Sawyer Fredericks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sawyer Fredericks
Sawyer Fredericks at Bowery Music Hall, New York City, 2015
Background information
Birth name	Sawyer Christopher Fredericks
Born	(1999-03-31) March 31, 1999 (age 26) Newtown, Connecticut, U.S.
Genres	Folk Blues
Occupation(s)	Contemporary Folk Singer and Songwriter
Instruments	Guitar Vocals
Years active	2012–present
Labels	Independent (Previously with Republic Records)
Associated acts	Mia Z, Amy Vachal, Olivia Millerschin, Meghan Linsey, Hailey Knox, Madi Davis, Noelle Bybee, Koryn Hawthorne, Joshua Davis, Kimberly Nichole, Pharrell Williams, Gabriel Wolfchild, Haley Johnson

Sawyer Christopher Fredericks (born March 31, 1999) is an American singer and songwriter. He won the 8th season of The Voice in 2015. Sawyer was coached by Pharrell Williams. He became the youngest male winner in the show's history at 16 years old.

After winning The Voice, Sawyer released an EP called Sawyer Fredericks in November 2015. It quickly reached #2 on the Billboard Folk chart. In May 2016, he released a full album, A Good Storm, which also debuted at #2 on the Billboard Folk chart. He then went on a big tour across the US to share his new music. Later, he released another album, Hide Your Ghost, in March 2018. His album Flowers for You came out in May 2020.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Sawyer Fredericks was born in Newtown, Connecticut, on March 31, 1999. He is the youngest of three brothers. When he was eight, his family moved to a large farm near Fultonville, New York. He was taught at home using a method called Unschooling. This means he learned through his interests and experiences.

At age 11, Sawyer started taking singing lessons. He began performing in his local area. He sang at farmers markets, open mic nights, and community events. He also performed at folk clubs, like The Bitter End in New York City. In 2012, he was a finalist in a young artist talent search in Pawling, New York.

Journey on The Voice

First Recordings

In 2012, Sawyer Fredericks recorded a demo with six of his own songs. It was called Breaking Ice. On June 4, 2013, he released his first studio album, Out My Window. This album had 15 original songs.

Competing on The Voice (2015)

From February to May 2015, Sawyer competed on the 8th season of The Voice. The show's talent scouts invited him to audition after seeing his singing videos on YouTube. For his first audition, called a "blind audition," he sang "Man of Constant Sorrow". This is a traditional folk song he used to sing while performing on the street.

All four coaches, Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams, Christina Aguilera, and Blake Shelton, turned their chairs for him. This meant they wanted him on their team. Sawyer chose Pharrell Williams as his coach.

In the Battle round, Sawyer sang "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" with Noelle Bybee. Pharrell chose him to move forward. In the Knockout round, Sawyer sang "Collide" by Howie Day. His performance helped him advance to the Top 20.

Live Shows and Success

In the Playoff rounds, Sawyer continued to impress. He sang "Trouble" by Ray LaMontagne to reach the Top 12. Then, he sang "Imagine" by John Lennon to get into the Top 10. Even though his voice was changing, he managed the challenging high notes. "Imagine" became a top 10 hit on iTunes, which was a big deal for the show.

He moved to the Top Eight with "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls. He then reached the Top Six with "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Both songs also did very well on iTunes.

In the Top Six, Sawyer performed "Take Me to the River" by Al Green. He also sang "Shine On" by May Erlewine as a Mother's Day dedication. "Shine On" became the highest-rated song on The Voice that week. After this, he went back to New York for a special homecoming visit. He performed for over 4,000 people at Fonda Speedway.

In the Top Five, Sawyer's songs "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri and "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield were very popular. They were the highest-rated songs that week on iTunes.

For the finale show on May 18, 2015, Sawyer released his original song "Please." He also sang "Summer Breeze" with Pharrell Williams. His final performance was "Old Man" by Neil Young. All these songs quickly climbed the iTunes charts.

On May 19, 2015, Sawyer Fredericks was announced as the winner of The Voice. Meghan Linsey came in second. As the winner, he received $100,000 and a recording contract. Sawyer broke many sales records for The Voice. Ten of his songs reached the iTunes top 10. He sold nearly one million digital songs during the competition. At 16, he was the youngest person to win The Voice at that time.

The Voice Performances

     Studio version of performance reached the top 10 on iTunes

Post-Voice Career

A Good Storm and Touring (2015–2016)

After winning The Voice in May 2015, Sawyer Fredericks signed a record deal with Republic Records. He performed at many events and opened for other artists. He released his first EP, "Sawyer Fredericks," in November 2015. It reached #2 on the Billboard Folk chart.

Sawyer Fredericks at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA on September 4, 2016

In 2016, Sawyer released a video for his song "Take It All." He also started performing with his new band. The band members were Chris Morrison on guitar, Arthur Lee Fredericks on bass, and Bob Henderson on drums. In May 2016, Sawyer returned to The Voice to perform his song "4 Pockets."

His album "A Good Storm" was released on May 13, 2016. It debuted at #2 on the Billboard Folk chart. Critics praised the album for showing Sawyer's diverse musical style. He then went on a big tour across the US, performing 49 shows to support the album.

Hide Your Ghost and Independent Music (2017–2018)

On January 12, 2017, Sawyer Fredericks announced he was becoming an independent artist. This meant he would release music on his own, without a major record label. His mother took over as his manager. He planned to release a new album and go on tour.

He performed at various events, including the 2017 ECHL All-Star Classic. He also played at the 518 Songfest and the Move Music Festival. He was joined by his new touring band: Art Fredericks on bass, Chris Thomas on drums, and Jerome Goosman on guitar.

Sawyer announced in May 2017 that he was recording his new album, Hide Your Ghost. He also shared tour dates across the US and Canada. His original song "Silent World" was featured in the Netflix series Longmire in November 2017.

He released Hide Your Ghost on March 30, 2018. The official music video for the album was released earlier in March. It was created using paper cut and stop motion animation. Another one of his songs, "This Fire," was covered on the TV show Code Black.

Flowers for You and Recent Activities (2019–Present)

On May 1, 2020, Sawyer Fredericks released his album Flowers for You. Due to the global pandemic, he and his band could not tour right away. They started touring in Fall 2021. He toured with The Accidentals, who had played strings on two songs from his new album.

Giving Back

Sawyer Fredericks has always used his music to help others. Before winning The Voice, he performed at a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He also helped raise money for the Glen Volunteer Fire Department.

After winning The Voice, he sang "Imagine" on Red Nose Day in New York City. This event raised money for children in need. He also performed at a gala and auctioned off a signed guitar to help St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

Sawyer has supported the S.A.Y. Detroit Radiothon, which helps people in Detroit. He donated a signed hat and a red jacket he wore on The Voice. These items were auctioned off and raised thousands of dollars for charity.

After a flood in Louisiana in 2016, Sawyer teamed up with fellow Voice contestant Meghan Linsey. They collected donations for flood relief at his concerts. He also donated signed CDs and a hat to benefit the Sean Craig Memorial Fund. In October 2016, he performed in Gloversville, NY, to help Mountain Valley Hospice.

In April 2017, Sawyer performed a special acoustic show for young patients at Albany Medical Center. He also performed sold-out shows at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY. Part of the money from these shows went to support the historic venue.

In June 2018, Sawyer held a concert to raise money for the Glove Theater in Gloversville, NY. This helped with the theater's restoration projects.

Discography

Extended Plays

Albums

Singles

Music Videos

Awards and Nominations