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Skip Friel



Last Updated: 11/19/2009

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Status: Single
City: VIRGINIA BEACH
State: Virginia
Country: US
Signup Date: 9/27/2006

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Sunday, February 08, 2009 

Category: Music
Skip Friel (pronounced freel) grew up in Virginia Beach and began playing guitar at an early age. Forming a band called 'Fresh Produce' with his brother Randy, he began performing in restaurants at the age of 17.
In his twenties Skip formed a folk rock band called 'Turquoise,' performing in places such as Smackwater Jacks and Tony's Hacienda. The band even experimentd with weddings, though Skip soon learned those were not the best forum for his original songs. He soon broke-out to solo and duo acoustic performances, featuring many of his own songs. The duo was called 'String Fever' and on a regular basis appeared at a venue called Fantastic Fenwick's located in Virginia Beach. Fenwick's was  considered the area's live acoustic mecca at that time. Other venues where Skip frequently performed then were Bobby McGee's and Ocean Eddie's. Skip took a break from the performance arena in his thirties to concentrate on a day job in electrical engineering.  Eventually engaging in impromptu jam sessions with musician friends, such as Martin Somers and Paul Shufer, the experiences inevitably led to public appearances which gradually became more frequent. The three formed a band called 'Surf Wolf', later changing the name to 'Mystic Mammal' and by 2006 finally settling on yet another name, 'The Resonators.' In 2009 percussionist Bob Simmons was added. Paul Shufer has since moved on to a larger band sound. The Resonators have performed regularly at concerts, clubs and special events since 2003, playing a combination of Skip's original music and cover songs, which the band delivers in it's own personal style.

Followng the release of his debut, all original CD, Twilight Red Sky, Friel was named Winner-2007 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards for Best International Folk Male Artist. His songs have received local radio airplay on several stations he was voted runner-up in the 2008 Port Folio Weekly Magazine Music Awards for Best Acoustic/Folk Act and 2009 for Inspirationl Artist.

In 2008 Skip teamed with brother Randy to release Evergreen Christmas. The 16-track collection features six originals penned by the two and some new twists to a few Holiday classics. One track, Evergreens, written by Skip, received Winner-Best International Folk Song-2008 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards.

Commenting on his album title, Twilight Red Sky, Skip says, "There is an old saying, 'Red Sky in the Morning, Sailor Take Warning - Red Sky at Night, Sailor's Delight.' Sailor's delight of course meaning fair weather ahead." That's where Skip sees himself in life. He has a wonderful family, some great friends. Friel adds "I'm sailing toward the twilight years of life and it seems to be clear sailing for the foreseeable future."

Supporting good causes through his music remains Skip's priority. In his words, "I look forward to collaborating with other artists in the process. Performing in venues where original music is featured is an increasing focus for me as well."
Sunday, November 30, 2008 

Category: Music

-WINNER: Best International Folk Song,
2008 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards 

-WINNER: Best International Folk Male Artist,
2007 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards
 

-NOMINATED: Song of the Year,
2009 Port Folio Magazine Music Awards
 

-NOMINATED: Best Americana Artist,
 2009 Meona Live Music Awards
 

-NOMINATED: Most Inspirational Artist,
2009 Port Folio Magazine Music Awards
 

-NOMINATED: Best Americana Band,
 2009 Meona Live Music Awards 
 

-HONORABLE MENTION: Best Song,
2009 Unisong International Songwriting Contest
 

-NOMINATED: Best Folk Song,
2008 Indie Singer-Songwriter Song Contest
 

-NOMINATED: Best Album,
2008 Port Folio Magazine Music Awards
 

 -NOMINATED: Best International Folk Album,
2007 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards
 

-RUNNER UP: Best Acoustic Artist,
2008 Port Folio Magazine Music Awards

-HONORABLE MENTION: Best Song,
2007 We Are Listening Singer/Songwriter Awards

Photobucket

Published by Canada Career Arts Corporation

Toronto Exclusive Magazine

   AWARDS 2007
This Award Certificate is Issued to
Skip Friel
Best International Folk Male Artist

Date of Recognition: October 22, 2007

 Box 3, 617 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ont. M4Y 1Z5

*********************************************************************************************

Toronto Exclusive Magazine

October 18, 2007

NOMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT


This letter is to Certify that

SKIP FRIEL

Has been nominated in the 2007 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards in the following categories:

MUSIC (International) – Folk

Best International Folk CD Album "Twilight Red Sky"

