That generated the decade-long association with Raitt. Freebo was soon in great demand for studio work and touring. He has participated in numerous studio sessions and tours with artists from John Mayall to Aaron Neville, Maria Muldaur to Ringo Starr, John Hall to Crosby, Stills & Nash. Freebo has also had a presence on TV with appearances on "Saturday Night Live," "Midnight Special," and "Muppets Tonight," as well as tuba performances with Dr. John and the legendary Spinal Tap.

In addition to his wonderful work on collaborations, Freebo has also continued his creative ingenuity with three solo CDs: “The End of the Beginning” (1999), “Dog People” (2002), and “Before The Separation” (2006). Yearning for more of his creative expression, Freebo began a process of deep inner discovery and has now evolved into an award-winning singer/songwriter, having won The 2008 Posi Award for “Best Song” in The Most Uniting Category, The '07 Los Angeles Music Awards “Best Folk Artist”, and The '07 South Florida Songwriting Contest, as well as being nominated in 5 different categories in the JPF Awards with two songs in the top 10 of the USA Songwriting Contest and a finalist in 2009 The Great American Songwriting Contest.

The Philadelphia Inquirer said of Freebo's latest CD, "Before the Separation flows with a compassionate spirit rooted in 60's ideals, packs a gently urgent relevancy, and is delivered with engaging earnestness." Freebo's songs embrace stylistic elements from all the many musical genres he has played throughout his career, but they are uniquely his own. And in his live shows, performed on acoustic guitar, Freebo creates a unique, intimate, and inclusive atmosphere with his audience.

Themes that Freebo writes and sings about often center around love, struggle, peace and my favorite motif, the human-canine bond. You can click here for some of Freebo's Music. Check out Freebo's official website here .

Freebo first had a beautiful Golden girl Garbo who he lost when she was 15. He wrote one of the most moving article regarding her final days, that I had to include it below. Since then he has 2 Goldens, Harlow and her puppy Hepburn. I spoke to Freebo over the phone about his amazing Goldens. So read on and find out what the famous artist Freebo had to say about his Hollywood triad of Garbo, Harlow and Hepburn...

After almost 15 years in this realm, Garbo, my beautiful Golden Retriever, has crossed The Rainbow Bridge into another dimension. It's been about 10 weeks since my wife Laurie and I took Garbo to her vet, my good friend Neil Bodie, for her final visit. It was a difficult decision, but one with which I remain at peace. Garbo had lost almost all ability to navigate with her hind quarters, was in more pain than she allowed us to see, and could no longer enjoy any of the activities she once did with the greatest enthusiasm....running, fetching, swimming, or simply walking. We tried everything, improvised slings to carry her back end, pills, vitamins, etc., but it became obvious she was hanging on for us, not for herself. Animals seem to know when it's time, but we want them to hold on. I believed she felt this and did her best. When she couldn't even get in position to do her business that last morning of May 4th, I knew it was time. I talked with Laurie, who was in complete agreement, called Neil, made an appointment with him for that afternoon, took her to the "U Wash Doggie" place, carried her in, gave her her last bath, picked up Laurie, and the three of us took our final ride together. There was still a part of me that was in denial, a part that hoped Neil would see the light I saw in Garbo's eyes and come up with a miracle fix for her aging body. But when we arrived, Neil reminded me of Garbo's failing kidneys and residual damage from all the cortisone we had been giving her to help with her pain and her several strokes. We all agreed it was truly the humane and dignified thing to do....to put her to sleep.

As we held her, she was completely accepting of the process...shaving, needles, etc.... Garbo had always been very high on the Acceptance Scale. It was not so easy for me. Yet as she took her last breath, eyes rolling back in her head, an amazing thing happened; there was a beautiful sense of peace as she passed…not so much in me…but in her essence and in the room. Everyone felt it, but I was so overcome by grief that I am just recently beginning to go back to that moment and experience it with a different perspective. Time is an amazing healer. After Neil and his wonderful wife Renee left the room so Laurie and I could be with Garbo's still very warm body, I put my head on hers and cried like I haven't cried since I was 5 years old...not just tears, but sobbing like I thought I would never do as an adult....another one of the many gifts Garbo gave to me. It was difficult to leave her, but her soul had passed on, it was only her body that was left, and it was time for me to begin my healing process. I do believe that was the saddest day of my life.

Ten days later, when I returned from a short tour to The East Coast, Laurie and I took Garbo's ashes to Leo Carrillo Beach, perhaps her favorite place, about 45 minutes north of LA along Pacific Coast Highway. We scattered her ashes into the ocean and along the beach where the three of us had spent some of our most treasured times together. Garbo was at peace, and I was finally at peace as well. The journey was complete.

The almost 15 years Garbo gave to me were as sincere as any relationship I have ever had. The love was unconditional. The acceptance was 100%. Her friendship was unwavering. She held my deepest fears, my anxieties, shared my joy, shared my friendships, shared her love with everyone she met. Garbo was not the smartest dog, but she was the sweetest. Fighting was not in her nature. If another dog wanted to fight, she'd simply wouldn't. She was not exclusive with her love...she shared it equally. Every day was a new day, and it was contagious. This is the gift animals give, and Garbo was magnanimous in this regard.

