The Free Design -

The Free Design was an American soft-pop/vocal group that released six albums on Project 3 Records between 1967 and 1971, plus a seventh on Ambrotype in 1972. Their sound, characterized by soft orchestral arrangements, jazzy rhythmic undercurrents and light, breezy harmonies, has retroactively been termed “sunshine pop.”

Members: Chris Dedrick (guitar, trumpet, vocals, recorder), Sandy Dedrick (keyboards, vocals), Ellen Dedrick (vocals, percussion, 1968-present), Bruce Dedrick (guitar, vocals, trombone, 1966-71)

Background

‘The Free Design consisted of the singing Dedrick family, starting with the older siblings Chris, Sandy, and Bruce Dedrick. Their younger sister, Ellen, joined on their second album.

The Dedrick’s grew up in Delevan, N.Y., in a musical household. Their father, trombonist Art Dedrick, handled arrangements for big-band leader Vaughn Monroe. After a bout of polio left him wheelchair-bound, he became a music teacher and served as staff arranger at the radio stations WGR and WBEN in nearby Buffalo.

Art’s brother, trumpeter Rusty Dedrick, recorded with Don Elliot during the 1950s and played in orchestras behind Claude Thornhill, Larry Son, Richard Maltby, and Red Norvo.

In 1966, the three older Dedrick siblings moved to New York City, where they performed as a vocal trio in Greenwich Village. Chris wrote most of their original repertoire. At Art’s suggestion, he started writing horn arrangements. The Free Design signed with Project 3 Total Sound, the label of veteran bandleader Enoch Light, a legend of early radio.

Kites Are Fun

The Free Design released their debut album, Kites Are Fun, in February 1968 on Project 3.

Chris Dedrick composed five songs and co-wrote “Make the Madness Stop” with sisters Stephanie and Sandy, who co-wrote “When Love Is Young.” Sandy contributed “Never Tell the World” while brother Bruce wrote “Umbrellas.”

Kites Are Fun also contains covers of The Beatles (“Michelle”), Harpers Bizarre (“59th Street Bridge Song”), and French film composer Francis Lai (“A Man and a Woman”). Backing came from a large ensemble that featured a four-piece rhythm section, five trumpeters, three guitarists, two French horn players, a trombonist, a cellist, and multiple woodwind and keyboard players.

The album balances bright, baroque vocal arrangements with occasional tonal shifts into jazz, stillness, or reflective understatement. “Make the Madness Stop” shifts through jazz changes under layered vocals, while “Don’t Turn Away” places Sandy’s lead inside a dense harmonic frame. “The Proper Ornaments” pairs clipped phrasing with fast brass and glockenspiel. Bruce takes the lead on “Stay Another Season,” a slower track with tremolo guitar and organ.

A1. “Kites Are Fun” (2:34)
A2. “Make the Madness Stop” (3:07)
A3. “When Love Is Young” (2:49)
A4. “The Proper Ornaments” (2:45)
A5. “My Brother Woody” (2:34)
A6. “59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy)” (2:50) is a Paul Simon composition; first released by Simon & Garfunkel on their 1966 third album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme and popularized by Harpers Bizarre on their 1967 debut Feelin’ Groovy.

B1. “Don’t Turn Away” (3:55)
B2. “Umbrellas” (2:21)
B3. “Michelle” (3:08) is a Lennon–McCartney ballad from The Beatles’ 1965 release Rubber Soul.
B4. “Never Tell the World” (2:28)
B5. “A Man and a Woman” (3:02) is the popular wordless vocal theme to the 1966 French romantic drama film starring Anouk Aimée and Jean-Louis Trintignant.
B6. “Stay Another Season” (3:03)

Sessions occurred at A&R Studios in New York City with producer Enoch Light and recording chief Phil Ramone. Julie Klages served as associate producer.

You Could Be Born Again

The Free Design released their second album, You Could Be Born Again, in December 1968 on Project 3.

The album contains six songs written and arranged by Chris Dedrick, who co-wrote “Ivy on a Windy Day” with Sandy. Born Again also contains covers of Dionne Warwick (“The Windows of the World”), Duke Ellington (“I Like the Sunrise”), The Mamas & The Papas (“California Dreamin”’), The Turtles (“Happy Together”), and The Beatles much-interpreted “Eleanor Rigby.”

Fourth sibling Ellen Dedrick joined the group for this release. The album features orchestral backing by a studio ensemble with strings, woodwinds, brass, and rhythm section.

