About FreeWorld

Band Bio

FreeWorld is an independent, ever-evolving, Memphis-based musical ensemble that draws from influences as broad-based as Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Steely Dan, Chicago, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, The Grateful Dead, Bob Marley, and The Meters. These brothers under one multicultural groove have remained a consistently entertaining and informed voice on the Memphis music scene since the group’s inception in 1987.

FreeWorld’s 8th album, “More Love”, showcases the band at a creative high point, with a set of new songs that covers the gamut of their musical breadth and originality. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Grammy Award nominated audio engineers Kevin Houston, Ari Morris, and Brad Blackwood – and with the added bonus of an Atmos surround sound mix of the song “Rush Hour” available online – the overall audio quality of the album is state-of-the-art, and the broad cross section of musical styles and genres that FreeWorld is famous for playing during their extended live sets on Beale Street all blend together effortlessly across the entire album. In addition, featured cameo appearances from over a dozen special guests and FreeWorld alumni – including the Tennessee Mass Choir on the title track – only add to the fullness and richness of the songwriting craft displayed on the album, and further showcase the quality of the musicianship and the deep camaraderie that flourishes within the extended FreeWorld family.

FreeWorld’s new album also includes the audio track from their recent, award-winning music video, “D-Up (Here’s To Diversity)”, which took multiple 1st place awards in various international film festivals and global music video award contests in 2022.

FreeWorld was honored to receive a coveted Brass Note on the Beale Street Walk of Fame in 2012, and they’ve also had the honor and privilege of sharing the stage with a wide variety of musical legends over the years, including Levon Helm, The Memphis Horns, Billy Preston, Bootsy Collins, Richie Havens, Blues Traveler, Derek Trucks, Hot Tuna, Los Lobos, Dr. John, Timothy Leary, The Bar-Kays, Ann Peebles, Steve Cropper, James Cotton, Mojo Buford, Jimmie Vaughan & Double Trouble, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Jim Belushi, and Widespread Panic just to name a few.

Keep your eyes & ears tuned to FreeWorld throughout 2024 and beyond, as their latest studio album, “More Love”, marks yet another proud milestone in the band’s musical odyssey that now spans more than a third of a century.

Honors, Awards, TV/Radio/Movie & High Profile Performances:

D-Up (Here’s To Diversity)

Film Festival & Music Video Awards

All-Star Memphis music video project released to worldwide acclaim in January, 2021.

Winner of the Best Music Video Award:

Open Window International Film Challenge in Kolkata, India.

Brazil International Film Festival in Rio de Janeiro.

Fayetteville Film Festival in Arkansas.

Avalonia Festival of Short Films in Jacksonville, FL.

Winner of the Best North American Video Award:

Munich Music Video Awards in Germany.

Winner of the Best Social Commentary Video Award:

L.A. Music Video Awards in Los Angeles, CA.

Winner of the Crystal Pine Award for Best Music Video:

International Sound & Film Music Festival in Samobor, Croatia.

Winner of Best Band of the Year:

Mega Art Festival in New York, NY.

Winner of the Diversity in Media Award:

Care Awards in Parkersburg, WV.

Winners of both the Best Music Video AND the Best Songwriters Awards:

BridgeFest Film Festival in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

Finalist:

International Music Video Awards in Budapest, Hungary.

Rome Music Video Awards in Italy.

International Sound Music Video Awards in Prague, Czechoslovakia.

AFIN International Film Festival in Brisbane, Australia.

Global Music Awards in La Jolla, CA.

Semi-Finalist:

Euro Music Video Song Awards in Paris, France.

Honorable Mention (plus used as the Theme Song for their DEI/LGBTQIA+ weekend):

Love Wins International Film Festival in New York, NY.

Officially Screened at the following 2022 Film Festivals:

New Media Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA.

Amsterdam World International Film Festival in The Netherlands.

Colortape International Film Festival in Brisbane, Australia.

Greece Film Festival Awards in Athens.

Bridges International Film Festival in Corinthia, Greece.

One Earth Awards in Bangalore, India.

Sound on Screen Music Film Festival in Cape Town, South Africa.

Portugal International Film Festival in Lisbon.

Universe Multicultural Film Festival in Palos Verdes, CA.

Indie Memphis Film Festival in Tennessee.

Breckenridge Film Festival in Colorado.

Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay, & Music Festival in Boston, MA.

Raleigh Film & Art Festival in North Carolina.

Fort Smith International Film Festival in Arkansas.

Mosaic World Film Festival in Rockford, IL.

Direct Monthly Online Film Festival in Canton, MI.

FreeWorld “What It Is”: L.A. Music Critic’s #1 Best Indie Album of 2017; #1 on WUMR 91.7 FM, Memphis, TN., Top 20 Jazz Countdown; #1 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Blues Rock Song Chart; National, international, Terrestrial, and online radio airplay to over 50 million listeners; Featured in a global Intradexx spotlight article, August, 2019.

FreeWorld received a Brass Note on the Beale Street Walk of Fame, with October 6, 2012 declared as “FreeWorld Day” in the city of Memphis by Mayor A.C. Wharton.

FreeWorld honored with the “Memphis Sound Award” at the Memphis Charitable Foundation’s annual Blues Ball; December, 2012.

FreeWorld songs included on Musicians for Le Bonheur Benefit CDs in 2013-2020.

FreeWorld, with special guests Marvell, Vaneese & Carla Thomas, paid tribute to Rufus Thomas with a special concert for the Center for Southern Folklore’s annual Memphis Music & Heritage Festival, with the show being listed as one of the “Top Three Memphis Concerts” in the Memphis Flyer’s year end wrap-up issue; December, 2011.

Beale Street Merchant’s Association “Entertainer of the Year” Award won by FreeWorld; December, 2010.

Beale Street Merchant’s Association Special Merit Award given to FreeWorld honoring 20 years of Performing Memphis Music on Historic Beale Street; December, 2007.

AMMA National Award winner in the Pop Category for “Smoke the Prophets”; August, 2006.

Four FreeWorld songs included on the soundtrack for the independent film “Nothing but Flowers”, June 2002; and “Paco T.” used in the Indie Film Shorts Festival presented by Last Train to Memphis Entertainment for the Library Channel, WYPL-18; November, 2006. Live FreeWorld performance featured on the internationally syndicated radio program “Beale Street Caravan” (2.4 million weekly listeners); May 2007, October 2008, & July 2009. FreeWorld songs & interviews included in WKNO-TV “Live from Beale St. New Year’s Eve”, December, 2010.

Fools’ Ball & Fall Ball Festivals (Main Stage), 2004-2020; Schwagstock Festival, 2004, 2005 & 2007; Bele Chere Festival, 2005; Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival (Main Stage), 2014-2020; Southern Hotwings Festival (Main Stage), 2016-2017; Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival (Main Stage), 1995-2001, 2014, & 2017; Cooper-Young Festival (Main Stage), 2009 & 2018.

Overseas touring: Two European tours in 1993. One tour of the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2008.

