Dori Freeman Readies Release of “Letters Never Read”
Dori Freeman was one of 2016’s greatest discoveries in country music with the release of her debut, self-titled album, scintillating fans and critics alike on its way to the top of many of the end-of-year lists. Now without wasting too much time in between releases and allowing the momentum to subside, she has announced her second album Letters Never Read due out on October 20th, once again produced by Teddy Thompson who did such a brilliant job with the first installment.
“I always want to put out something that’s a genuine representation of what I was going through at that point in my life,” says Freeman, who got married last year to drummer and banjo player Nick Falk who appears on the new album, as well as in Dori’s live show. “I’m happier now in general.”
Freeman, who is from the small town of Galax, Virginia, is able to woo audiences with songs that are delightfully simple, sometimes with no other instrumentation or accompaniment other than her own acoustic guitar, and sometimes singing a capella.
“I don’t try to overdo any songs or put on big theatrics. I think simple is better,” she says. “I think people have an idea of what this area in the country is like, and what that music sounds like, and it’s not necessarily a really nice picture that’s been painted. I want to break that stereotype down. I’m proud of where I’m from. And I want to bring that kind of music to a new audience in a different way.”
Freeman, who is now 26, dropped out of Virginia Tech and moved back home, having a daughter Osa at the age of 22. Instead of hindering her desire to pursue music, Freeman says Osa was her inspiration to pursue a career in songwriting and performing, for Osa and herself. Freeman’s father and grandfather were bluegrass performers, and she grew up around campfires and gatherings in Galax where the Appalachia roots influence was strong.
Letters Never Read features appearances by Teddy Thompson’s famous dad Richard Thompson, Aiofe O’Donovan, and Canadian duo Kacy & Clayton. Ahead of the new album, Dori has just released a new song called “If I Could Make You My Own” (listen below). “I wrote this song in 2015 after a very necessary time of being single,” says Dori. “I wrote it from my imagined perspective of what I wanted it to feel like when I fell in love again. I tried to write it in the lyrical style of a murder ballad, but from the opposite perspective (obviously).”
Track List for Letters Never Read:
- If I Could Make You My Own
- Just Say It Now
- Lovers On The Run
- Cold Waves
- Ern and Zory’s Sneakin’ Bitin’ Dog
- Over There
- I Want The See The Bright Lights Tonight
- Turtle Dove
- That’s All Right
- Yonder Comes a Sucker
August 23, 2017 @ 6:48 pm
That is definitely Richard Thompson playing lead guitar on If I Can Make You My Own. Lovely song.
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight is one of Richard Thompson’s best known songs. It’s the title track of the first Richard and Linda Thompson album and was sung by Teddy’s mother Linda on that album.
Really looking forward to this.
August 23, 2017 @ 8:05 pm
Aw, I love that song. 🙂 Looking forward to checking out Dori’s version…
August 25, 2017 @ 5:24 am
Methinks this’ll have a handful of spins as a first dance tune. Love having RT on the track, too.
August 23, 2017 @ 7:37 pm
Can’t wait.
August 23, 2017 @ 7:37 pm
Also new JD and Turnpike in October – gonna be a great month.
August 23, 2017 @ 8:01 pm
Sounds great. She is certainly one of my favorite discoveries of the past few years.
August 23, 2017 @ 9:36 pm
Yes. Yes. Yes.
August 24, 2017 @ 10:19 am
October 20th is shaping up to be the day of the year.
August 24, 2017 @ 12:07 pm
Very good news! Her first album was terrific and one of my most played over the past couple years. Excited to hear this new one.
August 24, 2017 @ 11:10 pm
nice , simple but lyrically engaging tune ….nice vibe ……nothing competes with the vocals and the vocals don’t ‘ over-do ‘ ANYTHING which helps maintain the sincerity of the lyric …we’re talking production and songcraft 101 here . reminiscent of irene kelley, holly williams or mindy smith’s music in production approach .
August 29, 2017 @ 12:42 am
Wholeheartedly agree. If simple is so simple to do, then why doesn’t everyone sound this good? Kudos to Freeman and Teddy Thompson for understanding this. I wish Thompson produced more records. Freeman? I have seen her three times. Not surprisingly, she is as engaging live as on record because she isn’t hiding behind anything.
August 25, 2017 @ 6:37 am
Beautiful music.
August 25, 2017 @ 2:22 pm
Country music.
This should do well in Ireland, by the way.
August 25, 2017 @ 5:49 pm
In a just world this would be a chart topper.
August 26, 2017 @ 7:25 am
I liked the new songs she played at Pickathon, and am glad Ern & Zory’s Sneakin Bitin Dog made it on. Looking forward to picking this one up!
August 27, 2017 @ 12:57 pm
This post about a honest to God country artist has 15 comments. The last Luke Bryan post has 171 comments. ????
August 29, 2017 @ 12:44 am
That seems to be the trend all over. People are more attracted to the negative than the positive.
August 29, 2017 @ 2:28 am
Who complains about a sunny day ?
August 27, 2017 @ 4:55 pm
Does anyone have a different link to this, I can’t get sound cloud to play anything for me for some reason.
August 28, 2017 @ 6:48 pm
Is the preorder up for this album yet anywhere? Y
August 28, 2017 @ 7:00 pm
There was supposed to be a pre-order, and the song was supposed to be released as a single, but neither of these things have happened yet. I’ll keep an eye out.
August 31, 2017 @ 9:10 pm
Someone should let her and her manager know that promo pictures like the one above probably should obviously be avoided. It looks like a bar fly’s fantasy. Or it’s trying to appeal to the greasy used car salesmen whose big adventures are visiting the neighboring small town, promising the cheerleader he’s going to get her out of there, make a star of her. He takes a picture to show his buddies at the car lot. Or she’s making money the old fashioned way, or she’s cheating with someone’s husband. Friends, acquaintances, family would look at me sideways if I suggested they take a listen, for an updated sound. You’d have to be drunkard. I wouldn’t be invited to the 4th of July Picnic, or the car show, and I’d be rushed out of the businesses because some kind of word would get around. I wouldn’t know why. I’ve seen some weird promo pictures and it makes me wonder if it’s really the music that’s important. Wide spread legs with instruments hiding private parts. Good music sells and doesn’t need that stuff, that’s music you hide in your secret room behind the bookcase, so your family never really knows the real you. Here’s to the future of country music.