Appalachian songwriter wins Ohio Governor's Award For The Arts

McDERMOTT, Ohio -- The State of Ohio finally has something for Free.

Appalachian singer-songwriter Steve Free had been twice-nominated for the Governor's Award For The Arts in Ohio in 1996 and 2000, so a repeat nomination was pleasant, but certainly not a surprise. What came next was.

"I was shocked, happy, scared, surprised, you name it," said Free, of finally winning the state's highest arts honor. "It's certainly an honor, and I think it's an honor for the whole region really. We get forgotten down here and anything that sheds a positive light on our area is a great thing."

Free started performing in the '70s with a friend he met while in the service. When folk music rose to popularity again in the '80s, he started shopping his music around to record companies, finally signing with a small label in Philadelphia. He later moved to an independent label, Fraternity Records, in Cincinnati, after following their advice.

"They told me, 'You can't beat people over the head with the messages of the songs. You need to lighten up, sing some happy songs.' From there, my music really started taking off," he explained.

He has been described as an "Appalachian Jimmy Buffett," choosing to write about events, places and people through his Appalachian and Native American heritage. He is best known for his song "Siege at Lucasville," about the prison riot in the early 1990s, but has garnered eight ASCAP awards, a platinum record and more than a dozen hits that have hit national and international charts.

The song catching peoples' attention right now is "Just a Baby Boy," which hit No. 1 on the international Christian country charts and is being released on a Christmas compilation with country superstars Diamond Rio, Randy Travis and others.

His CD offerings include "Rivers, Rails and Tales," "Timeline," "No Regrets" and "All Points Between."

"Look, Jimmy Buffett wrote about the beach and it worked for him. Lynyrd Skynyrd wrote about the South and it worked for him. I'm going to concentrate on this region," Free explained. "I travel all around the country, but when I stay around the Ohio River -- that's where I get the best response.

"I get too far north and I'm too country. I get too far south and I'm not country enough. The people around the river are different, more laid back. I like that."

For now, Free is excited to be in the process of preparing for his award, presented in the "Individual Artist" category. Members of the Ohio Arts Council selected the winners "who have been vital to the growth and development of Ohio's cultural resources" in early December. Free, himself, was cited for his work as an OAC Ohio Artist On Tour, as well as his work in the community and the region. In February, a camera crew will meet with Free and his friends, neighbors and colleagues to prepare a video presentation that will be shown at the awards ceremony. He will receive his award from Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.

"Ted and I grew up in the same hollow. And, I thought wouldn't it be cool if the governor from Duck Run gives an award to the artist from Duck Run, and here we are," Free said.

This month, Free performed at the governor's Christmas party, in addition to his performance at the inauguration.

Free will receive his award April 16, at the Columbus Athenaeum in downtown Columbus.

For more information, visit www.stevefree.com.