Chris Rupp is Moving on From Home Free to Shine on His Own

The world of the Home Fries were shaken at it's roots this past Friday, the 18th, when Home Free's founder and baritone Chris Rupp along with the rest of the Guys announced that he will be leaving the group in May. 

There are so many things to feel and think about this that is has taken me a few days to assemble my thoughts and feelings enough to be able to put it into writing. 

I would like to start with the announcement itself. The video. It is a very emotional Chris that tells us the news, clearly very taken by his decision, but underneath the seriousness, the sincerity, and the struggle to keep it together you can see the certainty, the joy and the excitement in his eyes. It was comforting and left at least me with the feeling that he knows what he's doing and that it is the right thing to do. The other Guys in the group all expressed their support of Chris' choice and they went on to announce and introduce the new addition to Home Free - Adam Chance, reassuring the world that they are not splitting up. 

Looking at the other Guys in the video I am taken by the pride in Chris' younger brother beat boxer Adam Rupp's eyes, the joy in high tenor Austin's eyes, the sadness in lead tenor Rob's eyes and the love in bass singer Tim's eyes when they look at Chris. It is clear that they all support him in this next step, as well as obviously being sad that he is leaving. 

Have a look for yourself and tell me your own thoughts and feelings;

It's been 15 years since Chris and Adam started Home Free and the group has been Chris' baby ever since. A baby that has grown up to be a teenager and it's now time for Chris to let that teenager grow into a grown up in it's own rights. Chris has spent his whole adult life nurturing, caring for, loving and struggle for the success of Home Free, and he has done an amazing job. He has often taken a step back from the spotlight to let the other Guys be there and he deserves to be there on his own. I have been following Chris' solo projects since he first announced them and the one thing that has struck me in every single Facebook Live or Periscope that he has done, and there has been a lot, is the joy, passion and energy he has shown for it. Watching the streaming from his release party for Shine I saw a Chris that was new to me. He was an artist taking his rightful place on stage; in the spotlight and he looked liked he belonged there. He had an energy and passion that I've rarely seen him have with Home Free (that's not saying he's not been passionate and energetic with them as well). Therefore, this decision came as no surprise to me. Therefore, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the right decision. For him and for Home Free. It would not be right to the group, to the other Guys, to himself or to the fans to stay when his heart and passion clearly is somewhere else. Also, Chris is not the type of person that will hold back on his dreams, if he had been he wouldn't have kept going with Home Free during the tough times in the past. To me, this was something that was due to happen at some point, and why not make that point right now when his solo career is at the verge of taking off and before Home Free hits that really big break that awaits them. Once they do it would have been a harder and a way more risky decision, and maybe that break would have been hold off by Chris not being fully commited. Chris has a solid fan base that keeps growing, so does Home Free. The timing, in my opinion, is perfect.

This is one of my favourite songs right now, and it's by Chris and it fits very well because it's all about Moving On;

I can't wait to hear what more amazing music we'll get to hear from Chris. (I know, you are still waiting for my review of Shine, and it's coming): I see a bright future for him!

So what about this new guy, Adam Chance? Well, he comes straight from the amazing a cappella group Street Corner Symphony who were the runner-ups in the Sing Off season 2 back in 2010. Even though Adam is his name he goes by Chance with the Guys of Home Free, so that is what we will call him too. Two Adams is one too many if you ask me so I'm grateful for that. And I like the name Chance, he looks like a Chance to me. Anyway, Chance was the bass singer for SCS, but he will take the baritone spot in Home Free, because he has an amazing vocal range as I understand it. I've only heard him sing in baritone during one song, but what I heard seems promising. He's got a warm, full voice with a twinge in it that I love. 

I'm eager and excited to hear what Chance will bring to the Home Free sound. Personally I'm hoping for a bass duett. Without taking anything at all away from the amazing Chris I hope and think that Chance is what Home Free needs to take them to that next level. Change is good sometimes, just look at what happened when Austin joined them?!

So where does this leave the Home Fries? Well, obviously very emotional. Lots of tears have been shed, some disappointment, some anger and a lot of fear has been expressed, but in the whole I've seen a tremendous amount of support and love going out to both Chris, Chance and Home Free. Honestly, once again, I'm proud to be a part of this amazing fan base. Most of us are both sad and excited. We mourn the Home Free that we know and love, but we are excited for what the future will bring us from both Chris and Home Free. I am confident their choice of replacement is a great one. There is excitement in the air as we welcome Chance to the Home Free Family.

Finally, I'd like to say something more about the announcement itself; I can't think of a more dignified way to announce something like this. It was honest, heartfelt, loving and perfectly set up from the beginning to the end. We got our hearts broken, we were ensured everything was as it should be, and we were brought into the future with excitement. Well done, Home Free and Chris! Well done! You are class acts both on and off the stage! Respect!

