Bryon (aka Freedog) Friedman is an accomplished downhill skier with impressive World Cup results and national titles racing with the U.S. Ski Team. After a bad crash in Chamonix, he took time to recover and spent the time developing his music. “As much of a bummer as the injury was, it opened me up to play music, write music and express myself,” Friedman says. His recovery time was well-spent as he was voted the #1 Emerging Singer/Songwriter on Sirius/XM Radio's Coffeehouse channel in 2010; has two songs featured on The Ski Channel's major motion picture "The Story"; and has three albums to his name. Friedman has also been the opening act for the Band of Heathens, John Fogerty, and is now collaborating on a project with Grammy-nominated musician/songwriter Johnny Neel. His cool-groove vibe can be found and streamed from his latest EP, “Summer”.
Friedman grew up in Park City, attended Dartmouth College and graduated with a Bachelor Arts degree in History. With his ski racing background, he and a fellow ski team member started Soul Poles, an ecofriendly Park City company which builds bamboo ski poles by hand. “My goal is to be the sustainable sport brand. Doing good matters,” he says. He is also a member of One Percent For The Planet, a global network of environmental organizations working together to support people and the planet. As an advocate for socially conscious business practices, Friedman is doing good.
FAVORITE performance ADVENTURES FROM THE athletic musician:
1. As a well-known local musician, share some of your most memorable Park City/Summit County performances. Why were these so memorable? How did the interaction with your audience’s energy or with others with you on stage impact you?
#1 - Opening for John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) at Deer Valley Resort. He’s a hall of fame songwriter and guitar player, so I was nervous. He made an effort to say hello and caught me in the green room while I was warming up. He said he loved the sound of my guitar, which gave me a lot of confidence to go out there and deliver a solo performance in front of a few thousand people. It turned out to be a great night!
#2 - The Church of Dirt at the top of Empire Pass. Any music played outside is amazing. Top it with 360-degree views at 9k feet in perfect Park City weather - nothing really compares.
#3 - We did our EP release party at The Cabin for Winter Solstice last year and sold the place out. The locals showed up, and the vibe was incredible. Playing to a hometown crowd is so f-ing fun, and we can’t wait to do it again for Winter Solstice.
#4 - This one is a bit different, but I was asked to play a corporate event at OP Rockwell (one of my favorites venues in town). The event coordinator came to me about 10 minutes before I was supposed to start and told me who was coming. She listed a handful of A-list celebrities and asked me to start playing as soon as the first person arrived. I had no idea what I was in for, so I double checked my guitars were in tune and mentally prepared. The first person to walk in was P Diddy - I was floored - but I did what I was told and started strumming. He sat down, listened, and clapped after each song. Then rolled in Robert DeNiro.
2. Where/what/who in Park City/Summit County provides inspiration for the songs you write and sing?
It comes from the mountains, the rivers, the people, and the beautiful small town that raised me. It’s all a part of my songwriting, and I tend to sprinkle in landmarks, experiences, and impressions that are forever glued to my psyche. Hoodie hoo!
3. You are a man of many talents and interests. What do you enjoy doing when you are not performing or writing music?
Anything outdoors is where you’ll find me. My favorite sport is surfing, so I try to get in the ocean a few times a year (Nicaragua is a typical annual pilgrimage after the snow melts). On any given day, you’ll catch me mountain biking, fly fishing, backpacking, or ski touring. I’m also obsessed with photography at the moment. Photographing the outdoors here is stunning. There’s also lots of interesting public art in the area to photograph.
4. Which local bands or musicians do you enjoy listening to or follow?
Wyatt Pike for sure. He used to work with us at Soul Poles back in the day, and it’s great to see his early success. I also heard a new local band called Mashhalluv at the Park City Skatepark this summer, and I really liked their vibe. With the support of Mountain Town Music, I hope to see more creative talent grow out of this town in the future.
5. You have recently taken up baking. If you don’t have the time to spend in the kitchen and have a craving, where in Park City/Summit County do you go to find artisan baked goods, satisfy a sweet tooth, or get a bagel and lox?
I was gifted a sourdough starter from the 1800’s from a neighbor, so I bake my own bagels and bread these days - nothing compares to homemade. If I’m in the mood for something more exotic, I’ll head to Tina’s Bakery. I’m a sucker for their empanadas.
6. Where do you like to go to gather with friends? What are some of your favorite local venues, dive bars, or watering holes?
I’m not much of a drinker these days, but if I’m riding at Park City Mountain, I’ll usually end up at the The Corner Store Pub & Grill or Davanza’s. After a long day of ski touring, you can usually find us at the Boneyard Saloon. There’s also the best underground garage bar in town just up the street, but that’s an invite only kind of spot…if you know, you know.
7. Why is Park City/Summit County’s art and culture scene (i.e. culinary, film, visual art, music, and performance scenes) important?
The arts and culture scene keeps Park City weird, less polished and makes it feel like a real town. With the influx of corporations and population, it feels good to see pockets of creativity that make you turn your head and smile. I can’t wait to see what’s up next!
The Church of Dirt at the top of Empire Pass
The Cabin
Wyatt Pike at OP Rockwell
Tina’s Bakery empanadas
Davanza’s
bryon’s images:
Find Bryon’s music at the following: