Troy Kidder has released his first single ‘Free Free’ based on adventures he had as an Elkhart County teen on his Kawasaki 125 Enduro motorbike.

News Release

ELKHART COUNTY — After nine years of recording with a five-time Grammy nominated producer/writer, Troy Kidder has just released his first single, “Free Free.” The song is based on several adventures he had as an Elkhart County teen on his Kawasaki 125 Enduro motorbike.

He tells the story: “Now, the Amish don’t normally own motorcycles, but I purchased this bike from an Amishman for only $220. I had always wanted one and my dreams came true that summer as I rode, and many summers after, trails with friends or explored in serene solitude, my new frontier: the forgotten farms of Indiana Amish country.

“While on one of these expeditions, I even came face-to-face with a bold parade of 30 or 40 Harley Davidson, leather-clad men sporting tattoos, probably mentioning ‘Mother.’ Now, that was a thrill. I wanted to write a song that captured the way I felt all those summers on the bike of my youth: a freedom and joy that we all desire but struggle to find, especially as we grow older. I may have pulled it off. I hope when folks hear “Free Free” it takes them soaring like it did me when I recorded it and every time I’ve listened to it since.”

The journey to this first release was not so free-flowing. Kidder is president of Kidder Media, a public relations/marketing firm specializing in print publications and digital media for schools and communities with a readership of nearly 10 million per year and growing rapidly around the country. This business, that he and his wife, Lori, started together years ago, also produces promotional videos.

As a result, he started developing his own background music — music he wrote and recorded at a small studio in the area. Kidder has also used his own music in training materials he has produced for schools and even some Fortune 500 companies.

The shift came when a friend introduced Kidder to long-time, successful producer Billy Smiley. The two began recording in Nashville and mixing in LA. Nine years and 20 songs later, “Free Free” was finally released this month. In response to why it took so long, Kidder had this to say: “I was waiting for the right song at the right time — this feels like it’s it.”

Although Smiley brought in an agent friend to secure a digital distribution deal, there are no guarantees in the music business with so many factors to consider: “It’s been an amazing ride. Most of my songs have a ‘70s and ‘80s vibe which is very popular right now. And I’ve had the pleasure and privilege, thanks to Billy, of working with artists and musicians who are very successful in the music industry, because if you’re going to do something with media and you want a fighting chance of getting any attention at all, it has to be done in excellence. I think we have achieved that—and that’s a good feeling as we hit the streets for the first time.”

Finally, Kidder elaborates on other important lessons learned in his years producing various mediums and at the same time points out the heart of the music itself. He says, “In our publishing business, we reach millions and millions of people every year in communities around the country. My wife and I have learned, over and over again, that folks are starving for media that is hopeful, upbeat and positive—plus, anything wholesome is refreshingly well received. So whether it’s the school newsletters, curriculums, my new book of stories The Soul of a Boy, or now music, that lesson has become a mission and it is at the heart of everything we do.”

The song is available to download/steam at troykiddermusic.com