Marking 30th Anniversary, Music Superstar Avraham Fried Asks VIN Readers For Feedback In Exclusive Interview[series 2]
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Brooklyn, NY – While Avraham Fried has released over thirty albums, in this second segment of the video interview celebrating his thirtieth anniversary in the music business, he recalls his earliest days as a child singer. His first audience, perhaps, was his next door neighbor, the wife of the Alter Rebbe, who used to ask the five year old Avremel to sing for her. He went on to sing on Amudai Shaish, Sdei Chemed and a Suki and Ding wedding album.
It is clear that much has changed in the past thirty years, and Fried describes how Jewish music has evolved over that time, going from the typical Chassidic sound of the 80’s to the vast array of styles that are around today. While Fried seems very comfortable embracing the new sounds and performers that make up the Jewish music scene today, including his nephews, 8th Day and Benny Friedman, he clearly has very strong feeling on the subject of performers using secular music on their albums. Taking a strong stance on a controversial topic, Fried unequivocally states that, in his opinion, attempting to kasher secular music by using Jewish words is wrong and not something he ever plans to do.
While Mordechai Ben David may have been the one to inspire Avraham Fried to become a singer, it is clear that he has found his own niche in Jewish music. Aside from a long list of Moshiach-themed songs, some hopeful and upbeat, some poignant and heartfelt, “pieces” like Tanya and Aderaba are among his biggest hits. Despite his mission to entertain and inspire Klal Yisroel, Fried has a special place in his heart for songs that were made popular by other singers that have clearly inspired him.
In a very rare opportunity, Avraham Fried offers the listening public the chance to shape the future of Jewish music, asking VIN readers to give him feedback so that he has a better idea of what his fans want to hear, promising to read the comments on this post and, if possible, respond to them.
Watch below Part 2
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my family loves your music we hope you are coming to Chicago soon also a cd of your old music classics would be nice
I have a suggestion, maybe a little “intersting” but all the same here goes:
Avremel,
I appreciate all of your music, but most of all I appreciate what you have done for Chabad Nigunim. You have taken many amazing Nigunim that might have been forgotten and given them new life for many decades to come as well as inspired a new love of Chabad Nigunim in the Yungeleit which was very needed.
So 1st off – more Chabad CDs! I know they may not be as lucrative but you accomplish such a needed shlichus through them.
The 2nd (and more interesting suggestion) – you are only one person and can only put out so many albums. Why not maximize the effect of your work by investing in other Chabad singers to help them also produce Nigunei Chabad CDs in a modern format? Guys like Grunblatt, Markel and Avremel Blesovsky who have displayed they sing nicely and just as important with the right Taam. Imagine how much more Nigunim could be publicized and kept alive this way? The past generation had Levin, Marozov, Althaus and Charitonov. This generation has..well, you. Why not forge heroes of Chabad music for the next generation?
Ok, I admit, it’s a slightly crazy idea, but think about it.
First off i wanted to the you for all the unbeleivable music that you have put out over the last 30 years. One question i have. Is it true that your first live perfomance ever was in camp ma na vu, i think the year was 1977? Second question is why have stopped using yossi green as your main composer like many of your older cd’s?
You say in the interview that you would never use secular music on a cd. But how do you explain all the old rebbisha marches that were taken from napolean and etc…. There are many many chasiddisha niggunim that were taken and made into heimishe niggunim.