Performed or recorded with such notables as: Levon Helm, Little Feat, The Memphis Horns, Billy Preston, Richie Havens, The Meters, Bootsy Collins, Merl Saunders, Dr. John, Timothy Leary, John Sinclair, James Cotton, Willie Mitchell, Jim Gaines, Jim Dickinson, Alex Chilton, Jody Stephens & Richard Rosebrough (Big Star), Roland Janes, Dave Aron (Snoop Dogg, U2, Sublime, TI), Mojo Buford, Ace Cannon, Ivan Neville, Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady (Hot Tuna), Blues Traveler, Jon Fishman & Page McConnell (Phish), Widespread Panic, Rob Wasserman, The Derek Trucks Band, The Radiators, Melvin Seals (Jerry Garcia Band), The Grandmothers (formerly Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention), Stephen Perkins & Tony Franklin (Banyan), Los Lobos, John Blackwell (Prince), David Bryan (Bon Jovi), John Avila (Oingo Boingo), Eric Garcia (Bob Dylan), Fran McKendree (McKendree Spring), Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, James Burton, Stan Perkins, Chad Taylor (Live), Tomasito Cruz (Arturo Sandoval), Bruce McCleave (Brian McKnight), The Record Company, Needtobreathe, Mark Doyle (Little Richard), Rolando Briceno, The Bar-Kays, Ann Peebles, Don Bryant, Syl Johnson, Steve Cropper, J. Blackfoot, Marvell, Vaneese & Carla Thomas, The Masqueraders, Terryl Saffold (The Platters), Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd), “Jim Dandy” Mangrum (Black Oak Arkansas), Jeremy “JB” Bustillos (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band), George Porter Jr. & His Runnin’ Pardners, String Cheese Incident, Vince Herman & Leftover Salmon, Colonel Bruce Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit, Todd Smallie (JJ Grey & Mofro), Greensky Bluegrass, Brian Stoltz, The North Mississippi Allstars, Galactic, Drivin’ & Cryin’, Marc Bolin (T-Rex), Elliott Ives & The Regiment Horns (Justin Timberlake), Ty Taylor (Vintage Trouble), Buddy Davis (Target), Afroman, Henry Gross, Wes Studi, The Grass Roots, Big Ass Truck, Deep Banana Blackout, Shawn Lane, Phineas Jr. & Calvin Newborn, George Coleman, Samurai Celestial, Charlton Johnson (Count Basie Big Band), Gerard Harris (Kool & the Gang), Angelo Earl (Bar-Kays, George Clinton), Damian J. Sanchez & Gregory Fallis (Glenn Miller Orchestra), Teenie Hodges, Howard Grimes, Ben Cauley, Astral Project, The Rebirth Brass Band, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, The Schwag, Robert Palmer, Jimmie Vaughan & Double Trouble, Susan Tedeschi, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Stacy Mitchhart, Little Jimmy King, Sonny Burgess & The Pacers, Pete Pederson, The Cate Brothers, Todd Snider, Lonnie Shields, Kenny Neal, Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires, Rodd Bland (son of Bobby “Blue” Bland), Devon Allman (son of Gregg), Jimmy Pryor, Blind Willie Dineen, Eric Gales, Ana Popovic, Alexis Grace & Trenyce (American Idol), Patrick Dodd & Sarah Simmons (The Voice), Connor Vance (The Dustbowl Revival), Preston Shannon, Ruby Wilson (the “Queen of Beale Street”), Toni Green, Earl “the Pearl” Banks, Willie Covington, Ross Rice & Peter Hyrka (Human Radio), Steve Selvidge (The Hold Steady), Paul Brown (Ann Peebles, The Waterboys), Rick Steff (Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Lucero), John Kilzer, Billy Gibson, Fred Sanders, Eric Hughes, Brandon Santini, James Govan & the Boogie Blues Band, Tony Thomas, Tom Lonardo, Jothan Callins, Inner Circle, Anthony Kearns (The Irish Tenors), & touring members of the Broadway musical productions of “Jersey Boys”, “Wicked”, “Stomp”, “The Phantom of the Opera”, “Grease”, “Cats”, “Chicago”, “Celtic Women”, “All Shook Up”, “Wizard of Oz”, “The Drowsy Chaperone”, “Young Frankenstein”, “Shrek”, “Madagascar”, “War Horse”, “Spamalot”, “Hair”, “The Buddy Holly Story”, “Memphis”, “The Bodyguard”, “Cirque Du Soleil Corteo”, “Trolls”, “Dirty Dancing” & “Aladdin”.

Richard C. Cushing

Band Leader, Bass, Vocals

May 1, 1963; Memphis, Tennessee. Professional musician since 1981.

Executive producer, lead vocalist, bassist, co-songwriter, musical director, bandleader, & business manager for “FreeWorld” since 1987. Lead vocalist, 12-string guitarist, bassist, mandolinist, sitarist, harmonica player, & songwriter for “Kaleidoscope” since 1997. One of several bassists for the “Herman Green & the Green Machine” jazz quintet since 1992, and Heartsong Church bassist, vocalist & multi-instrumentalist since 2006. (Musical Director since 2017).

CEO – SwirlDisc Records & Déjà Vudu Music.

Appointed by Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton to the Board of the Memphis & Shelby County Music Commission in 2005. Further elected to serve on the Executive Board of the MSCMC as an At-Large Officer in 2006 & 2007 and as Vice-Chairman in 2008, while also serving as the Chairman of their Musician’s Advisory Council from 2004 – 2007. Re-appointed by Mayor Mark Luttrell; February, 2011 & February, 2013.

National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) member since 1991. Elected to the Board of Governors in 1997, 1999, 2003, 2007 & 2010, while also serving as 1st Vice-President from 2001-2003 and as Secretary/Treasurer from 2005-2007. Membership Committee Co-Chairman, 1999-2003; Premier Player Awards Committee Chairman, 2001-2003.

Selected to serve on the Beale Street Brass Note Walk of Fame Committee; March 2009-present.

Founding Board Member of the 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization “Memphis Music Matters”; April, 2009-present.

FreeWorld received a coveted Brass Note on the Beale Street Walk of Fame, and had October 6, 2012, declared as “FreeWorld Day” in the city of Memphis by Mayor A.C. Wharton.

FreeWorld honored with the “Memphis Sound Award” at the Memphis Charitable Foundation’s annual Blues Ball; December, 2012.

Beale Street Merchant’s Association Special Merit Award given to FreeWorld honoring 20 years of Performing Memphis Music on Historic Beale Street; December, 2007.

Beale Street Merchant’s Association “Entertainer of the Year” Award won by FreeWorld; December, 2010.

Eighteen time NARAS Premier Player Award nominee: Premier Bassist, 1996-2000, 2002-3; Premier Band, 1995 & 1997-2003: Premier Harmonica Player, 2003; Premier Multi-Instrumentalist, 1993; Premier Producer, 2000. Premier Player Award Winner; 2003 – Premier Bassist.

Voted “Best Bassist” by The Flying Saucer/Memphis Flyer Readers poll; May, 2002.

Official endorsee of Modulus Graphite Basses, Taylor Acoustic Guitars, DR Strings, SWR Bass Amplification Systems, & DigiTech Effects Processors.

International Folk Alliance Conference panelist; February, 2007 & 2009.

FreeWorld full length CDs released and distributed by Select-O-Hits nationally & internationally in July, 1994 (“FreeWorld”); July, 1996 (“You Are Here”); August, 1999 (“Diversity”); January, 2003 (“Live from Memphis”); October, 2008 (“From The Bluff”); October, 2012 (“Yesterday, Today… Tomorrow” CD, w/ “Eventually Everything Will Happen” companion DVD); January, 2017 (“Back To Memphis” w/ Levon Helm); & October 2017 (“What It Is”).

