Rock band seen at Jo’s Organic Bar, Pier 7 (Annapolis), The Hub (Dover, DE), Russ’s (Easton)… Their original song “Brand New Day” was included on the “98 Rock Vol. II” album. The band’s 1983 lineup featured Jimmy Neeson (guitar ex-Boat, Appaloosa, Bandit, Pinch), Jeannie Freed nee-Burke (rhythm guitar ex-Fresh), Elliott Freed (bass), Brian Freed (drums ex-Rize, Meat, Scott Cunningham Band), and lead vocalist Butch Smith.
Mars later changed from Hard Rock to Top 40 and became Freed at Last in 1982 when Butch Smith decided to leave the group and was replaced with Benny Mays (keyboards and lead vocals).
Band bio and photos courtesy of Tonja Sas
Butch passed away in June 1987.
Jimmy and his wife Aleda eventually moved to Florida. Jimmy continued playing guitar in the ‘00s with a Jacksonville Beach Chicago style blues-rock band called Ralph E. & the Jammers. The band won a local blues rock festival competition in the late ‘90s, which took them to Memphis, and a chance to compete with other bands in a nationwide contest. Jimmy won an award coming in second place nationally for best guitarist!
