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ABOUT

Hailing from the cornfields of Indiana and now residing in Greensboro, North Carolina, front man and singer/songwriter Tom Troyer's eclectic style traverses folk, rock and blues. Farewell Friend's music resonates with authenticity, vulnerability, and an unwavering commitment to the power of poetic storytelling. Their sound is a delicate avalanche of sonic texture - a presentation of recognizable and distorted folk and Americana forms. Tom's exceptional talent shines through in all three albums, which he produced, wrote, recorded, mixed, and mastered. The live band lineup may vary, but Evan Campfield on upright bass has been a consistent presence since 2016, while Zac Covington, Caleb Baer, Alan Barnosky often contribute their skills for live performances and as session musicians on recordings.

Troyer's musical prowess extends beyond his role as a frontman and songwriter. He cut his teeth musically by performing with The Collection, contributing with multiple instruments and vocals in the recording of their album "Ars Moriendi." In 2018, Troyer began honing his music engineering skills and started Black Rabbit Audio, a music production studio in Greensboro, NC, and has produced over 18 albums (and counting). This experience has honed his technical skills and deepened his understanding of the intricacies of sound, allowing him to bring out the best in both his own music and that of other artists. Additionally, Troyer has dedicated his talents to We Carry Kevan, a non-profit organization that raises awareness about disabilities and promotes creative solution to redefine accessiblity. Through their travels, Tom Troyer has personally carried Kevan Chandler, the organization's advocate, to iconic destinations such as Paris, Skellig Michael, and the Great Wall of China, showcasing their commitment to breaking barriers and fostering inclusivity.

With his multifaceted background, Tom Troyer has developed a unique perspective on music and storytelling. His introspective lyrics and soul-stirring melodies create a powerful connection with audiences, delving into themes of identity, resilience, and the human condition. Farewell Friend's discography showcases Troyer's musical journey, from his debut album "Lineage" – a conceptual exploration of generational stories – to the autobiographical introspection of "[Samson]" and the conflicts of gentrification in the EP "Glenwood and Gomorrah."

Farewell Friend, blends rock and folk in their upcoming album, "The Silent Years," set for Spring 2024. Troyer shares an intimate journey, exploring grief, depression, and anxiety. Their music, which lives at the crossroads where The National and Wilco meet The War On Drugs and Sufjan Stevens, carves out its own territory through Troyer's original melodies and introspective lyrics, to say nothing of the multitudinous conversation one hears in the jazz-gestures of the rhythm section.

 

The Silent Years, the band's fourth album, ups the ante on that early work and offers a sublime exploration of sickness, grief, and the relationship between a dying mother and her son. This finely wrought and heartbreaking concept album immerses the listener in a play divided into acts, as well as the story of a body and a culture breaking down.

 

The culmination of a decade's work, The Silent Years showcases the range of Troyer's talents as a vocalist and musician. Troyer's sensibility, according to critic M.C. Armstrong, is "uncanny, generous, and subversive," and these qualities can be discerned throughout the thirteen songs of The Silent Years, but there's something more here. Troyer and Farewell Friend have come through the grief and on the other side have delivered a cathartic and transcendent work of art that defies genre.

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SPECS

PRESS

Farewell Friend official logo

Farewell Friend has completed three ambitious tours of the East Coast, playing rooms at The Purple Fiddle, Rockwood Music Hall, Pete's Candy Store, Haw River BallroomBoggs Social, The Howlin' Wolf, Preservation PubThe Ramkat, and showcased for two consecutive years at Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City.

Next Song on Deck

Yoda Speak

This week, hosts Courtney Lynn & Quinn welcome the front man of the band Farewell Friend, Tom Troyer. He shares about playing flute and trumpet as a kid, how is early writing was influenced by the King James Bible, his wide range of skills as a songwriter, producer and instrumentalist. He also break down the inspiration & creation behind his band's song, "Birds in Flight."

[LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE]

"Farewell Friend is not a group to overlook, their work is absolutely stunning and evokes elements of love, despair, religion, comfort and creativity. Father & Son brings to life some of the best parts of North Carolina, this group is a product of true grassroots talent."

-Reviewed by Greensboro writer Rebecca Harrelson

Americana Highways

Album Premiere W/Interview: Farewell Friend “Samson”

This album is some unquestionably quality songwriting, sometimes with an easy country groove, and sometimes with darker folk and even punk style inflections.  “Chasing the Glow” is a little bit eclectic folk and a little bit groovy and “Birds in Flight” is a country folk number.  “Dying at the Hands of Love” is shines a light on the cruel banalities of being just a number in society. Taken all together, the album is at the heart of contemporary Americana music. [READ MORE]

RELEASES

"Farewell Friend's The Silent Years is a melodic collage of vivid musicality that is taken 

in through the ears but felt right in the heart. The album expands on the group's introspective and contemplative lyricism encapsulating the depth of human emotion. Tom Troyer's voice is an instrument that soars to new heights on the wings of exemplary musicianship demonstrating that Farewell Friend is a group to keep on your radar."

 

- Mason P. Winfree, journalist and editorial writer for Americana Highways, NPR Blue Ridge, and The Alternate Root Magazine. DJ/Host of @PatchworkofAmerica

Farewell Friend | I Lost My Cell Phone | The Flatiron
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Farewell Friend | I Lost My Cell Phone | The Flatiron

I lost my cell phone no I'm not dead I'm on my way home I love you Sure I can stop by the store Get you anything you need Did I say that I love you The variations on this theme are endless The refrain you Wish you could hear The tones of every voicemail you saved So short So dear The nova The singularity The lover walking away The broken future perfect tense The last words you heard them say Good heavens I'd hoped you'd carry this God knows I tried to bury it But this morning All I hear are the dogs in the yard Digging it up digging it up Honey you need to see this Here in college town All my friends are burning out With that twenties painful Swimming in potential d d drunk on possibility The illusion of choice The bundles of faith The cracks start to form on their tires faces Just a foot in the door Did I say that I love you? The variations on this theme are endless The anthem of your senior year The weight of all decisions made What you lost more than what you gained The nova The singularity The lover walking away The broken future perfect tense The last words you heard them say Good heavens I'd hoped you'd carry this God knows I tried to bury it But this morning All I hear are the dogs in the yard Digging it up digging it up Honey you need to see this Are you alright tonight? Will you let me know where you are? Are you alright tonight? Would you let me know where you are? Are you alright tonight? Would you let me know I lost my cell phone
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