Their arrangement of “California Dreamin’” strips the haze of the original in favor of brisk pacing and mariachi-style brass bursts. “Eleanor Rigby” swaps strings for clustered vocal figures and idiosyncratic percussion, bringing levity without satire. “The Windows of the World” frames Sandy Dedrick’s lead within hushed textures, underlining the tension in its subject without overstatement. On “An Elegy,” a slow, sparse pulse underscores Sandy’s low register and unsettling imagery. “Quartet No. 6 in D Minor” pushes briskly through harmonic shifts, with a structure closer to rural folk-pop than chamber pastiche. “I Like the Sunrise” builds toward grandeur without overextension, layering MOR vocal density on top of its orchestral origin. In contrast, “I Found Love” moves with forward lift, its major-key vocal line unfolding with precision and lightness.

A1. “You Could Be Born Again” (2:38)
A2. “A Leaf Has Veins” (2:30)
A3. “California Dreamin’” (2:25) was a 1966 Top 5 hit for The Mamas & The Poppas, co-written by John and Michelle Phillips.
A4. “The Windows of the World” (2:33) was a minor hit from Warwick’s title-sake 1967 album; written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
A5. “Eleanor Rigby” (2:44) is a Lennon–McCartney song from the 1966 Beatles album Revolver.
A6. “Quartet No. 6 in D Minor” (2:40) – Brisk, folk-pop phrasing contrasts with its classical title.

B1. “I Like the Sunrise” (3:37) originated as the prelude to Liberian Suite, a 1947 Ellington suite commissioned for the Liberian centennial.
B2. “I Found Love” (2:42) – Light, major-key vocals unfold with gentle precision and uplift.
B3. “Daniel Dolphin” (3:27)
B4. “Happy Together” (2:54) was a 1967 No. 1 hit for The Turtles; written by the team of Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon.
B5. “Ivy on a Windy Day” (2:39)
B6. “An Elegy” (3:22) – Sparse instrumentation and a low vocal register evoke a chilling, uneasy mood.

Sessions occurred at Columbia Studios in New York City with producer Enoch Light and engineer Phil Ramone. Julie Klages served as associate producer.

Heaven / Earth

The Free Design released their third album, Heaven / Earth, in July 1969 on Project 3.

Chris Dedrick composed seven of the album’s eleven tracks, including two closing originals per side. The remaining selections include covers of Tim Hardin’s “If I Were a Carpenter,” the Gershwin–Heyward standard “Summertime,” “Where Do I Go” from Hair, the title theme from Hurry Sundown, and the Billy Strange–Sonny Davis tune “Memories.”

The Dedrick siblings (Chris, Sandy, Bruce, and Ellen) are joined by a 13-piece brass and woodwind section, with orchestral input from noted studio players including Chuck Rainey and Vinnie Bell.

The album moves between ethereal textures, jazz-inflected passages, and subtle psychedelic elements, all captured with clear, detailed sound. “My Very Own Angel” and “Now Is the Time” present tightly woven harmonies over controlled, flowing rhythms. “You Be You and I’ll Be Me” features dense vocal counterpoint and shifting intervallic lines. “Summertime” slows into a jazz-influenced arrangement with acid-toned guitar and varied rhythmic patterns. “Girls Alone” explores rich textural layers and lounge-like sophistication. The closing “Dorian Benediction” develops spacious modal improvisation and layered harmonies with a reverberant, cathedral effect. “2002 – A Hit Song” juxtaposes pointed lyrics against syncopated, punchy backing.

A1. “My Very Own Angel” (3:00)
A2. “Now Is the Time” (2:14)
A3. “If I Were a Carpenter” (3:47)
A4. “You Be You and I’ll Be Me” (2:34)
A5. “Girls Alone” (3:55)
A6. “2002 – A Hit Song” (2:34)

B1. “Summertime” (3:36)
B2. “Where Do I Go” (2:14)
B3. “Hurry Sundown” (3:04)
B4. “Memories” (3:39)
B5. “Dorian Benediction” (4:27) – Modal improvisation with layered, reverberant harmonies.

Sessions occurred at A&R Studios in New York City with producer Enoch Light and engineer Phil Ramone. Tony Mottola served as associate producer.

Stars / Time / Bubbles / Love

The Free Design released their fourth album, Stars / Time / Bubbles / Love, in March 1970 on Project 3.

Chris Dedrick wrote the majority of the album’s material, joined by outside contributions from Pat Link (“Tomorrow Is the First Day of the Rest of My Life”), Stephen Schwartz (“Butterflies Are Free”), Laura Nyro (“Time and Love”), the Bacharach–David team (“Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head”), and the songwriting pair of Carl Bayer and George Fischoff (“Howdjadoo”). The Dedrick siblings are backed by a 17-piece studio ensemble that includes electric sitar, woodwinds, brass, strings, and two alternating rhythm sections.

