Dori Freeman

A gifted singer and songwriter whose music puts a contemporary spin on classic folk and country themes, Dori Freeman's breakthrough in 2016 demonstrates why it's not a bad idea to reach out to your favorite artists. Dori Freeman was born and raised in the Appalachian community of Galax, Virginia. Dori's father, Scott Freeman, and her grandfather, Willard Gayheart, were veteran bluegrass musicians who played regularly and ran their own venue, Front Porch Gallery and Frame Shop. Dori picked up the guitar when she was 15 years old, and within a few years she was sharing the stage with the family band. After completing high school, Freeman attended Virginia Tech University, but she dropped out before graduating. By the time she was 22, Freeman was a single mother living with her folks, and she decided it was time she took her career seriously and put her talent to the test. Freeman started writing her own songs, and in 2011 she self-produced and released an album titled Porchlight.