Musician, promoter, local music supporter, real estate entrepreneur and overall kind soul Ted Freed passed away a few weeks ago after losing his third bout with lymphoma. He was 51. Ted always looked for the next new band and provided great managerial and promotional support to those he already represented. I met Ted back in May of '05 when I was writing a story about his Clearwater-based music company, Rising Jupiter, and Uphonia, the festival he pretty much funded all on his own. We became fast friends after that, finding common ground in our mutual love of music and the desire to spread it around. He conquered cancer twice and was good-humored throughout, confident that his positive attitude would help his health as much as the chemo treatments he underwent at Moffit Cancer Center. But last November, the malignant tumors returned in full force, this time proving fatal. I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye, but I keep telling myself he would've wanted me to remember him as I last saw him, smiling and happy and enjoying good vibrations at Skipper's Smokehouse. A benefit for Freed's family to help pay for his outstanding medical expenses will be held at Skipper's this Friday night. Uncle John's Band, COPE, Rob Pieniak and Christee Lennee — all artists managed by Freed — perform.
Ted Freed Memorial: Uncle John's Band w/ COPE, Rob Pieniak/Noah Woods/Christee Lennee, 8 p.m. Fri., March 21, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa, $10, 813-971-0666
This article appears in Mar 19-25, 2008.