SCHOOL'S never really been Freddie Bailey-Cook's thing.
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The young musician from Tamworth is just about to release his latest single, Summer's Here under his new moniker, FredBear.
"I'm not exactly a huge fan of school, music is the only thing I'm really interested in doing," he said.
Inspired by the contemporary, pop-country sound of Keith Urban and polished by Brad Cox, the song is an ode to the raw streets of Tamworth Country Music Festival.
"I woke up at 3am with this song in my head and wrote it down before it went away," he said.
I woke up at 3am with this song in my head and wrote it down before it went away.
- Freddie Bailey-Cook
"I worked on it the next morning and thought it could really go somewhere.
"It's really about the festival experience from my point of view."
The new decade marks Fredbear's third year busking on the streets of Tamworth Country Music Festival.
This time he's added a slew of his own gigs to the list.
He started a couple of years ago, when his mum told him if he was going to busk at all he needed to sing.
"So I said I would sing, it was a scary experience for me the first day singing and I'm busking on the street with thousands of people walking past me," Fredbear said.
"I got used to that after the first three days and realised how much I love doing music.
"The second country music festival it got more busy for me because I've been doing all these gigs and got known by more people."
The third time around he'll perform at his own gigs, as well as the Tamworth Proud concert in Toyota Park.
In 2018, Fredbear caught the eye of judges in the busking championships competition and made it through to the top 10.
Fredbear went on to be tutored by The Bushwackers' Roger Corbett and Simon Johnson at the CMAA Academy of Country Music in Tamworth.
It was a great opportunity to learn how the industry works, he said.
"I learned a lot about musicianship and made some great friends," he said.
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"I've still got a few songs that I'm working on and some are complete that I'm thinking of recording as well but it might take me a while."
This year Fredbear will not only perform at Toyota Park, but the Tudor, the Family Hotel, the CMAA Academy Reunion Concert and launch his single Summer's Here on January 3 at the Imperial Brewhouse from 6pm.
His single is available for preorder online now.