Best International Folk Male Artist

Congratulations and good luck,
2007 MAGAZINE AWARDS COMMITTEE
Toronto Exclusive Magazine
www.torontoexclusive.com  Published by Canada Career Arts Corporation , Box 3, 617 Yonge St., Toronto, Ont.  M4Y 1Z5

**********************************************************************
We Are Listening - The 2007  Singer/Songwriter Awards
10/3/2007 6:44:55 AM
HONORABLE MENTION
We have awarded you with an Honorable Mention.  What does this mean?  Every submission is included in one of many 'listening pools'.  This system allows us to hear your songs individually, as a group and in different groups.  Artists with Honorable Mentions are those that the judges could not agree on and, therefore, had to be listened to several times and submitted for multiple listening pools.  We award you with an Honorable Mention because, ultimately, your submission was very good!
Lior Shamir
Managing Director
We Are Listening
l.shamir@wearelistening.org
http://www.wearelistening.org

Sunday, November 09, 2008 

Category: Music

Friel Brothers Release 'Evergreen Christmas'
Collection of Original and Traditional
Holiday Music



−16-track album features six new original songs−



VIRGINIA BEACH−Nov. 1, 2008−Local musicians Skip and Randy Friel are pleased to announce the release of Evergreen Christmas, a dynamically resonant collection of original and traditional songs they hope will become enduring holiday classics. The album will be available for purchase after its Dec. 1 release date.



Evergreen Christmas is a delightful blend of traditional holiday songs, contemporary folk, classic blues/rock, with a sprinkling of gospel and jazz. "Skip comes from an acoustic folk/rock point of view. I do my mash up of blues and jazz and together we meet in the middle," said Randy. The vocal harmonies of the brothers are the musical centerpiece, as well as the common thread of each song performed in the holiday spirit. "There's something unique about the sound of brothers singing together," notes Randy. "The Everly Brothers and the Beach Boys each had a unique sound. I hear that same quality when listening to Skip and I; it's that cool brotherly sound when we sing harmony."



Meticulously woven over the course of a year, the album was recorded in Randy's New Jersey studio and in Virginia Beach. The 16-track collection features six originals penned by the brothers and some new twists to a few Christmas classics. It offers an organic palette of acoustic and electric instruments fused with richly textured voices. "Each genre flows seamlessly from one offering to the next," said Skip. "Our latest collaboration truly reflects the diversity and versatility of both our musical backgrounds," he continued.



Evergreen Christmas is the follow-up to Virginia Beach musician Skip's award-winning album, Twilight Red Sky, also produced by Randy. The release of the holiday album coincides with Randy's return to Virginia Beach after nearly 30 years away working as a musician, producer and recording engineer. Randy is the founder of New Moon Music, an independent record label specializing in blues and roots music by southern artists. Initially launched in Chapel Hill, NC, New Moon Music also developed a client base in New Jersey and opened a studio there. The move to Virginia Beach will enable Randy to continue performing and working with musicians from a more central East Coast location.



The new holiday album will be available for purchase at www.cdbaby.com Dec. 1. Visit www.myspace.com/frielbros for song previews, lyrics, photos, a listing of the talented musical supporting cast, and more.  



Tuesday, October 07, 2008 

Category: Music
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Thursday, May 10, 2007 

Current mood:  sympathetic
Category: News and Politics

We all like to think we support the troops, but it remains a relatively small proportion of our population who carry the burden of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tours of duty keep getting longer while the families at home make sacrifices. The best way to support the troops is to bring them home ASAP. Since most are not coming home soon, its time we at least spread some of the load. Many of us have been asked to sacrifice very little till now. If the government wants me to pay more taxes so that wounded soldiers and vets can receive better medical care, I'm all for it. Let's end the non sense. 