Stars / Time / Bubbles / Love expands The Free Design’s sunshine pop foundation with elements of funk, jazz, classical, and gospel, blending intricate vocal harmonies with diverse instrumentation including clavinet, electric guitar, and sitar. The album juxtaposes bright, rhythmically varied originals with thoughtfully chosen covers that soften the edges of their sources into smooth, lush arrangements. Its textures range from playful and whimsical to spacious and dissonant, moving through layered rhythms and rich harmonic interplay while retaining the group’s signature clarity.

The opening title track “Bubbles” layers bubbly clavinet and fuzz guitar over complex, shifting rhythms, punctuated by in-studio giggles that add warmth. “Tomorrow Is the First Day of the Rest of My Life” smooths a theatrical original into a horn-accented, softly swinging arrangement. “Kije’s Ouija” adopts a childlike lullaby mood with an insistent refrain. “Butterflies Are Free” unfolds as a conventional MOR ballad featuring shared lead vocals. “Stay Off the Frown” blends jazzy big-band phrasing with buoyant tempo changes. “Starlight” pairs enveloping vocal blends with a prominent, steady bass line. The sitar on “I’m a Yogi” introduces an unusual Eastern flavor that balances sincere mysticism with ironic distance. Covers include a buoyant reworking of Laura Nyro’s “Time and Love,” a spacious take on “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” and the brisk, gospel-tinged “Howjadoo (Fly Me Down).” The closing “That’s All, People” layers brash horns and rock guitar under biting vocals, adding tension to the familiar harmonies.

A1. “Bubbles” (2:15) – Clavinet and fuzz guitar frame shifting rhythms, ending with candid studio laughter.
A2. “Tomorrow Is the First Day of the Rest of My Life” (3:40) – Horns and soft swing underpin smooth vocals.
A3. “Kije’s Ouija” (3:12) – Childlike lullaby mood with repetitive, catchy refrain.
A4. “Butterflies Are Free” (2:42) – MOR ballad with shared lead vocals and gentle pacing.
A5. “Stay Off Your Frown” (2:43) – Jazzy phrasing and buoyant tempo shifts.

B1. “Starlight” (2:53) – Layered vocals supported by steady, prominent bass.
B2. “Time and Love” (2:50) – Buoyant arrangement smoothing original’s edges.
B3. “I’m a Yogi” (4:19) – Sitar-driven Eastern flavor balancing sincerity and irony.
B4. “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” (3:00) – Spacious, relaxed reinterpretation with smooth textures.
B5. “Howdjadoo (Fly Me Down)” (1:55) – Brisk, gospel-tinged pacing with chirpy vocals.
B6. “That’s All People” (2:29) – Brash horns and rock guitar supporting biting vocal delivery.

Sessions occurred at A&R Studios in New York City with producer Chris Dedrick and engineers Don Hahn, Phil Ramone, Dave Green, and Dave Crawford. Enoch Light served as executive producer.

Sing for Very Important People

The Free Design released their fifth album, Sing for Very Important People, in November 1970 on Project 3.

Designed as a children’s album, Sing for Very Important People combines new material, select covers, and three tracks reprised from earlier albums: “Bubbles,” “Daniel Dolphin,” and “Kites Are Fun.” The project took partial inspiration from Peter, Paul and Mommy, the 1969 children’s album by Peter, Paul and Mary.

Chris Dedrick supplied five songs, including the opener “Don’t Cry, Baby.” Contributions also came from Bruce Dedrick, Sandy Zynczak, and their father Art Dedrick, who penned “Little Cowboy.” Additional selections include the Sesame Street theme by Joe Raposo (with Bruce Hart and Jon Stone), “Children’s Waltz” by Philip Klein, and “Love You” by Joseph and Sandy Zynczak.

A1. “Don’t Cry, Baby” (3:04)
A2. “Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?” (2:12)
A3. “Children’s Waltz” (4:15)
A4. “Scarlet Tree” (2:10)
A5. “Little Cowboy” (3:50)

B1. “Love You” (2:25)
B2. “Ronda Go ‘Round” (2:33)
B3. “Bubbles” (2:15)
B4. “Daniel Dolphin” (3:27)
B5. “Kites Are Fun” (2:34)
B6. “Lullaby” (1:28)

The group recorded the album at Regent Sound Studios in New York with executive producer Enoch Light.

