Where I Am's posterous

23 year old, Landis Frier spends a lot of time at Albany's Mellow Mushroom,
Loco's over in Tifton, and Mulligan's in Valdosta, and he wants to add
Tootsies in Panama City to his list of hangouts real soon. But Frier's not
showing up just for the food and beverage, or even the good company,
although he's appreciative. No, he is embarking on a personal adventure into
music that has a lot of people taking more than a passing notice.

Frier has been on this particular traveling circuit through Southwest
Georgia for about a year and a half. He quickly went public with his one man
acoustic offering, having only taken up the guitar a little over two years
ago. You wouldn't know it to hear Frier take on some of the classic southern
rock songs we've all grown up with. He plays with his own natural and casual
style, but it's clear that he's focused on getting the best out of himself
and his guitar.

If you know his musical history, it's not surprising. Frier has been playing
and singing since he was eight years old. His first instrument was drums,
playing all through school. He comes from a musical family which certainly
gives him a base of support and confidence that he's heading in the right
direction. "Both my grandfathers played the guitar", said Frier, "my dad
played bass, my uncle played, and my mom plays piano." Said Frier, "I just
happened to inherit it from both sides."

Early on he tried playing in a band a couple of times, but found that it was
difficult to keep the groups together enough to really get something going,
saying, "If they want to do it, they are going to do it, and if they don't,
they won't." Frier decided the best way to really get something going was to
go solo, and not look back. "I just love it. This is what I want to do."

Leslie Hanks, Internet Marketing Manager for WFXL and Landis' mom, says she
could tell at an early age, that music was going to play an important role
in his life. "I'm so proud when I hear him play, when I hear what others say
as he's playing." said Hanks. "When I see the look on his face as he plays
and sings, I know that he has found where he is supposed to be in this
life."

There's a practical side to Frier as well. He still does some landscaping
from time to time. Currently he is enrolled at Darton, getting his general
studies classes taken care of, and targeting for a degree in business
management from UGA down the road. But Frier quickly adds, "It would be
great, if this turned into my business." If he does convert his passion into
his career, it will no doubt be attributable to his unique vocal style and
laid back approach to performing, but Frier is already working on the next
phase; recording his own songs.

With five songs written, and more in development, Frier is working hard to
have his first CD ready by the spring. Calling it, "a different type of
country music", Frier pulls from his own life, "I just observe and then
whatever I take in I write it in a song." Don't expect a lot of blues and
sad lyrics. "Most of the personal events are always good times." said Frier
with a little laugh. And why not? He's young and on a path of his own
choosing. Life is certainly going good for him, and that's something worth
singing about to be sure.

Lon McNeil
(See more works by Lon at (http://albanyonpoint.blogspot.com/)