Memphis, Tennessee is known for being the home of the king of Rock and Roll (Elvis Presley), and a major hub of where the blues began, and where a multitude of diverse and influential musicians, songwriters, and producers have derived from. Cue in Richard Cushing and his band, FreeWorld, who very much a very talented group, with amazing showmanship and skill. Cushing hails from Memphis, and with FreeWorld, have a Brass Note on the Beale Street Walk of Fave, toured all over the country, and have shared stages with classic acts like Levon Helm, Bootsy Collins, Widespread Panic, and other renowned musicians. Cushing and FreeWorld bring a melting pot of a variety and styles of music. They also believe in diversity, which as Hip Video Promo states, “is their strength, and they’re not shy about saying so.”
FreeWorld’s latest single and music video for “D-Up (Here’s to Diversity),” is an extraordinary song dedicated to the diverse and cultural significance in Memphis and surrounding. The song has been in FreeWorld’s performance rotation for over two decades, and the music video features multiple Memphis-based musicians who take turns playing and singing the lines of “D-Up.” Featured in the music video are legendary Memphis rapper, Al Kapone, singer-songwriter Hope Clayburn, Tierinii Jackson, Ori Naftaly, award-winning band Southern Avenue, and notable others. The music video features each artist performing “D-Up” in live rooms and vocal booths, along with Cushing providing live footage of his beloved city, Memphis, and all that makes it the city he and FreeWorld love so dearly.
What led you to develop your band, FreeWorld, more than 30 years ago?
Richard Cushing and FreeWorld: That’s a LOONG story, but suffice it to say that we were a group of young college jazzbo’s with a leaning towards The Grateful Dead (& other artists just beginning to create the nascent, so-called “jamband scene” in the mid-to-late 80s) that – by both chance & by design – asked Memphis Jazz & Blues saxophone legend, Dr. Herman Green, if he would help us start a new band. The combination of his musical experience with our youthful exuberance kick-started a musical movement here in Memphis that is still going strong 34 years later!
You and your band have toured the country, opening for some iconic artists like Levon Helm, Bootsy Collins, and more. Are there any memorable moments that stick out in your mind?
Richard & FreeWorld: There have been MANY amazingly deep, Spiritual, outrageous, & unforgettable moments that have occurred with FreeWorld over the years, with some definite highlights being: Hanging backstage with Levon Helm before & after two sold-out shows listening to him tell stories about the good ‘ole days; Having both Timothy Leary & John Sinclair join us on stage (on separate occasions) and perform spoken workpieces as we jammed out quietly behind them; Working for extended periods of time with the amazing Jim Gaines & the late, great Jim Dickinson while they produced two of our records; Sharing the stage with a BUNCH of Memphis music legends over the years, such as Steve Cropper, Carla Thomas, Phineas & Calvin Newborn, Ann Peebles, Don Bryant, Syl Johnson, Shawn Lane, & Eric Gales; Plus having walk-on guests such as Justin Timberlake’s Regiment Horns & Prince’s drummer John Blackwell randomly wander into our regular gigs on Beale Street NEVER hurt a night’s performance!
FreeWorld’s strength is diversity, and your latest single “D-Up (Here’s to Diversity)” is an anthemic ode to it. What was the songwriting process like for it?
Richard & FreeWorld: The song was actually written about 23 years ago. Our drummer emeritus, David Skypeck, brought in the words – which were meant to be an amalgamation of the concepts of both cultural & racial Diversity with the ubiquitous basketball phrase “D-Up!” (used frequently by coach Larry Finch here at the University of Memphis to implore his Tigers to get back on defense) – and then myself (on bass), our guitarist, Brian Overstreet, & our trombonist/vocalist Prentice Wulff-Woesten put them to music. The next year, 1999, FreeWorld released our third CD called Diversity, with the infectious “D-Up!” chosen to be the lead track. The song was an instant ‘local hit’ upon its release, and one we continue to play to this day because people love it, still request it, and dance and sing along with it EVERY time we play it! Then, as I was singing it live back in the fall of 2020, it dawned on me that perhaps it might be a timely idea to re-record the song and give it some new life, as the lyrics are SO SPOT ON for today’s longing to bring together racial and cultural differences to create a better, more just, and more harmonious existence in the world. Then, with a little more reflection, I had a further idea: What if we were to re-record the song with a Memphis music “who’s who” of current, upcoming, and legacy artists to create a “We Are The World” kind of vibe, make a hip video for the finished product, and do everything within our power to stoke the potent fires of unity and diversity within the Memphis Music Community – AND BEYOND! So that’s what we did. And to round out the songwriting credits, Memphis rap legend Al Kapone added the intro & breakdown lyrics to the video version to complete the vision.
What was it like bringing over thirty of Memphis’ best-loved musicians to take turns playing and singing lines of “D-Up”?
Richard & FreeWorld: Many are old, dear friends of ours, but there are also several who are new, up-and-coming artists that we wanted to get involved with the project so we could showcase the depth & breadth of our current Memphis talent pool. And the pure, artistic Diversity that just naturally coalesced around the song, the lyrics, the concept, & the different artists was heartwarming to the core. Kudos also HAVE to be given to our producer, Niko Lyras, whose overall vibe, musical knowledge & experience, and studio engineering wizardry was THE KEY to the entire project being both successful and FUN!
I love the collective camaraderie between you all in the music video. What was filming for it like?
Richard & FreeWorld: Justin Jaggers filmed most of the performances in the studio as they went down, then we did some running around town to get various artists singing their parts in front of iconic Memphis settings. The editing was ENORMOUSLY difficult for Justin, but the final product made it worth every minute! Plus, we were all SO happy to be doing ANYTHING musical during the depths of the pandemic, so that fueled the fire for all our energy & positivity!
For additional info concerning the background & recording of FreeWorld’s “D-Up (Here’s To Diversity)” please feel free to follow this link to a GREAT article in the Memphis Flyer by Alex Greene: https://www.memphisflyer.com/MusicBlog/archives/2021/02/02/d-up-freeworld-spearheads-all-star-video-project-celebrating-diversity
Fun Questions
Who was your first concert, and who, thus far, has been your favorite to see?
Richard: First concert ever: The Osmond Brothers; Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, TN; July 11, 1972. Most AMAZING show ever: Pink Floyd, St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO, November 15, 1987.
What was your first cassette, CD and/or vinyl you recall purchasing?
Richard: First single I ever purchased with my own money: “Mr. Bojangles” by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. First album I purchased with my own money: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John.
Which five albums and/or artists would you not want to live without?
Richard: Five artists: Led Zeppelin, Yes, Steely Dan, Ravi Shankar, & Miles Davis.
What do you look forward to most this year?
Richard: PLAYING MORE LIVE GIGS!!
What are you currently reading, and/or listening to?
Richard: Currently reading “Time is Tight” by Booker T. Jones, & currently listening to a live studio recording of FreeWorld playing the music of The Band. (We played a Watkins Glen tribute show near the end of 2019 where we WERE ‘The Band’ for the night, so we had to learn a BUNCH of classic ‘Band’ songs beforehand. Then after the show, we went into our friend’s home studio and laid ‘em all down, top to bottom, one take each. The recording is GREAT, & we’re thinking about releasing it as an EP).
THANKS SOOO MUCH – THAT WAS FUN!!
Connect with FreeWorld on Instagram and Facebook. Stream their music on Spotify and Apple.
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