Digital Digging: Free Design’s Chris Dedrick

August 16th, 2010

On Friday August 6th, the sad news came that Chris Dedrick of the soft-pop group The Free Design had passed away. Dedrick was a composer, singer, songwriter, and conductor; heralded by the New York Times and awarded a Genie and multiple Gemini Awards for his scores in film and television. He has also written for Peter Paul & Mary, Simon & Garfunkel, and James Taylor. His scores were featured in films such as The Saddest Music In the World, The Man Who Lost Himself, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Million Dollar Babies.

From his website: Musical trends come and go, especially amidst the rapid-fire atmosphere of contemporary pop culture—but the appeal of a strong melody, creatively arranged and expressively sung, is timeless. Which is why Christopher Dedrick is the subject of as much international acclaim today as when he began making music more than three decades ago. The Toronto-based composer, arranger and conductor has amassed a body of work that encompasses hundreds of works: instrumental, vocal, soundtracks, songs, recordings and performances, all of them the product of an attention to detail and a passion for creativity that has captivated casual listeners and fellow artists alike. Chris’s professional career began in the late ’60s, at the age of 19, as a singer and principal songwriter in sibling vocal group The Free Design. In the midst of perhaps the most creative and competitive climate in pop history, The Free Design produced seven albums between 1967 and 1973 that stand among the most inventive and melodically seductive of their era. Of the group’s hit debut single, “Kites Are Fun,” New York Times critic Alec Wilder wrote: “…It was so fine that I literally wept when I heard it.”

His death is a hard blow for friends, family, and the music and entertainment industries. Luckily, his talents will live on through his music. Give a listen to these Free Design Promotracks to understand Dedrick’s impressive skills:

164173 72 Digital Digging: Free Designs Chris Dedrick The Free Design
“Make The Madness Stop” (mp3)
from “Kites Are Fun”
(Light In The Attic)