Saturday, March 10, 2007 

Category: Music

Skip Friel    

  cell phone: 748-9416     

e-mail: skipfriel@cox.net

Friday, March 02, 2007 

Category: Music
Walk Home  by Skip Friel                 

There's all this ground to cover before we go          

And there's little chance left to play the blues

And the last few times someone laughed with me

Was the last ten times I saw you

When the chilled heart of day sends me back home

And the glow of evening greets me at the door

These times are like a bandage on my heart

For a moment I can see what I came here for

Walkin home I felt the ground shake beneath my feet

I swore I heard the pounding ocean waves

Lookin up just before I went inside

The mystery there was the light shown from your face

Sometimes dreamin we see what might

Sometimes it lingers till the misty light

What I hope will play just like a song

Is how you'll see in me as your day drifts to night

Walkin home I felt the ground shake beneath my feet

I thought I heard the pounding ocean waves

Lookin up just before I went inside

The mystery there was the light shown from your face

Twilight Red Sky  by Skip Friel                       

                             I saw your figure in a twilight red sky                                                   

You turned toward me strolled into my sight          

  I knelt and grabbed a handful of dry sand                         

Watched it shine and slip out of my hand

Not the first time we talked here all night                                      

Won't be the last

                                      Dreamed I saw you walkin the shore line                                      

Soon you were gone back over the dune line

Lost for a while you showed at my door

Once again you went over my threshold

                                      It's not the first time we talked here all night

                                      Won't be the last chance to make things right

                                      You thought sometimes we'd only been half here             

Turned out to be only a false fear     

A faint red glow builds into the east sky         

First sight of white foam grins off the beachside

           

                                      Not the first time we talked here all night

Won't be the last chance to make things right

The Universe Changed  by Skip Friel

It was time to turn the wind  

It was time to take a break

Maybe it was the way I wore my                 

Shirt the other day

By the end of the evening

Everything had changed

You had gone on to love

And I had gone away

And you can't choose who you love

Or who you'll lean upon

With every turn someone's touched

And someone's left alone

Try if you want to

To get me thru it all

The hurt gets even harder to take

As you cushion my fall

Will your candles burn with him?                

Will they melt down and go dim?                                 

Will the morning lay new hope on your eyes?

Will your thoughts of me turn bright?

       

Was the way you came for me

When I stumbled to the floor 

The way you came fast

And the way you went slow

All the things that held me

To you all along

Will leave a whisper on my lips

Long after you're gone

                  

 Its Still Me  by Skip Friel                                                                                                             I thought I might improve myself      

Try to change my disposition

Make myself a better person

                                                      I cut my alcohol consumption

Read some books on meditation

                                                      Filled my head with inspiration

But I still think of me 

As the boy who knew me when 

If I could only see myself with new eyes

    Maybe I would know me then             

                                                      I searched down deep into my mind

Exercised till I was tired

                                                      Was in bed early every night           

                                                      I threw away my inhibitions

                                                      Tried to make some good decisions

                                                      Even volunteered to visit prisons

  

                                                      Oh I would be a most lucky man

                                                      To see myself as I really am

There's an ever present tint

That colors everything I see

                  

      Virginia Beach Blues  by Skip friel

We built our houses at the end of a runway

  We don't know why they can't see things our way

                                      That’s no surprise

It's how things are at the beach     

We're a little bit out there

                  And sometimes hard to reach

The mayor said hey now we need a downtown                                                                                          So we put it where traffic's already slowed down

                                      That's no surprise

It's how things are at the beach yeah

We're a little bit out there

              And sometimes out of reach

Well I know sometimes you think we stayed here too long

                                      Between the A.R.E. and C.B.N. well how the hell can we go wrong

                      Well they built hotels all up and down the sand

The boardwalk's got places sun won't ever land

                                      Well that's no surprise

It's how things are at the beach yeah

We're a little bit out there    

                  And sometimes hard to reach

           

We wanted a park at 31st and Laskin

We got a hotel and garage for the askin

                                      That's no surprise

It's how things are at the beach yeah

We're a little bit out there

And sometimes impossible to reach         

  

                Jump In Nathaniel  by Skip Friel

                                                                                                       

I wanted you here for so long a time          

It was a joy when you came to this life

My hope of you and who you will be

Has already gone far beyond my dreams

Jump in Nathaniel let's go for a drive

 we're on the ride of a lifetime

                                                              

The love of generations has put you here now

See as you look out at all the work of man

The sacrifice of ages put this in your hand

                                

Here with your reason don't second guess your role

Or the mind you brought your story will be told

           

Jump in Nathaniel let's go for a drive

We're on the ride of a lifetime        

Come on Nathaniel I've waited here so long

So glad you came come along

                      

I hope that you won't fall down as much as I

Your inclinations are one step beyond mine

You won't know me young know me at my heart

And seek a thought of me long after we're apart               

I will ease those lessons as father's often do

As sons always will you'll stumble on a few           

                  

Jump in Nathaniel let's go for a drive

You're on the ride of a lifetime

Come on Nathaniel I've waited here so long

So glad you came come along

                     

               Two Step Too   by Skip Friel                                    

                                                                                               

                                                      Could all the love I will hope to give            

Match the love I've held and taken away

Regrets are out of mind

But there floating just behind me

It seems a lot more simple that way these days

                                                     This river's deep and it's forever wide       

Why don't we know it by its true name?     

Anything goes as she cuts through her banks      

Something in us worn so smooth here remains

    Love is real and it's sometimes sweet                              

    Dance in step once you finally learn to find it

Fall from grace and then fallin back in love

This love's like none I've ever known yet   

                                        

I want to hear you

Yeah and I want to know you too

I want you to show it to me if I can

                               

                                                      Will all the hope I would love to give                       

Match the hope I had and let get away

Regrets are in my mind

And there floating all around me

And it's not that simple this way these days

                Love is real and it's sometimes sweet                               

    Dance in step once you finally learn to find it

Fall from grace and then fallin back in love                 

This love's like none I've ever known yet

                                        

                                                                              Your Fun  by Skip Friel

You've been tryin now to stay on the run

Your friends tell me you've been havin your fun

It wasn't long ago you wanted me around

Now you're on your own makin you're rounds

No longer around

I have seen you sometimes out at night

I always notice who you're with and your smile

I've heard em say lost love is never fair

If you need a friend you know I'll be there

You know I still care

 

We have gone our separate ways on the run

We both know the price was paid                          

Have we won or lost?

What was the cost?

Now your costume scene has turned into a play

Wondering if I was on your stage

I don't remember if I thought of you as mine< FONT>

Were we out of love or only out of time?

           

We have gone our separate ways on the run

We both know the price was paid                             

Have we won or lost?

What was the cost?

  

                   Sherry's Other Song  by Skip Friel

                                                 

   When I was only yet a lanky young man                              

                 Long before you and I had ever met

   You were a vision runnin in and out of my mind

   Like a glowing silver figure silhouette

   Wherever I'd be now if I were without you

   I'd not be any closer to who we are

   Love is what you always have to give me

   It's all I'll carry with me when I pass through that door

     

   As a kneeling young man everyone I thought I knew

   Was searchin for a lover with heart of gold

   When I had drifted far beyond that early dream

   You brought my heart back in here from the cold

   Oh beauty's sometimes only hidden on the inside

   But you wear it ever through you there and more

   Love is what I'll always have to give you                                  

   And it's all we'll carry with us when we pass through that door

   When we met I'd swore that I had known you

   If ever you're thoughts start to stumble about me

   And you're not sure of all the things that went before

   Love is what I'll always have to give you

   And it's all we'll carry with us when we pass through that door

      

   Love me like before  love me even more

   Love me once again  love me at the end

 

----- copyright Skip Friel 2007 -----

 

Sunday, January 21, 2007 

Category: Music

"Virginia Beach singer/songwriter Skip Friel uses his ten-track CD, "Twilight Red Sky," to take listeners down the back roads of Americana. ....  Friel's guitar work is exceptional. His voice recalls the tone and phrasing of Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen and, at times, Van Morrison. The mix of guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, pedal steel and violin is nearly perfect ....  If radio station The Coast were still around, "Twilight Red Sky" would be a natural for heavy play list rotation.  The mix of bass, drums, keyboard, violin and pedal steel is nearly perfect thanks to his brother and producer Randy."

--- Jeff Maisey, The Virginian-Pilot, January 19th, 2007

Monday, January 08, 2007 

Category: Music

        Album Credits

All songs written by Skip Friel

 

Skip Friel - lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, background vocals


Randy Friel - keyboards, background vocals, percussion


Michael Maiorano - bass guitar

 

Bill Trueluck - drums, background vocals


Ernie Triomfilo - pedal steel guitar on "Two Step Too" and "Sherry's Other Song," slide guitar on "Jump In Nathaniel"


John Workman - electric guitar on "Virginia Beach Blues" and "Your Fun"


Sharon Sable - background vocals on "Jump In Nathaniel," "Twilight Red Sky," "Two Step Too" and "The Universe Changed"

 

Drew Dillard - bass guitar on"Sherry's Other Song" and "Virginia Beach Blues"

 

Larry Larrabee – Harmonica on "Virginia Beach Blues"

 

Lew London – Violin on "Resonate"

 

Recorded & mixed at Scullville Studios, Scullville, NJ

 

Produced by Randy Friel

 

Cover Design by Bart Morris

Thanks

Thanks to Martin Somers and Paul Shufer for your patience while I worked these songs out.

Thanks to the Princess Anne High School alumni for your enthusiasm.

Thanks to the clubs for letting my songs get heard.

Thanks to my family: Eleanor Friel, Randy Friel, Debbie, Sam & Lori Hodges for a lifetime of continuous support.

Thanks to Buddy Ward for your love of the music.

Most of all, thank you to Sherry for your love, encouragement and inspiration.