I'm OK now, 10 weeks later. I felt my feelings around her passing, felt them deeply, and moved through them. The sadness has been replaced with acceptance and with a loving smile whenever I think about her. While driving from Sante Fe to Kerrville Texas about 6 weeks ago, I was listening to a Tom Kimmel song called "Angels", and I started thinking about angels, the concept, and wondering which ones I was connecting with. At that moment, a huge hologram of Garbo appeared on the horizon, right at the end of the ever narrowing highway in the late afternoon. She was smiling, tongue hanging slightly out of her beautiful mouth, and looking at me with that loving look...as big as the sky! Would anyone else have seen her there...I doubt it. But perception is reality, and that was my reality. Garbo is my angel, my Angel of Love, my reminder to practice love whenever I fall out of it, my reminder to stay in the moment, to accept things as they are. It was a beautiful moment, a beautiful sign, a beautiful gift. Garbo has given me many, and continues to. 

As she touched me, I have been able to touch others through songs she inspired. I'd like to leave you with perhaps my favorite, a song from my "Dog People" CD which I wrote with my good friend Robert Tepper. It is entitled "More Like You". 

Soft and tender, tough as steel, 
Here and now, you know what's real.
No one tells you how to feel.
You lie there so peacefully,
Loving unconditionally.
I wish I were less like me. 

What can I do
To be more like you?
When I get in my way,
What would you say
To get me through?
Days like these,
I know I need
To be
More Like You. 

As I try to beat the clock,
That voice inside my head won't stop.
You just sit, no need to talk.
As the sun is going down,
You just smile and I just frown.
I'm so lost, and you're so found. 

What can I do
To be more like you?
When I get in my way,
What would you say
To get me through?
Days like these,
I know I need
To be
More Like You. 

All the commotion,
All the Human misery,
In a world that's so confused.
But your love and devotion,
Such a perfect mystery,
Guiding me to someday be...
To be more like you 

Life is short, here and gone.
Through the tears, I'll carry on.
Give me hope and keep me strong...
To face my trouble, to know what's true,
To treat each day like it's brand new.
I know that's what you would do. 

That's what I'll do
To be more like you!
When I get in my way,
That's what I'll say
To get me through!
Days like these,
It's hard to be...
Yes days like these
I know I need
To be
More like you. 

1) Freebo, thank you so much for taking the time for this interview today. I have heard your wonderful music and find it very diverse and soothing. I was particularly impressed by your CD "Dog People." It seems you have always been an animal lover, particularly favoring Golden Retrievers. From your article above we have a great sense of what you think makes Goldens so lovable. Garbo-Harlow-Hepburn—I love the Hollywood theme in their names, by the way!! How did you decide their names?

I got Garbo in 1990. A friend suggested the name. We thought it sounded cool. She was a really pretty dog and so the name Garbo fit well. And there was a great sound to the name. It was also great in terms of when we called out the name—it sounded pleasant. With our other Goldens, we decided to keep the motif. I guess if we had gotten a male dog, we may have called him Gable.

2) It seems that being a successful singer, you must travel quite a bit. Do you ever take Harlow and Hepburn on tour with your or do they prefer staying home?

Garbo used to come out with me when I was out of town. I took her to gigs in California which were driving distance. In fact she was on stage with me at times. She acted like the mistress of ceremonies. She was very calm and did not distract anyone. With Harlow (almost 3) and Hepburn (11 months old), it would be much more difficult. With the two of them, they would create noise and they themselves would be the show!

3) Freebo, how do you, Harlow and Hepburn spend time together...places you go, people you see etc?

Our favorite hang-out is a park in LA that we go to often. We usually go in the early morning or before sunset. Harlow runs like crazy, chasing gophers. And Hepburn likes to chase Harlow.

4) If you could adopt one characteristic of Goldens, which would it be and why? (This is a very difficult question, as there is always more than one thing everyone loves!!).

Actually for me this is an easy question. Being in the moment. They're so in the moment—this is something I am working on as well. Being in the present and getting out of the past and the future. Because the only thing that is real is the present, the right now. This also allows them to give unconditional love, without any baggage.

5) As you mentioned in your article, you have definitely been inspired by Garbo in your work. Your song is really amazing and captures the essence of the unparalleled nature of Golden Retrievers. Do you have any further upcoming works that are inspired by your Goldens?

I have a CD out that is called "Dog People." I have a new dog song called “She Loves My Dog More Than Me.” This is on an upcoming CD that hasn't been named yet. But you can probably find me singing it on stage somewhere if you search on youtube.

Freebo, is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with Goldens?

There's something very very special about Goldens that's so unique. They live in the moment and enjoy every day as a totally brand new day--they have no baggage from previous days.

They, of all the breeds, they truly seem to be with you—they are aware of what you need. They have a compassion and empathy. They have an amazing connection with you--they really feel you!

Freebo, I really want to thank you again for taking the time to answer some questions about your Goldens. As someone who also has lost a precious Golden recently, I can empathize with what you must have gone through when Garbo passed away. I can also sense the excitement in your life with the arrival of Harlow and her puppy Hepburn and the magic they have brought with them.




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