Gary Frenay

It�s easy to get to know Gary Frenay and his music.  He is a gifted and versatile performer inspired by the songwriting of Lennon and McCartney, James Taylor, Carole King and Jimmy Webb.  His live shows are a personal and passionate experience, where Gary and his audience take a musical journey together.

When you have a chance to listen to Gary�s thoughtful, melodic songs, you will see why he is a two-time SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music) Award winner as the area�s finest singer-songwriter.

Gary�s repertoire now includes tunes from his second Tangible Music release, JIGSAW PEOPLE. The CD is an eclectic collection of songs about how people fit together and break apart.  It blends folk, rock and jazz; styles that reflect Gary�s growth as a songwriter. The record is a natural progression from the �unplugged� sound of his critically acclaimed 1995 album, ARMORY SQUARE.

Frenay�s musical career began in the late 70�s as co-founder of the Flashcubes, Syracuse�s first and foremost New Wave / Power Pop group. After several years of success on a regional level, Frenay�s work with The Flashcubes evolved into the mature pop of Screen Test and later, the Neverly Brothers. Screen Test�s video for the Frenay penned tune, �You Don�t Know Me� earned a spot on the MTV Basement Tapes. In 1991, The Gary Frenay Songbook, a collection of Frenay compositions spanning his recordings with the Flashcubes, Screen Test and the Neverly Brothers, garnered praise from critics across the country.

Performing as a solo acoustic act since 1991, Gary has gained the respect of the music industry and has shared the stage with such nationally known artists as Catie Curtis, and Pete and Maura Kennedy (all of whom make appearances on JIGSAW PEOPLE), Ani DiFranco and Tony Trishka. He has also opened shows for Steven Stills, Aztec Two-Step and David Bromberg. In addition, Gary has made an appearance on the Jenny Jones Show as a finalist in a nationwide talent search. Currently there are over 150 radio stations across the country playing his CD�s.

In the fall of 1994, Frenay was a featured performer on the Internet Quartets Songwriter Showcase tour, that featured 24 of the brightest and most promising singer / songwriters today including Catie Curtis, Ellis Paul, Michael McNevin, Martin Sexton, Barbara Kessler, Tom Prasadao-Rao, and Buddy Mondlock.

Gary�s burgeoning solo career coincides with a resurgence of interest in The Flashcubes. The band�s first single, �Christi Girl� was included on a recent Rhino Records anthology of �70�s new wave / power pop music. While an anthology of the Flashcubes work (featuring nine Frenay compositions) nears completion, the group has recently reunited to record tracks for the tribute CD�s to Paul Collin�s Beat, and The Raspberries.

All Music, Evan Cater
Gary Frenay is a light pop songwriter whose most noticeable influences include Carole King, James Taylor, Jimmy Webb, and The Beatles. He began his career in the late '70s as co-founder of a Syracuse-based new wave band called The Flashcubes. The group scored a minor hit with "Christi Girl," but eventually evolved into the more contemporarily named Screen Test, a pop band that scored video airplay on MTV for Frenay's song "You Don't Know Me." After the demise of Screen Test, Frenay spent a short stint with The Neverly Brothers. Since 1991, the singer/songwriter/guitarist has been on his own as a solo act. He signed on with Tangible Records in 1995 and released the acoustic pop record Armory Square. His sophomore solo effort was the more ambitiously produced Jigsaw People; it was released in 1996.