Honors for FreeWorld “What It Is”: L.A. Music Critic’s #1 Best Indie Album of 2017; #1 on WUMR 91.7 FM, Memphis,

TN., Top 20 Jazz Countdown; #1 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Blues Rock Song Chart; National, international,

Terrestrial, and online radio airplay to over 50 million listeners; Featured in a global Intradexx spotlight article, August, 2019.

FreeWorld “D-Up (Here’s to Diversity)” all-star music video project released to worldwide acclaim in January, 2021.

Winner of the Best Music Video category in the Open Window International Film Challenge in Kolkata, India; Winner of

the Best Music Video category in the Brazil International Film Festival in Rio de Janeiro; Winner of the Best North

American Video category in the Munich Music Video Awards; Winner of the Best Social Commentary Video category in the

L.A. Music Video Awards in Los Angeles, CA; Winner of Best Band of the Year in the Mega Art Festival in New York, NY;

Winner of the Crystal Pine Award for Best Music Video in the International Sound & Film Music Festival in Samobor,

Croatia; Winner of the Best Music Video category in the Fayetteville Film Festival in Arkansas; Winner of the Best Music

Video / Musical Short category in the Avalonia Festival of Short Films, etc. in Jacksonville, FL; Winner of the Diversity in

Media Award in the Care Awards in Parkersburg, WV; and Winners of both the Best Music Video AND the Best

Songwriters categories in the BridgeFest Film Festival in Vancouver, BC, Canada; Finalist in the International Music Video

Awards in Budapest, Hungary; Finalist in the Rome Music Video Awards; Finalist in the International Sound Music Video

Awards in Prague; Finalist in the AFIN International Film Festival in Brisbane, Australia; Finalist in the Global Music

Awards in La Jolla, CA; Semi-Finalist in the Euro Music Video Song Awards in Paris; Honorable Mention (plus used as the

Theme Song for their DEI/LGBTQIA+ weekend) at the Love Wins International Film Festival in New York. Also Officially

Screened at the following 2022 Film Festivals: New Media Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA.; Amsterdam World

International Film Festival; Colortape International Film Festival in Brisbane, Australia; Greece Film Festival Awards in

Athens; One Earth Awards in Bangalore, India; Sound on Screen Music Film Festival, Cape Town, South Africa; Portugal

International Film Festival in Lisbon; Universe Multicultural Film Festival in Palos Verdes, CA.; Indie Memphis Film

Festival in Tennessee; Breckenridge Film Festival in Breckenridge, CO; Lonely Seal International Film, Screenplay, &

Music Festival in Boston, MA; Raleigh Film & Art Festival in North Carolina; Fort Smith International Film Festival in

Arkansas; Mosaic World Film Festival in Rockford, IL; and the Direct Monthly Online Film Festival in Canton, MI.

Two independent European tours with FreeWorld; 1993. One independent tour of the U.S. Virgin Islands; 2008.

FreeWorld performed on the nationally syndicated Food Network TV program “The Bobby Flay Show” in June, 2004, appeared on ESPN’s “50 States in 50 Days” series in August, 2005, and performed on the Travel Channel’s syndicated TV series “5 Takes – USA” in November, 2006, as well as numerous appearances on local TV & radio shows, including “Live at 9”, “Good Morning Memphis”, George Klein’s “Memphis Sounds”, “The Giannotto & Jeffery Show” on 92.9 ESPN (WMFS), & Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton’s “ACTV”. FreeWorld’s 25th Anniversary Rockumentary DVD “Eventually Everything Will Happen” featured in regular primetime rotation on WKNO-TV Memphis (+ simulcast statewide), 2013-14. FreeWorld and other ‘Musicians for Le Bonheur’ featured in “Healing Music” (2019) & “Le Bonheroo” (2020) on Amazon Prime Video. FreeWorld & RCC featured on the 92.9FM ESPN Radio program “Giannotto & Jeffery”, November, 2020. FreeWorld’s “D-Up (Here’s To Diversity)” Memphis Music Community video featured on WKNO’s “Indie TV: Local Short Films from Indie Memphis 2022” in May & October, 2023.

Fools’ Ball & Fall Ball Festivals, 2004-2019; Schwagstock Festival, 2004, 2005 & 2007; Bele Chere Festival, 2005; Porter-Leath’s Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival, 2014-2023; Southern Hotwings Festival, 2016-2017; Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival, 1995-2001, 2014, & 2017; Cooper-Young Festival, 2009 & 2018.

Producer of debut CDs by regional acts “Yamagata” – 1999; “The Memphis Jones Revolution” – 2000; & “Retrospect” – 2001.

AMMA National Award winner in the Pop Category for “Smoke the Prophets”; August, 2006.

FreeWorld, with special guests Marvell, Vaneese & Carla Thomas and James Govan, paid tribute to Rufus Thomas with a special concert for the Center for Southern Folklore’s annual Memphis Music & Heritage Festival, with the show being listed as one of the “Top Three Memphis Concerts” in the Memphis Flyer’s year end wrap-up issue; December, 2011.

Performed or recorded with such notables as: Levon Helm, Little Feat, The Memphis Horns, Billy Preston, Richie Havens, The Meters, Bootsy Collins, Merl Saunders, Dr. John, Timothy Leary, John Sinclair, James Cotton, Willie Mitchell, Jim Gaines, Jim Dickinson, Alex Chilton, Jody Stephens & Richard Rosebrough (Big Star), Roland Janes, Dave Aron (Snoop Dogg, U2, Sublime, TI), Mojo Buford, Ace Cannon, Jim Belushi (The Blues Brothers), Ivan Neville, Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady (Hot Tuna), Blues Traveler, Jon Fishman & Page McConnell (Phish), Widespread Panic, Rob Wasserman, The Derek Trucks Band, The Radiators, Melvin Seals (Jerry Garcia Band), The Grandmothers (formerly Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention), Stephen Perkins & Tony Franklin (Banyan), Los Lobos, John Blackwell (Prince), David Bryan (Bon Jovi), John Avila (Oingo Boingo), Eric Garcia (Bob Dylan), Jeff Pevar (CSN, Ray Charles, Joe Cocker), Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin (Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter), Fran McKendree (McKendree Spring), Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, James Burton, Stan Perkins, Chad Taylor (Live), Tomasito Cruz (Arturo Sandoval), Bruce McCleave (Brian McKnight), The Record Company, Needtobreathe, Mark Doyle (Little Richard), Rolando Briceno, The Bar-Kays, Ann Peebles, Don Bryant, Syl Johnson, Steve Cropper, J. Blackfoot, Marvell, Vaneese & Carla Thomas, Wendy Moten, Joyce Cobb, The Masqueraders, Terryl Saffold (The Platters), Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd), “Jim Dandy” Mangrum (Black Oak Arkansas), Jeremy “JB” Bustillos (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band), George Porter Jr. & His Runnin’ Pardners, String Cheese Incident, Vince Herman & Leftover Salmon, Colonel Bruce Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit, Todd Smallie (JJ Grey & Mofro), Greensky Bluegrass, Brian Stoltz, The North Mississippi Allstars, Southern Avenue, Galactic, Drivin’ & Cryin’, Marc Bolin (T-Rex), Elliott Ives & The Regiment Horns (Justin Timberlake), Ty Taylor (Vintage Trouble), Buddy Davis (Target), Al Kapone, Afroman, Henry Gross, Wes Studi, The Grass Roots, Big Ass Truck, Deep Banana Blackout, Shawn Lane, Phineas Jr. & Calvin Newborn, George Coleman, Samurai Celestial, Charlton Johnson (Count Basie Big Band), Gerard Harris (Kool & the Gang), Angelo Earl (Bar-Kays, George Clinton), Damian J. Sanchez & Gregory Fallis (Glenn Miller Orchestra), Teenie Hodges, Howard Grimes, Ben Cauley, Astral Project, The Rebirth Brass Band, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, The Schwag, Robert Palmer, Jimmie Vaughan & Double Trouble, Susan Tedeschi, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Stacy Mitchhart, Little Jimmy King, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Sonny Burgess & The Pacers, Pete Pederson, The Cate Brothers, Todd Snider, Lonnie Shields, Kenny Neal, Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires, Rodd Bland (son of Bobby “Blue” Bland), Devon Allman (son of Gregg), Jimmy Pryor, Blind Willie Dineen, Eric Gales, Ana Popovic, Alexis Grace, Trenyce, & Kai Kalama (American Idol), Patrick Dodd, Sarah Simmons & Anthony Arya (The Voice), Connor Vance (The Dustbowl Revival), Preston Shannon, Ruby Wilson (the “Queen of Beale Street”), Toni Green, Earl “the Pearl” Banks, John Nemeth, Willie Covington, Jay Collins (Little Feat, Dukes of September, Gregg Allman), Ross Rice & Peter Hyrka (Human Radio), Jeff Adams (Starship), Robert “The Frasier Flash” Johnson (Ox), Paul Brown (Ann Peebles, The Waterboys), Steve Selvidge (The Hold Steady), Rick Steff (Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Lucero), John Kilzer, Fred Sanders, Billy Gibson, Gabe Stillman, Damion “Yella P” Pearson, Eric Hughes, Brandon Santini, James Govan & the Boogie Blues Band, Tony Thomas, Tom Lonardo, Jothan Callins, Inner Circle, Anthony Kearns (The Irish Tenors), Ian Zavan (Italy), Elvis Priestley & Robert Washington (award winning Elvis Tribute Artists), & touring members of the Broadway musical productions of “Jersey Boys”, “Frozen”, “Wicked”, “Stomp”, “The Phantom of the Opera”, “Grease”, “Cats”, “Chicago”, “Celtic Women”, “All Shook Up”, “Wizard of Oz”, “The Drowsy Chaperone”, “Young Frankenstein”, “Shrek”, “Madagascar”, “War Horse”, “Spamalot”, “Hair”, “The Buddy Holly Story”, “Memphis”, “The Bodyguard”, “Cirque Du Soleil Corteo”, “Trolls”, “Dirty Dancing”, “Funny Girl”, “South Pacific”, “An American In Paris”, & “Aladdin”.

