Zach Freidhof arrived at KHOL adorned with a plum purple shirt, John Lennon-esque sideburns and an acoustic guitar hanging over his shoulder. The guitar on his tall frame was tough to fit through the door, but from the peace signs on the strap to his immediate smile, the 44-year-old came with a message of positivity and appreciation for life.
As a teenager, he was mostly interested in basketball. Then his appendix ruptured. He went untreated for weeks. It should’ve killed him. But somehow, he said, his body kept him alive.
“I came to music through a sort of near-death experience and I feel like music was given to me like it’s a path that I’ve been put on… I feel like if songs are coming through that excite me then I feel like I am supposed to be recording and sharing them,” Freidhof said.
A native of Akron, Ohio, Freidhof has lived in the Tetons since 2020. His upcoming album, “Modern Light,” was entirely self-produced, from the recording studio to booking his own short tours within the Rockies. His sound blends elements of folk and soul with a focus on uplifting and loving our neighbors.
Releasing on Sept. 11, “Modern Light” will be his 42nd album, a number that may be shocking to other artists, but which he said he found relatively effortless. He’s honed in a system where he can record and write simultaneously, allowing ideas to organically transform into recorded music.
“[Songwriting’s] a great way to understand myself better and my place and work through relationships with the land and people and myself. Open my own heart a little bit more and walk some of that talk that I tend to try to sing about,” said Freidhof.
Nowadays he’s listening to a lot of Argentine indie rock for inspiration.
“I allow myself the time and opportunity – even if I’m super tired or if it’s the end of the day or I’m out on a trail or wherever – to find a way and sit with [an idea] and let it start coming through. I’m grateful that it keeps doing that and so just keep trying to honor that spirit,” he said.
His latest single, “Geodes,” centers around the metaphor of an unassuming, hollow rock with kaleidoscopic gems on the inside. At its core, the song is about the inner beauty that lies within everyone. Crystals take time to form through a slow patient process, paralleling personal growth and discovering one’s true identity.
The release show for “Modern Light” will be held on Thursday, Sept. 17 at the Wildwood Room in Victor, Idaho where Freidhof currently resides. He’ll be accompanied by a full band to perform songs from the new record, as well as Freidhof’s deep catalogue of original music.
Freidhof assembled a lineup of area songwriters to perform a free concert at Driggs City Plaza on Saturday, Aug. 29. “The Raven” event features friends of the station such as Pat Chadwick (Inland Isle), Hilary Camino, and Bea Jones.
Previous work in conflict-resolution, including with the University of Akron, led a friend to give him a nickname he still touts: “A troubadour of peace.” Freidhof wants to see members of the greater Jackson community come together and connect with each other over music.
“[Music] also has those benefits across the group, across the community and I think that we live in a time that could really use more connection,” he said.
More information about Zach Freidhof’s showcase at Driggs City Plaza and release show at the Wildwood Room on his Facebook page.
Listen above for KHOL’s full conversation and live performance with Zach Freidhof.
Support for this arts and cultural coverage comes from the Wyoming Arts Council.
