"My hope is that humanity in general - and the artists that mirror our cultural realities within their musical art - will take a turn for the positive and move forward toward a world that is more understanding & tolerant of the myriad of diverse human expressions & experiences found in everyday life across the globe."

Richard Cushing: Rockin' in the FreeWorld

Imagine a band so joyously creative that for 37 years, dozens of its current and former members have perpetuated a magical Memphis musical tradition as a popular Beale Street house band, well-versed in multiple styles from rock and soul to blues, funk, jazz, gospel and reggae, and offering a spiritual union of Memphis, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Jamaica – all rolled into one fresh and excitingly unique musical experience. Meet FreeWorld: A musical ensemble that's been evolving since a young bassist named Richard Cushing met legendary saxophonist Dr. Herman Green in 1987 and formed the band's nucleus. Green passed in 2020, but Cushing remains a driving force as bassist, lead singer and writer or co-writer of most of the songs on this session, along with saxophonist Peter Climie. "More Love" (Release Date: NOVEMBER 22, 2024) is FreeWorld's eighth album and showcases the band at a creative high point in musical breadth and originality. There are whiffs of Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Steely Dan, Chicago, The Meters, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, and Bob Marley, but the unique music they weave from this eclectic tapestry belongs only to FreeWorld.                       

(FreeWorld / Photo by Steve Roberts)

14-tracks album The More Love core members are a band of brothers and sisters from many grooves: Cushing, Climie, Walter Hughes on guitar, Matt Sweatt on drums, Cedric Taylor on keyboards, Freedman Steorts on trombone, Alex Schuetrumpf on trumpet, Frank Paladino on bari sax, and Courtney Reid on lead and backing vocals. There are cameo turns by more than a dozen special guests and FreeWorld alumni – including the Tennessee Mass Choir on the title track. 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, Billy Preston, Bootsy Collins, Richie Havens, Hot Tuna, Dr. John, Timothy Leary, Steve Cropper, James Cotton, Mojo Buford, Jimmie Vaughan & Double Trouble, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Widespread Panic just to name a few.

Interview by Michael Limnios         Special Thanks: Betsie Brown (Blind Raccoon)

How has the music influenced your views of the world? What moment changed your music life the most?

As a whole, music has altered my perceptions of the world by showing me a landscape where anything and everything is possible. Whether one is striving to be commercially successful in a global music career or simply strumming a guitar at home for an unborn baby, music has a power and a life force all its own and can bring about change in everyone's life in both immense &/or very small, subtle ways. I had two life-changing musical events happen for me: One was the first time I heard one of my music teachers play a classical piece of music on his cello, and it moved me - musically - beyond anything I had ever experienced before! The second time was when our keyboardist suggested to me on set break at a very early FreeWorld show that, "Someone in the band has got to play the bass. And since you're wearing it, what about you?!" Wise words that I still remember and heed today.

What is the story behind the band’s name “FreeWorld”? How do you describe the band’s sound, music philosophy and songbook?

Our band name, "FreeWorld" (one word), came from a brainstorming session after one of our earliest rehearsals back in the Fall of 1987, and because of the broad, universal implications of the concept of a "free world" (two words) - not just a musical band of brothers, but also a place where everyone and everything is FREE to be WHATEVER one may choose to be - we decided to stick with that as our band name and do our very best to live up to that ideal. And in the 37 years we've been a band, we've had band members who were old, young, black, brown, white, male, female, straight, gay, disabled, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, etc., and our music has spanned the genres of Rock, Soul, Blues, Jazz, Funk, R&B, Reggae, Ska, Gospel, Latin, Hip Hop, Progressive, Psychedelia, Avant-garde, Vocal, and Instrumental, etc., so the band name "FreeWorld" seems to have worked out just fine for us as a general descriptor for both our ensemble and our original material.                                                      (Photo: Richard Cushing of FreeWorld)

"As a whole, music has altered my perceptions of the world by showing me a landscape where anything and everything is possible. Whether one is striving to be commercially successful in a global music career or simply strumming a guitar at home for an unborn baby, music has a power and a life force all its own and can bring about change in everyone's life in both immense &/or very small, subtle ways."

What have been the highlights in your career so far? Are there any memories from gigs, jams, open acts and studio sessions which you’d like to share with us?

There have been MANY career highlights over the 37 years we have been a band! Having the City of Memphis award us a Brass Note on the Beale Street Walk of Fame was an unbelievable career highlight. Touring both Europe and the U.S.

Virgin Islands were certainly standout experiences. Recording and releasing all our various albums were exceptionally rewarding experiences. And we've also had the honor 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, Carla Thomas, 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. Also, the privilege of being mentored by musical geniuses such as Dr. Herman Green and 'Nokie' Taylor throughout FreeWorld's decades of existence provided us all with invaluable music and life lessons, especially during FreeWorld's early years and then on through our perpetual evolution.

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

A lot - but certainly not all - of the music available today seems to lack a certain element of surprise &/or a deep feeling of love for humanity. Many of today's popular songs often seem formulaic &/or missing a certain sense of overall care for the world at large. Misogyny, crudeness, sexual suggestiveness, and incessant drug references tend to cheapen the music and bring it down to its least common denominator. My hope is that humanity in general - and the artists that mirror our cultural realities within their musical art - will take a turn for the positive and move forward toward a world that is more understanding & tolerant of the myriad of diverse human expressions & experiences found in everyday life across the globe. Having said that, there is certainly some GREAT music - and musicians - to be found out there these days (like The Roots and Warren Haynes, for example), and I hope that trend continues.

"Music is often used to enhance socio-cultural events (such as at weddings & funerals, etc.), and has the power to create a mood, to heal Souls, to move bodies to dance, to provide comfort and solace, and to "soothe the savage beast".  We hope FreeWorld's music and lyrics provide listeners with some thought-provoking ideas, a general feeling of happiness and well-being, and a desire to create 'More Love' & respect for their fellow human beings." (FreeWorld, a musical ensemble that's been evolving since bassist Richard Cushing met Dr. Herman Green in 1987 and formed the band's nucleus / Photo by Jeanne Blue)

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?

We tend to not be particularly cognizant of the ever-shifting genre preferences of the pop music market in general, and write and perform music that pleases us in hopes that there are enough music fans out there that share our musical tastes. The exponential rate of technological advancement within the music industry is baffling these days, and it's almost impossible to keep up with that ever-evolving landscape. We tend to hire people to help us navigate those waters, so that our music is promoted and distributed as far and wide as possible through all the various new online platforms and social media opportunities currently available.

What is the impact of music on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

Music is often used to enhance socio-cultural events (such as at weddings & funerals, etc.), and has the power to create a mood, to heal Souls, to move bodies to dance, to provide comfort and solace, and to "soothe the savage beast".  We hope FreeWorld's music and lyrics provide listeners with some thought-provoking ideas, a general feeling of happiness and well-being, and a desire to create 'More Love' & respect for their fellow human beings.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

~Take your music seriously, but don't take yourself too seriously.

~Be grateful for every experience, as even the worst times can teach you valuable lessons.

~Be kind to people.

~Don't always be so concerned about the money. Sometimes, there are more important things than how much you're getting paid for a show.

~Listen more than you play.

~Get the big picture and keep your eyes and ears open to your overall surroundings.

~Keep your ego out of the way and let the music play the band.

~Good music can be a physical, emotional, philosophical, mental, and Spiritual experience.

FreeWorld - Home

(Richard Cushing of FreeWorld / Photo by Joseph Mikos)