Complete, Chronological Discography:

*****************************************************************************************************************************************

1981 Graduate of Christian Brothers High School, Memphis, TN.

1986 Magna Cum Laude graduate from the University of Memphis with a B.S. in Biology (Vertebrate Zoology Concentration).

Currently a Researcher 1 in the Genetics, Genomics, & Informatics department at the University of Tennessee Health

Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis, TN.

Medical Technologist I at IDEXX Laboratories in Memphis, TN., from 2013-2022.

Senior Research Assistant in the Goldowitz Laboratory of Developmental Neurogenetics, Department of Anatomy &

Neurobiology, UTHSC, from 1989-2013.

Richard is also a proud & loving husband to Lori (for 37 years), & an active father to both Oliver (25 years) & Ian (23 years).

Contact Info:

P.O. Box 820149
Memphis, TN 38182-0149

FreeWorldRocks@usa.net (Email)

FreeWorld Richard Cushing Brass Note Beale

Peter J. Climie

Saxophones, EWI, Horn Arranger, Backing Vocals

Saxophonist Peter Climie has been active on the Memphis music scene for over 30 years. Originally from Buffalo, NY, he moved to Memphis in 1992 to study music composition at the University of Memphis. Former member of The Boogie Blues Band at Rum Boogie Cafe on historic Beale Street, he was the longtime saxophonist for The Distraxshuns and Funk de Ville before joining FreeWorld in 2011. A prolific arranger, he has written and arranged over 400 horn charts for various bands throughout the Mid-South. He has also performed with and written for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Opera Memphis, and the Memphis Ballet. As an award-winning classical composer, he has had original works performed on five continents in over 20 countries.

Freedman J. Steorts

Trombone, Vocals

I was raised in Memphis by a musical family. My father was a working guitar player, rock star, and music education pioneer. I heard music every day in the basement of my house from my dad. I started playing piano at age 6 and alto sax in elementary school. I came alive as a musician when I switched to trombone in the 4th grade.

Trombone Shorty was an inspiration, as well as Snarky Puppy, Auralee Civil War tune, FreeWorld, Curtis Fuller, Frank Rosalino, Carl Fontana, and Louis Cole.

Walter S. Hughes

Guitars, Vocals

Guitarist Walter Hughes was raised on church hymns and bluegrass, as well as his brother Eric’s Beatles records. Walter spent his youth learning banjo and mandolin while most of his classmates were listening to Nirvana and Pearl Jam, and when he eventually transitioned to guitar, the fingerstyle banjo techniques he had previously learned came in quite handy and Walter had found his home instrument. After attending the University of Memphis and the charter year of the Visible Community School of Music & Worship Arts (now the Visible Music College), Walter has enjoyed decades of touring, recording and performing with several Memphis-area bands as well as putting on solo acoustic shows. Walter has been with FreeWorld since January of 2023.

Matthew S. Sweatt

Drums, Vocals

I am a born-and-raised Memphian, and have been playing drums and percussion since the age of 12. Originally, I played a variety of instruments, including piano, guitar, and trumpet before I finally discovered drums, and haven’t looked back since.
I come from a family with a lot of musical background. My distant relative, “Spooner” Oldham was a session keyboardist and songwriter, and played with Bob Dylan. Many of my other family members dabbled in music as well, including my mother and father.
Some of my favorite drummers are Vinnie Colaiuta, Jeff Porcaro, Ndugu Chancler, Lenny White, Mitch Mitchell, and Bill Stewart.

Alex K. Schuetrumpf

Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Vocals

Alex Schuetrumpf, a Memphis native, embodies musical versatility and a deep commitment to education. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a Master’s degree in Performance from the University of Memphis. Alex’s dedication to music education is evident in his role as a mentor, maintaining a thriving studio of trumpet students while also pursuing his own musical endeavors. A successful classical trumpeter, he has performed with esteemed orchestras such as the Memphis Symphony and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestras, showcasing musicianship and passion in every performance. In the commercial sphere, Alex has performed with a diverse range of artists including Jay Osmond, Dennis Quaid, Pam Tillis, Darlene Love, Wendy Moten, The Temptations, and Frankie Valli. Alex performed lead trumpet for the renowned Memphis Jazz Orchestra for five years. He also played lead trumpet with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra Big Band for the 2022 Cancer Blows Benefit as well as played jazz trumpet for Lisa Nobumoto and the Sizzlin’ Six and the Amina Figarova Sextet. His improvisational skills and expressive playing continue to captivate audiences. With his exceptional talent and unwavering commitment to music education and performance, Alex Schuetrumpf remains a sought-after performer and teacher in the Memphis Area.

Cedric L. Taylor

Keyboards, Vocals

Cedric Taylor is a pianist/producer from Memphis, TN. He has been active in the music scene for over a decade playing locally, nationally, and internationally. He has toured with several groups and artist including Ghost Town Blues Band, Eleanore Tallie, Syrrup, and the JD Westmoreland Band.

