Fred Hostetler, critically-acclaimed independent recording artist, singer-songwriter-guitarist, author, and musical troubadour, looks back over his musical body of work and highlights from 2024.
Fred Hostetler is not your typical blues artist….he doesn’t write typical blues songs…Fred’s songs are honest and unique…he invites you to his point of view, and after you hear him, you wonder why every artist doesn’t write songs like Fred” – Bruce Edwards, Host of The Mo’ Blues Show and The Texas Blues Show.
Fred Hostetler’s 2024 Year In Review
*Artist Milestone (February 15, 2024): Reached over 50K monthly listeners in Spotify.
*Artist Milestone (February 10, 2024): Ranked within the top 250K artists in the world.
265K listeners, 688K streams, reached 105 countries.
Top Song: “Where Is Bob Marley” (from the album Rain Walking)
Biggest Release Week: Rain Walking – 49K Streams in the first week
Rain Walking (Mukthiland Records) received critical acclaim in 2024:
“Fred Hostetler is a storyteller…he plays a mean slide and resonator, slow and low in the Folk-Blues style. My favourite track is a song in praise of Bob Marley. A fine listen, Hostetler is easy on the ear but he writes meaningful songs that resonate with anyone prepared to listen.”
“Three popular singles power Rain Walking forward as genre lines blur across this 7-song set- blues? Country? Americana? Folk? It’s little pieces of all that. As with anything I’ve ever heard from Fred Hosteler this disc is packed with feeling and spirit. As a singer, Fred’s warm and easy vocals fit these songs like a glove. He’s a restless, creative soul. This may very well be his best record yet.”
“I’ve been following independent artist Fred Hostetler for a few years now and he continues to impress me with his innovative lyrics and his fresh delivery. His latest song, Reckless Independence, is a single he’s brought out that captures the feel of Independence Day without the usual trappings of fireworks and hot dogs. It’s the story of that rambunctious three-year-old and how his over-the-top spirit has laid the groundwork for the rest of his life. It’s a fun tune and one that many of us can identify with.”
Crazy Town takes a bemused look at the world we corrently inhabit…the feelings of frustration, exasperation, and overstimulation that ensues from Hostetler (and the rest of us) comes through loud and clear, with his humorous lyrics and wry delivery. Listeners can’t help to relate to what he’s saying.”
“If you’re familiar with the musical works of Fred Hostetler then you’re aware of his seemingly simple but poignant and profound lyrical genius, if you are not, let his new single “Crazy Town” be your first leap of faith into the world of a modern poet laurite of the 6-string magic wand he wields. “Crazy Town” may be a true summation of our world today; Hostetler has taken his observations and paired it with music that is so upbeat and “’happy”, but, if you listen closely to his words and consider the world today, the war, the confusion, the chaos and the recent political activities… we live in Crazy Town.”
About…Fred Hostetler
“Fred Hostetler crosses the great ‘genre divide’ from folk to blues and rock, brought to life by many of the artist’s original songs and reflections. He has worked with major artists including the late, great guitarist Johnny Winter, Graham Parker, Jeff Beck, The Knack, Billy Squier, and Grammy-award-winning producer, Jack Douglas. Along with Karen Lawrence, Hostetler founded the highly-acclaimed Southern California blues band, Blue By Nature. His musical style, while grounded in Blues and Americana traditions, cannot be defined by a single genre.
Hostetler won “Best Singer/Songwriter” in 2019 from the LA Music Critic Awards and the Severn/FM-UK Blues Hour and Encyclopedia of Rock “Industry Award” in 2021. He performed in 2024 in the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest.
Fred is a Goshen, Indiana native and graduate of Goshen College who currently resides on Whidbey Island in the Pacific Northwest.