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The summer of 1977 marked Dean Friedman's entry into pop consciousness with the enormous success of his infectious hit single Ariel, a quirkily irresistible and uncategorizable pop song about a free spirited, music loving, vegetarian Jewish girl in a peasant blouse who lived, as the lyric goes, "...way on the other side of the Hudson."
A year later, Friedman struck again, this time with a magical duet, performed with singer Denise Marsa, entitled Lucky Stars. Lucky Stars zoomed to the top of the UK singles charts going instantly gold.
The now classic single Lucky Stars paved the way for a slew of hits off of Friedman's humorously titled album "Well, Well" Said the Rocking Chair", including familiar tracks such as Lydia and Rocking Chair as well as singles from his first album, Woman of Mine and Ariel.
"An amazing Talent" - The Sun, "Outstanding" - Record Business, "Songsmith extraordinaire! A great performer!" - Music Week, were just of few of the superlatives used to describe Friedman's powerfully unique and original talent.
Although Friedman's next single, McDonald's Girl was officially banned by the BBC for mentioning the name of the well known fast food restaurant in its chorus, the irrepressible pop song has been covered by a number of acclaimed new bands including the ground breaking Canadian group Barenaked Ladies (WEA). (BNL member, Steve Page, sings background vocals on Dean's latest album.) And The Blenders (Universal), recorded another cover of McDonald's Girl, which soared to ..1 on the national airplay charts in Norway.
During the '80's, Friedman turned his hand to composing and producing music soundtracks for TV and film including the hit British TV series, Boon. Other credits include the popular TV series Nick Arcade / Nickelodeon and Eerie Indiana / NBC and the soundtrack to the underground cult horror film classic, I Bought A Vampire Motorcycle (Hobo Films/U.K.) in which he performs the unforgettable track 'She Runs on Blood, Not Gasoline'.
Friedman has authored several best-selling MIDI synthesizer books and has achieved considerable success in the hi-tech areas of virtual reality software and video game design, with his company InVideo Systems, creating TV's first VR game EAT-A-BUG for Nickelodeon TV and award winning installations in leading children's museums, science museums and family entertainment centers, including venues such as Disney and Blockbuster Golf and Games in Sunrise, FL.
Friedman has also managed to merge his musical and hi-tech interests by inventing an unusual and popular line of musical instruments called the Music Atrium "a musical playground for kids" originally featured at the Eureka! Children's Museum in the U.K. and now being reproduced by his company, Cool Stuff For Kids, for major theme parks, family entertainment centers and museums around the world, such as Walt Disney World, Busch Gardens, FL, Barney's Playland / Universal Studios and Dynalecx, Japan. These strange and playful instruments have names such as the Booble, the Honkblatt and the Jingle-Lingle-Lily and have proven to be a huge hit with millions of kids.
Friedman is currently host and producer of the popular BBC Radio Scotland series 'Dean Friedman's Real American Folk' which features the sounds, the spirit and the stories of the Hudson River Valley region in New York (and beyond).
Friedman, 53, makes his home in Peekskill, New York where he lives with his wife and two children, plus assorted live stock - including a monkey named Amelia.
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Thank you so much for the add and for the brilliant and quirky show in Darlington - really enjoyed it and was honoured to be in the audience. x