He has tracked and played in almost every state in the country and has taken his talents outward to places like the Montreal Jazz Fest in Canada, the Lucern Blues Festival in Switzerland, and the Grolsch Blues Festival in Germany. In addition to FreeWorld, he has also played with many local groups such as PXLS, Reach, Bluff City Soul Collective, The Bar-Kays, and Outer Ring to name a few.

Cedric currently uses the Nord Stage 2 keyboard for performing purposes. He really enjoys blending organ, piano/ep, and synths together to make tasteful harmonies and melodies with the groups he plays with. His main influence is Jazz. He graduated from the University of Memphis with a jazz piano studio performance degree. During his time in college he immersed himself in multiple genres and grew comfortable in the studio setting, performing and creating music. He believes music is for everyone and he hopes to bring some good music to your ears.

Frank L. Paladino

Baritone Saxophone

Frank Paladino grew up in New York and was exposed to the great jazz, rock, and blues artists of the day. At age 12, he begged his parents to get him a saxophone and while the early years were rough on the ears, countless hours of honking turned into real music. Primarily a bari sax player, influences include Ronnie Cuber (who played with Lionel Hampton, as well as Frank Zappa), Gerry Mulligan and many others. Frank has played with many artists in New York and Memphis. In addition to playing with FreeWorld, Frank anchors the saxophone section on bari with the Memphis Knights Big Band. Playing with FreeWorld continues to be a great experience, and sharing the stage with some of the best musicians in the city of Memphis has been a dream come true.

Courtney J. Reid

Lead & Backing Vocals

Courtney Janelle Reid was born and raised in Memphis, TN. She found her passion for music when she was 9 years old, attending Olivet Baptist Church. Courtney attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where she studied Classical and Jazz music. She was UTC’s official Jazz lead singer for 3 years. She officially moved to Chattanooga in 2012 and began singing with different bands such as The Power Players and Nubreed, as well as the Higher Ground band out of Nashville, TN. She later formed her own band where she opened for PJ Morton and the Hamiltones. She also worked as a background singer for Shirley Jones of the Jones Girls for 12 years. Courtney moved back to Memphis in 2021, and in 2022, she began singing with FreeWorld. In 2023, she was one of the house singers for Gold Strike Casino in Tunica and later a featured artist with The Diversity Band at B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street.

Dr. Herman W. Green (1930-2020), Emeritus

Tenor Sax, Flute, Vocals

Legendary Jazz saxophonist Dr. Herman Washington Green was born in Memphis, TN on May 27, 1930. His father, Herman Washington, played saxophone with W.C. Handy’s band back in the 1920s, and Herman continued the tradition by playing his first professional shows on Beale Street with Phineas Newborn, Sr.’s big band in 1945, with his childhood friends Phineas, Jr. and Calvin Newborn.

Herman was playing on Beale Street in 1947 when his friend, a then unknown B.B. King, asked him to help him put his first band together. Another friend and mentor, Rufus Thomas, asked Herman to join him for a session at Sun Records in 1953. From that session came the song “Bearcat”, the answer song to Big Mama Thornton’s “Hound Dog,” which many believe to be the very first Rock n’ Roll recording.

Dr. Green’s been around jazz and blues circles for decades, and earned his chops working with such legends as John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Dinah Washington, not to mention being a major part of Lionel Hampton’s big band for eight years.

Dr. Green has stepped forward into more unexplored areas of music than almost any other musician, helping to originate the experimental jazz movement founded in San Francisco known as West Coast Jazz.

Here’s an excerpt from his upcoming book:

“In 1955, when Herman was twenty-five years old, he was returning from overseas military duty and was on his way home to Memphis, TN. When his plane stopped in San Francisco for an unknown amount of layover time, he decided to visit a bar near the airport for a drink.

A three-piece jazz combo began to play and Herman heard some of the same sounds that he had been playing in Memphis, but he also heard some new sounds, something that was not known in Memphis. He decided to stay in the Bay area for a while, and as he got to know some of the musicians that played in the local clubs, he discovered that they were just as fascinated by his stories of Beale Street as he was by their stories of playing with artists like Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck.

In a short time, Herman found himself in the house band of the “Blackhawk”, a famous San Francisco Jazz Club that many believe helped to found the sound that would later be known as West Coast Jazz. From 1955 to 1957, he played with artists such as Cannonball Adderly, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, the Modern Jazz Quartet and many others. He was there when the experiments with Jazz were first starting, and when Jazz become more than a few instruments improvising on “old standards”.

In 1958, Herman became the leader of the House Band at a new place called “Box City” in San Francisco. This was a late night club set up just for the musicians who played other places in town to go to and relax after they got off work. (Box City did not even open until 1:00am!) Herman had with him a young lady vocalist, a then unknown Dinah Washington. In Herman’s own words,
“I worked Box City, Say When, and the Jazz Workshop. These had to be the most amazing clubs I have ever played in. They were where you went after a night on the town or after you had been working. Frank Sinatra dropped in and sat in with the Band whenever he was in town – and this was quite often. It’s also where I also got to know Sammy Davis, Jr. Many of what we would call the “Great Artists of Jazz” would show up and sit in with the Band – for no pay – just for the fun, the company, and the relaxation. At the Jazz Workshop, we opened the place with Cannonball Adderly and it only went uphill from there.”

Herman met a lot of people in places like Box City and the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco, and this is where he was brought to the attention of Lionel Hampton, who was widely considered to be the “King of Jazz Music” at that time. Lionel offered Herman a job playing with his big band, and when Herman accepted he quickly found himself in New York, playing with a band that he would stay with, on and off, for eight years. One of the other band members, who would become one of Herman’s best friends, was John Coltrane. In Herman’s own words, “New York was a blur in my memory for three years. It all happened so fast, and it was such a great time. We were musicians doing what we wanted to do and getting paid good money for it. Also, we use to jam – just for the fun of it – in my apartment in New York. There would be Miles Davis, Clark Terry, John Coltrane, Art Davis; all just sitting around my apartment playing what we wanted, how we wanted to play it, and all because we were having a good time. I might add that everybody wanted to experiment and everybody wanted to try something new, but there was no one that had that innovation of music like ‘Trane. Even today when I do a sax break and I get way out into outer space, I still turn to the others in the band and say, ‘Hey, I’m doing my John Coltrane thing!'”

Like all Memphis Musicians, Herman thought from time to time about returning home to Memphis, but the jobs were good and he was with Lionel Hampton, the most recognized name in Jazz Music. Herman said, “We were playing the Riviera in Las Vegas and Sammy Davis, Jr. was there. I was walking in the lobby with him and I said, ‘I’m worried. I invited my Mother out here to visit, and I don’t know what to show her or how to entertain her.’ Sammy said, “Why don’t you let me worry about that? When she gets here, just bring her down to my concert and we’ll think of something.” When Herman’s mother arrived he took her down to the show and right on the front row was a table reserved for Sammy Davis, Jr. and Herman Green. Herman’s Mother got to watch the show sitting with Sammy Davis, Jr. – except when it was Sammy’s turn to be on stage. And when Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin dropped by to sit at the table for a while, Herman’s mother never complained about not being “entertained”.

A few weeks later, Herman and some of his fellow band members were having afternoon drinks in the lounge at the Riviera when a rumor began to circulate that President John F. Kennedy had been shot in Dallas, TX. All over America, things were never the same for most people, and musicians were no different. Herman thought long and hard about what he was doing, what he wanted to do, and where he had come from, and after taking care of all of his obligations to Lionel Hampton and the other musicians he had gotten to know, Herman was on his way back to Memphis.”