Cover art is credited to Kenneth Larner and Lizzie Baier.

One by One

The Free Design released their sixth album, One by One, in 1971 on Project 3.

This marked the group’s first album as a trio, following the departure of Bruce Dedrick and the earlier exit of Sandra Ziegler. The lineup now comprised Chris, Ellen, and Sandy Dedrick. Building on the orchestrated sunshine pop of earlier releases, One by One incorporates funk-tinged rhythms, baroque brass, jazz voicings, and studio-layered textures, paired with an introspective mood and more adult-oriented lyrical themes.

Chris Dedrick wrote seven of the album’s ten songs. Ellen and Sandy share lead vocals throughout, with Chris handling most arrangements and keyboards. “Light My Fire” covers The Doors classic in a horn-laden, jazz-pop reading. “You Are My Sunshine” is reworked as an extended, melancholic soul ballad with tempo shifts and expanded harmony. “Going Back,” originally by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, closes side two’s sequence of wistful originals. “Like to Love” and “Go Lean On a River” echo the rhythmic bounce of their earlier material.

A1. “One by One” (3:47)
A2. “Felt So Good” (2:53)
A3. “Friendly Man” (3:32)
A4. “Light My Fire” (4:38)
A5. “Like to Love” (2:06)

B1. “You Are My Sunshine” (5:15)
B2. “Go Lean On a River” (3:04)
B3. “Going Back” (2:43)
B4. “Love Me” (3:17)
B5. “Friends (Thank You All)” (6:45)

Chris also played piano (A1, A3, B2, B4, B5) and trumpet (A1, B4), with additional keyboards by Pat Ribboloff and Paul Griffin. Bob Mann, Jerry Friedman, and Stu Scharf handled guitar duties across various tracks. Bassists Andy Muson and Tom Seznesiak alternate throughout, backed by drummers Billy Cobham and Gary Gauger. The horn section features Randy Brecker, Ernie Royal, Garnett Brown, and others, with full sax and trombone charts arranged to suit each track. Ellen Dedrick adds percussion, while Chris oversaw the full vocal and instrumental arrangements.

One by One was produced by Enoch Light and engineered by Dixon Van Winkle and Don Hahn. It was mastered by Dave Crawford and released with photography by Bob Cato.

There Is a Song

The Free Design released their seventh album, There Is a Song, in 1972 on Ambrotype.

Chris Dedrick wrote eight songs, harmonized with Ellen and Sandy Dedrick. Outside contributions include “Stay” by E. Griffin, “Pineapplé Crabapple” by J. Hoover and Sandy Zynczak, and “A Child Is Born” by Alec Wilder and Thad Jones. The group was backed by a small studio ensemble on bass, guitar, keys, and percussion.

A1. “Canada In Springtime” (2:27)
A2. “Kum Ba Yah” (3:15)
A3. “Peter, Paul And Mary” (4:12)
A4. “Pineapplé Crabapple” (3:08)
A5. “The Symbols Ring” (3:46)
B1. “Stay” (2:53)
B2. “I Wanna Be There” (3:17)
B3. “There Is A Song” (3:01)
B4. “A Child Is Born” (3:18)
B5. “Love Does Not Die” (3:42)
B6. “Chorale” (1:12)
B7. “Fugue” (2:03)

Sessions occurred at Manta Sound in Toronto and PCI Studios in Rochester with Chris Dedrick as producer and arrangers, and engineering by Mike Guzauski and Dave Green.

Postlude

After disbanding in 1972, Chris Dedrick settled in Toronto and transitioned to film and television composition, earning multiple Gemini Awards and a Genie for his work with director Guy Maddin. He also composed for The Ray Bradbury Theater and Road to Avonlea, amassing sixteen Gemini nominations and receiving honors from SOCAN and Hot Docs. Meanwhile, Chris, Sandy, and Ellen Dedrick joined the Star-Scape Singers, a spiritually guided choral ensemble led by Dr. Kenneth G. Mills, where Chris composed and arranged most of the material. The group toured globally through the 1980s and ’90s.

Renewed interest in The Free Design emerged in the mid-1990s amid a broader reevaluation of sunshine pop and soft-psych. Japanese artist Cornelius reissued their catalog on his Trattoria label, and Spanish imprint Siesta issued multiple compilations. Stereolab honored them with a 1999 track titled “The Free Design.” In 2000, the original lineup reunited to contribute “Endless Harmony” to the Beach Boys tribute Caroline Now!, which led to a full comeback album, Cosmic Peekaboo, released in 2001 with guest vocalist Rebecca Pellett.

Discography: