From Nursing to Music: Miss Freddye's Harmonious Journey
Pittsburgh's Lady of the Blues, Miss Freddye, recently joined the Living the Dream with Curveball Podcast, sharing her remarkable journey as a blues singer-songwriter, nurse, and two-time breast cancer survivor. Her story is one of resilience, passion, and authenticity that inspires anyone looking to pursue their dreams regardless of life's challenges.
Miss Freddye wears many hats - she's a mother, grandmother, and full-time nurse working with pancreatic, colon, and rectal cancer patients. Her nursing career allows her to connect deeply with patients, especially those facing cancer diagnoses, as she understands firsthand the fear that comes with such news. Patient education is her passion, helping people navigate through medical crises with compassion and understanding. This profound connection to her nursing work grounds her other creative pursuits.
Her musical journey began in childhood, singing with neighborhood friends and pretending to perform in front of thousands. However, it wasn't until age 15 that she performed her first solo in church - an experience that didn't go well and sparked her stage fright. Despite this setback, she continued singing in church choirs throughout her 20s and 30s. The turning point came in 1996 when she was dating a bass player who overheard her singing "Silent Night" to her youngest child and encouraged her to audition for his blues band. Despite knowing little about the blues genre, she auditioned and began her journey as a blues performer.
Today, Miss Freddie leads two distinct musical groups: Miss Freddye's Blues Band and Miss Freddie's Home Cooking Band. The Blues Band focuses on blues, R&B, soul, and blues rock, while the Home Cooking Band expands into classic rock and gospel. She speaks with pride about her band members, highlighting their talents and contributions to her musical journey. Her path hasn't always been smooth - she had to learn about marketing herself, booking gigs, and building her brand from scratch, often securing performances by simply walking into venues and singing acapella.
Miss Freddye is currently working on several exciting musical projects, including a Blues and Roots album featuring original material written by bassist Mike Sweeney. This album serves as a tribute to her parents from the South who loved blues, R&B, and soul music. She's also planning to release "Pink Lemonade," a country tune from her 2010 album, as a single dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Additionally, she's developing a gospel album featuring her first self-written gospel song and plans to produce an album of original love songs for Valentine's Day next year.
Throughout the conversation, Miss Freddye's authenticity shines through. Her advice to aspiring musicians and artists is simple yet powerful: be true to yourself, believe in yourself, and prepare multiple plans for when obstacles arise. She emphasizes the importance of surrounding yourself with good people who respect themselves and others. Above all, she reminds listeners that it's never too late to pursue your passions - whether that's music, writing, science, or even, in her case, attending barber school at this stage in her life.