Over the next several decades, Herman played and recorded with many of the greatest legends of the Memphis Music scene (such as Isaac Hayes among many others), and also began a second career as a music educator, teaching & mentoring many of the best and brightest Memphis musicians from the next generation of jazz greats (such as James Williams, Donald Brown and Mulgrew Miller) while serving as the Head of Jazz Studies at Lemoyne-Owen College in Memphis for many years.

He also found the time to form the “Herman Green & the Green Machine” jazz quintet, and compose and record his own solo CDs, such as “Who IS Herman Green?” and “Inspiration: Family and Friends”. He also founded the jazz/rock/jam/fusion group “FreeWorld” in 1987 – a local Memphis music institution which is still going strong today after 22 years and 5 CD releases.

Featuring 83-year-old jazz saxophone legend Dr. Herman Green (who has performed &/or recorded with the likes of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, B.B. King, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Phineas & Calvin Newborn, Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman, Stephen Perkins, Norwood Fisher and a host of others during his 63 year professional music career), FreeWorld is literally ‘new school meets old school’, and has been variously described as “The best of Memphis, New Orleans, & San Francisco – all rolled into one fresh & excitingly unique musical experience!”

So the next time you’re walking down Beale Street, keep your eyes peeled for the brass musical note in front of Blues City Café, which honors 80-year-old Dr. Herman W. Green – the indefatigable Jazz saxophone legend – who cut his teeth on Beale Street in the ’40s, went on to conquer the Jazz world in the ’50s and ’60s, and then brought it all back home to Memphis where he continues to amaze and astonish music aficionados from all over the world on Beale Street each and every week, while actively passing on his deep musical knowledge & a lifetime of musical experience to the next generation of Memphis musicians.

FreeWorld Alumni (1987-2024)

Counting everyone who has ever played one whole gig with FreeWorld on any one instrument (not just sitting in for a tune or two, but the WHOLE gig – top to bottom – and gotten PAID), plus anyone who has recorded, engineered, &/or produced on any of our live gigs or studio CDs, the list I have kept over the years currently consists of the names below. Names in Bold are folks whose work with the band has been more extensive (no less than 3 months of live performance experience, or officially credited on any of our studio albums), and names with an * are the Founding Fathers – and various close associates – of the original FreeWorld band from 1987:

Bass:

Richard Cushing *

Errol Thomas

Donald Crisp

Richard Young (“Dr. Lint”)

Ross Rice *

Drums:

Jimmy Ellis * (RIP!)

Bo Harris

Chuck Fields

Robert Barnett

David Skypeck

Ross Rice *

Kurt Ruleman

Jim Britt

William Floyd

Terry Saffold

Brian Aylor

Greg Lundy (RIP!)

Robert Hall

Jody Stephens

James Cunningham

George Sluppick

George Lawrence

Cedric Keel

Clifford “Pee Wee” Jackson, Jr.

Bry Hart

Rodd Bland

Pete Mendillo (RIP!)

Bill Marshall

Walter White

Matt Sweatt

Guitar:

Clint (Goodwin) Wagner *

Vince Pratt *

Chuck Sullivan

Calvin Newborn

Ed Finney

Brian Overstreet

Ross Rice *

Richard Cushing *

Peter “Trout” Roniger

Luther Dickinson

Julian Wong

J.D. Westmoreland

Matt Tutor

Charlton Johnson

Gene Nunez

Carleton Blunt

Andy Tate

Jack Holder (RIP!)

Gerard Harris

Angelo Earl

Steve Corbett

Ori Naftaly

Niko Lyras

Robert Allen Parker

Walter Hughes

Zack Mack

Aubrey McCrady

Keyboards:

Ross Rice *

Charlie Wood

Phillip Joyner (“Ole Double Cut” – RIP!)

Herman Green

Gerald Stephens

Parker Card (RIP!)

Russ Wheeler

Paul Brown

Archie Turner-Mitchell

Rick Steff

Adam J. Levin

Jim “East Memphis Slim” Dickinson (RIP!)

Tim Stanek

Patrick Fusco

Jon Hornyak

Paul West

Freddie Kirksey

Matt Nolan

Chris Stephenson

Rusty Stavely

Joe “Boogie” Simmons

Bill Whitman

Darryl Cooper

Johnny Tate

Cedric Taylor

Greg Reding

Robert “Nighthawk” Tooms

Trumpet/Flugelhorn:

Willie Waldman *

Phillip Joyner (“Ole Double Cut” – RIP!)

Johnny Yancey

Richard Boyington

William Isaac “Nokie” Taylor (RIP!)

Mickey Gregory

Steve Dolan

Rick Dolan

E.J. Dyce

Scott Thompson

Charles Ray

Paul Morelli

Brandon Doggett

Marc Franklin

Jared Dover

Adam Robertson

Tony Hudson

Chris Cooper (Pete Spuddy)

Nobel Del Mar

Johnny Gutierrez

Paul McKinney

Kevin Tinker

Will Paladino

Jeffrey Huddleston, Jr.

Walker Higgins

Eli Rodgers

Alex Schuetrumpf

Tyler Helms

Cody Daugherty

Daniel Roebuck

Collin Reichow

Asia Wilson

Brandon Lewis

Tyler Scott

Max Warren

Logan Smoot

Sax/Woodwinds:

Dr. Herman Green * (RIP!)

Robert Palmer * (RIP!)

Kirk Smothers

Pat Register

Brian Crown

Art Edmaiston

Mattias #1 \

Mattias #2 \ In Germany!

Mattias #3 “Mr. Happy” /

Volker Schmidt /

Jeff Huddleston, Sr. (RIP!)

Jeff Waldon

Josh Degges

Hope Clayburn

Damian Sanchez

Isaac Daniel

Clifton Brady

Steven Foster \ Hurricane Katrina Evacuees!

Sheik Rashid /

Scott Katzev

“Captain” Phil McGee (RIP!)

Justin Johnson

Tom Link

Matt Gooden

Andrew Traylor

Nathan Strickland

Peter Climie

Zach Nixon

Paul Morelli

Lannie McMillan

Spencer Cox

Frank Paladino

Eli Wyatt

Trombone:

Jeff Chaz

Gerald Stephens

Prentice Wulff-Woesten

John Hagan

Jared Dover

Kaitlyn Smith

Freedman Steorts

Cameron Benson (bass trombone)

Greg Fallis

Colin Woods

Percussion:

Neil Wadlington *

Doug Garrison

George Finney

Chuck Fields

David Skypeck *

Jimmy Ellis * (RIP!)

Jonny O’Dell

William “Nokie” Taylor (RIP!)

Leopoldo “Rico Rumba” López

Robert Barnett

Angela Frontera

Boyd Brannan

Twinkle Van Winkle

Bill Sterns

Jim Britt

Richard Cushing *

Ross Rice *

Steve Dolan

Prentice Wulff-Woesten

Jack Holder (RIP!)

E.J. Dyce

Scott Katzev

“Captain” Phil McGee (RIP!)

Charles Ray

Tom Harris

Terry Saffold

Cody Dickinson

Jason Northcutt

John Hagan

Peter Climie

Jared Dover

Paul Morelli

Andy Tate

Chris Stephenson

Freedman Steorts

Will Paladino

George Lawrence

Walter Hughes

Matt Sweatt

Alex Schuetrumpf

Hector Diaz

+ Group Percussion Circle for “Diversity”

Lisa Harrison

Ashley Calliham

Clay Maddox

Joe Austin

Christy O’Neal

Leigh Williams

Kristy Fulks

Kevin Leahy

Lead or Backing Vocals:

Richard Cushing *

Jimmy Ellis * (RIP!)

Ross Rice *

Clint (Goodwin) Wagner *

Dr. Herman Green * (RIP!)

Pat Register

Chuck Sullivan

Brian Crown

Klaudia Kroboth

William “Nokie” Taylor (RIP!)

Parker Card (RIP!)

Art Edmaiston

Russ Wheeler

Steve Dolan

Prentice Wulff-Woesten

Jackie Johnson

Paul Brown

Hope Clayburn

James Govan (RIP!)

Damian Sanchez

E.J. Dyce

Scott Katzev

“Captain” Phil McGee (RIP!)

Matt Tutor

Charles Ray

Harold “Sundance” Thomas \ (“The Masqueraders”)

Robert “Tex” Wrightsil /

John Hagan

Peter Climie

Jared Dover

Andy Tate

Paul Morelli

Chris Stephenson

Freedman Steorts

Adam Hill

Jody Stephens

Stephani McCoy

Will Paladino

Alexis Roberson

Jonté Mayon

Tia Henderson

Brenae Johnson

Melissa Van Pelt

Deborah Swiney

Courtney Reid

Katrina Anderson

La-Shon Robinson-Henderson

Melanie Pierce

Walter White

Walter Hughes

Kasondra “KC” Caldwell

Matt Sweatt

Alex Schuetrumpf

Zack Mack

Frank Paladino

Jerome Chism

Delaney Tutor

Carla Barnes

+ Group Backing Vocals for “FreeWorld”

Adam Hatley

Melanie Jones

Zanne Leif

+ Group Backing Vocals for “Diversity”

Lori Cushing (+1)

David Skypeck

Brian Overstreet

Ashley Calliham

Lisa Harrison

Tara Doran

Mike “Free Tone” Smith (Smitty)

Chris Blaylock

Kevin Leahy

Faith Neenan

Gary Simmons

Damon Lewis

Monica Berkheimer

Matt “Havoc” Tipton

Ashley Wilemon

J.C. Youngblood

Joe Fry

David McGowan (RIP!)

John Coburn

Bryan Fraley

+ Lead Vocals for “D-Up” Reboot

Al Kapone

Jerome Chism

Wendy Moten

Adam Levin

Chris Johnson

Reba Russell

Marcella Simien

Todd Poole

Larry Springfield

Marcela Pinilla

Tierinii Jackson Naftaly

Joyce Cobb

Terrance Simien

Earl “The Pearl” Banks

+ Tennessee Mass Choir for “More Love” Album:

Jason Clark – Director

(All on “More Love” & * on “Heart On The Table”)

Cierra Adeoye

Maggie Bratcher

Lenora Davis

Nyoaka Gee

Dennis Groves

Sandra Harmon

Crystal Hollins *

Tina Humes *

Montreal Jones

Sheryll Jones

Alma Kizer-Elliott

Jennifer McClellan *

Angela McDowell-Baines

Shiree McGee

Deloris McKnight

Mary Merriweather

Kerri Moffitt *

Kazia Moore

Almetta Nelson

Janet Nelson

Juanita Osborne

Soosie Que *

Tabitha Scott

Deborah Shannon

Vanessa Smith

Martez Taylor, Sr.

Doris Webb

Helen White

Spoken Word/Rap:

Chris Baer *

Benjamin Theolonius “IQ” Sanders (The Poet Laureate of FreeWorld)

Richard Cushing *

Art Edmaiston

Steve Dolan

Gangsta Boo (RIP!)

Greg Lundy (RIP!)

Al Kapone

Other:

William Isaac “Nokie” Taylor – cornet (RIP!)

Peter Hyrka – violin

Jason Latshaw – turntables

Steve Dolan – musette

Richard Cushing * – sitar, mandolin, harmonica, ratchet

Sean Murphy – tuba

Richard Thomas, Jr. – cello

Peter Climie – EWI

Paul Morelli – clarinet, valve trombone, alto flute

Freedman Steorts – slide trumpet

Andy Tate – electric sitar, lap steel, mandolin

Alice Hasen – violin

Blind Mississippi Morris – harmonica

Laura Haynes – American sign language

Alex Schuetrumpf – piccolo trumpet

Engineers (Live & Studio):

Michael Kearney *

Ronnie Kittel *

Dave Aron * (RIP!)

Alan Spindel *

Dan Pfeifer *

Jim “Jammer” Godsey *

David Peck *

Kiefer *

James Senter

David Jordan

William Floyd

Richie Runnels

Randy Holder

Randy LeRoy

Jason Latshaw

Jim Gaines

Mike Iacopelli

Doug Easley

Davis McCain

Stuart Sykes

Posey Hedges

Kevin Houston

Ross Rice *

Brad Blackwood

Richard Cushing *

Joey “Pablo” Walker

Benji Hughes

Ken Whitehead

Devan Yanik

Hunter Rosen

Justin Hess

Mike Wilson

Dawn Hopkins

Sam Bryant

Archie Mitchell

Willie Mitchell

Matt Tutor

Mark Yoshida

Adam Hill

Andy Tate

Kevin Nix

Robbie Rose

Adam Levin

Jeff McOlgan

Niko Lyras

Walker Higgins

Redd Thomas

Jim Leep

Darren Roth

Caleb Neff

Chris Carter

Dane Giordano

Ari Morris

Jeff Powell

CD/DVD Producers:

Dan Pfeifer

Jim Gaines

Ross Rice *

Kevin Houston

FreeWorld

Jim Dickinson (RIP!)

Jonathan Pekar

Adam Hill

Niko Lyras

Justin Jaggers

Richard Cushing *

Peter Climie

Matt Tutor

Songwriters:

Ross Rice *

Herman Green * (RIP!)

Willie Waldman *

Clint Wagner *

Richard Cushing *

Jimmy Ellis * (RIP!)

Richard Young *

Cliff Pinkston * (RIP!)

Chuck Sullivan

Robert Barnett

Kirk Smothers

David Skypeck

William “Nokie” Taylor (RIP!)

Jothan Callins

Parker Card (RIP!)

Brian Overstreet

Art Edmaiston

Steve Dolan

Prentice Wulff-Woesten

Rico Heard

Josh Degges

Damian J. Sanchez

E. J. Dyce

Peter Climie

Andy Tate

Chris Stephenson

Will Paladino

Cedric Taylor

Daniel Eppel

Benjamin Theolonius “IQ” Sanders

Graphic Artists/Photographers:

Richard Cushing *

David Hall *

John Lind

Lori Kay Cushing

Mike Werkhoven

Nancy Apple

Jeannie Bleu

Steve Roberts

Alex Kohli

Steve Dolan

Randy Williams

Leslie Gilmer

Brandon Seavers

Thomas Halfacre

Peter Climie

Beverly Speakes

Sarah Dalesandro

Danny Day

Sturgis Nikides

Joy Arwood

Elaine Koger

Web Master:

Martin Norris

Steve Cox (RIP!)

Jack Simon

Richard Cushing *

Archivist:

Richard Cushing *

Patrick O’Daniel

Benefactors & Honorary Band Members:

Lori Kay Cushing *

Doyce Hodum * (RIP!)

John “Guru” McGee * (RIP!)

Dick Clifton * (RIP!)

Eddie Burks *

Ken and Jill Hartsfield (RIP!) & the Entire ‘Rites of Spring’ Crew *

Clinton Printing

Sam Nowlin (RIP!)

Papa Don McMinn (RIP!)

George Paul Eldridge (RIP!)

Ty Agee

Gregg Williams

Todd Adams

Mike Glenn

Felix Vega (RIP!)

Greg Haynes

Deric Murphy (RIP!)

Donna & Mark Christiansen, Miss Terry Bradshaw (RIP!), & the Entire “Love of Life” Family

Tim Hence

Tom “TK” Keckler

Dr. Jim Richey

Dr. John Allgood

Music Export Memphis

There ya go…… (WHEW!!) And Ross Rice officially gets the award for being the most versatile FreeWorld alumnus – appearing in almost half of the above categories!

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Special Guests:

Performed or recorded with such notables as: Levon Helm, Little Feat, The Memphis Horns, Billy Preston, Richie Havens, The Meters, Bootsy Collins, Merl Saunders, Dr. John, Timothy Leary, John Sinclair, James Cotton, Willie Mitchell, Jim Gaines, Jim Dickinson, Alex Chilton, Jody Stephens & Richard Rosebrough (Big Star), Roland Janes, Dave Aron (Snoop Dogg, Sublime), Mojo Buford, Ace Cannon, Jim Belushi (The Blues Brothers), Ivan Neville, Jorma Kaukonen & Jack Casady (Hot Tuna), Blues Traveler, Jon Fishman & Page McConnell (Phish), Widespread Panic, Rob Wasserman, The Derek Trucks Band, The Radiators, Melvin Seals (Jerry Garcia Band), The Grandmothers (formerly Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention), Stephen Perkins & Tony Franklin (Banyan), Los Lobos, John Blackwell (Prince), David Bryan (Bon Jovi), John Avila (Oingo Boingo), Eric Garcia (Bob Dylan), Jeff Pevar (CSN, Ray Charles, Joe Cocker), Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin (Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter), Terrance Simien, Fran McKendree (McKendree Spring), Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm, James Burton, Stan Perkins, Chad Taylor (Live), Tomasito Cruz (Arturo Sandoval), Bruce McCleave (Brian McKnight), The Record Company, Needtobreathe, Mark Doyle (Little Richard), Rolando Briceno, The Bar-Kays, Ann Peebles, Don Bryant, Syl Johnson, Steve Cropper, J. Blackfoot, Marvell, Vaneese & Carla Thomas, Wendy Moten, Joyce Cobb, The Masqueraders, Terryl Saffold (The Platters), Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd), “Jim Dandy” Mangrum (Black Oak Arkansas), Jeremy “JB” Bustillos (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band), George Porter Jr. & His Runnin’ Pardners, String Cheese Incident, Vince Herman & Leftover Salmon, Colonel Bruce Hampton & The Aquarium Rescue Unit, Todd Smallie (JJ Grey & Mofro), Greensky Bluegrass, Brian Stoltz, The North Mississippi Allstars, Southern Avenue, Galactic, Drivin’ & Cryin’, Marc Bolin (T-Rex), Elliott Ives & The Regiment Horns (Justin Timberlake), Ty Taylor (Vintage Trouble), Buddy Davis (Target), Al Kapone, Afroman, Henry Gross, Wes Studi, The Grass Roots, Big Ass Truck, Deep Banana Blackout, Shawn Lane, Phineas Jr. & Calvin Newborn, George Coleman, Samurai Celestial, Charlton Johnson (Count Basie Big Band), Gerard Harris (Kool & the Gang), Angelo Earl (Bar-Kays, George Clinton), Damian J. Sanchez & Gregory Fallis (Glenn Miller Orchestra), Teenie Hodges, Howard Grimes, Ben Cauley, Astral Project, The Rebirth Brass Band, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, The Schwag, Robert Palmer, Jimmie Vaughan & Double Trouble, Susan Tedeschi, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Jonny Lang, Stacy Mitchhart, Little Jimmy King, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Sonny Burgess & The Pacers, Pete Pederson, The Cate Brothers, Todd Snider, Lonnie Shields, Kenny Neal, Charles Bradley & his Extraordinaires, Rodd Bland (son of Bobby “Blue” Bland), Devon Allman (son of Gregg), Jimmy Pryor, Blind Willie Dineen, Eric Gales, Ana Popovic, Alexis Grace, Trenyce, & Kai Kalama (American Idol), Patrick Dodd, Sarah Simmons & Anthony Arya (The Voice), Preston Shannon, Ruby Wilson (the “Queen of Beale Street”), Toni Green, Earl “the Pearl” Banks, John Nemeth, Willie Covington, Jay Collins (Little Feat, Dukes of September, Gregg Allman), Ross Rice (Human Radio), Jeff Adams (Starship), Robert “The Frasier Flash” Johnson (Ox), Paul Brown (Ann Peebles, The Waterboys), Fred Sanders, Billy Gibson, Gabe Stillman, Damion “Yella P” Pearson, Eric Hughes, Brandon Santini, James Govan & the Boogie Blues Band, Tony Thomas, Jothan Callins, Inner Circle, Anthony Kearns (The Irish Tenors), Ian Zavan (Italy), Elvis Priestley & Robert Washington (award winning Elvis Tribute Artists), & touring members of the Broadway musical productions of “Jersey Boys”, “Frozen”, “Wicked”, “Stomp”, “The Phantom of the Opera”, “Grease”, “Cats”, “Chicago”, “Celtic Women”, “All Shook Up”, “Wizard of Oz”, “The Drowsy Chaperone”, “Young Frankenstein”, “Shrek”, “Madagascar”, “War Horse”, “Spamalot”, “Hair”, “The Buddy Holly Story”, “Memphis”, “The Bodyguard”, “Cirque Du Soleil – Corteo”, “Trolls”, “Dirty Dancing”, “Funny Girl”, “South Pacific”, “An American In Paris”, & “Aladdin”.

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About FreeWorld

Band Bio

Honors, Awards, TV/Radio/Movie & High Profile Performances:

Richard C. Cushing

Band Leader, Bass, Vocals

Peter J. Climie

Saxophones, EWI, Horn Arranger, Backing Vocals

Freedman J. Steorts

Trombone, Vocals

Walter S. Hughes

Guitars, Vocals

Matthew S. Sweatt

Drums, Vocals

Alex K. Schuetrumpf

Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Vocals

Cedric L. Taylor

Keyboards, Vocals

Frank L. Paladino

Baritone Saxophone

Courtney J. Reid

Lead & Backing Vocals

Dr. Herman W. Green (1930-2020), Emeritus

Tenor Sax, Flute, Vocals

FreeWorld Alumni (1987-2024)

Bass:

Drums:

Guitar:

Keyboards:

Trumpet/Flugelhorn:

Sax/Woodwinds:

Trombone:

Percussion:

+ Group Percussion Circle for “Diversity”

Lead or Backing Vocals:

+ Group Backing Vocals for “FreeWorld”

+ Group Backing Vocals for “Diversity”

+ Lead Vocals for “D-Up” Reboot

+ Tennessee Mass Choir for “More Love” Album:

Spoken Word/Rap:

Other:

Engineers (Live & Studio):

CD/DVD Producers:

Songwriters:

Graphic Artists/Photographers:

Web Master:

Archivist:

Benefactors & Honorary Band Members:

Special Guests:

Discography:

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