I'll end this post with one of Chris' videos. There are several of them that would fit this post, but I'm ending with the one I find most fitting; Shine, because that is what Chris is doing. He's stepping into the light, from spending a lot of time in the shadows, to Shine. And let's be honest, isn't this a great song! Go, Chris, Go! Shine for you, Shine for Home Free, Shine for the Fries and Shine for your fans (still lacking a name; suggestions anyone? "Chrupps", Chups"?)

Oh, and today is my Birthday so leave a comment about the announcement and the blog post as a gift for me!

Love//

Carina

Moving On

Home Free's baritone and co-founder Chris Rupp released his debut solo album, "Shine"", yesterday and I must say I'm loving it. This album is filled with all sorts of songs; there are ballads, duets, country, soft piano, swing, fun, sadness, broken hearts, loving hearts and it's just so much fun. I always knew Chris had a very good voice, smooth and sweet, but on this album he shows sides of himself and it that surprises me. In a completely good way.

I will be writing a review of the whole album, but as I am in the middle of packing for our move as well as getting things ready for my upcoming UK-trip (including 2 Home Free shows and the Phantom of the Opera) I'm not exactly sure when I will have time to get to it. But you should still go get the album, so you can discuss my review with me when I post it. "Shine" is available for download on several different places, and as I'm not a fan of iTunes I used CDbaby, the only thing you need to think about if you use CDbaby is that you will need to download it to a computer as it comes down as zip files you need extract before transferring them to your mobile device. It's also on Spotify, but I only recommend that if you are already a Premium member since you can't really choose the songs you want to hear on there if you're not, and it's more expensive to become a Premium member than it is to actually buy the album. If you want to you can also get it as a physical CD from Chris' website, where you can also get his recently released piano CD "Setting the Stage", his "Thinkin' Calendar", and there's also a link to his Patreon page as well where you can support the making of more videos. We have been told there will be videos coming out for all 11 songs. You can find it all right here. For those of us going to the Home Free shows in the UK and Ireland Chris' has said that he will bring some CD's over for us to buy.

However, I want to mention one of the songs off this album right now. This is a song called "Moving On" and it's written from the perspective of someone lying on their death bed. I love everything about this song; the melody, the lyrics, the piano, the instrumental build up behind the piano and most of all the message. This song also has the honour of being the first official video off of "Shine" and it fits the song perfectly in mood. It's just Chris playing the piano, singing, in the dark surrounded by lit candles. As the song progresses the day dawns and it gets light.

I think it's perfect because that's how I feel when I listen to this song. It's almost like hearing my dad in his final days. He told us he was going to be ok, that he had lived a good life, and that his only wish was for us to live our lives to the fullest, to be happy. And that is exactly what this song is about. It was all darkness, but then the day came along with the light.

I know some people will cry out of sadness from this song, but I cried out of joy and love the first few times I heard it. It just makes me happy, because I feel like I am living my life to the fullest and I am happy, just as my dad wanted. He didn't want to me be stuck in grief and sadness, he wanted me to go out into the world and be the very best I can be.

This song is so amazing I want it played at my funeral when that day comes, in 50-60 years from now (I have a lot of life left in me yet). It says what I would want to say to the ones I might leave behind. Don't grieve me, celebrate my life. Be happy, I will be ok. Actually, I will be great.

Anyway, here's "Moving On". I hope you like it as much as I do.

Oh, and if you happen to be in the Mankato, Minnesota area tonight go to Buster's and check out Chris' release party if there are any tickets left.

Now that I think about it, the title of the song is very fitting when I'm in the middle of packing to move on to a new home. I'm Moving On, in this life. :D

Love//
Carina

A Collection of Guys

Over the last few months I've written blog posts about the guys in Home Free. I thought I'd put links to those posts in one single post, for easy access. So here they are, just follow each link to read them;

Adam Rupp - The Pulse And The Beat

Tim Foust - The Rumbling Bass

Chris Rupp - The Thinking Glue

Rob Lundquist - The Beard, The Whistle, The Voice

Austin Brown - The Soulful Heartbeat

When I first started this series I put a two-video limit to the posts, only because I didn't want to make them too long, but as time went by I started to feel that it wasn't enough. When I wrote the post about Chris I couldn't hold it back anymore, I had to add more than two videos to feature him. So now I feel that the posts about Adam and Tim are not complete and good enough. This is not an all bad thing, though, because it will give me the reason, if ever I need one, to write new posts about them all some time in the future. I honestly can't wait for some time to pass by so I can get to it. 

Which of the posts is your favourite? What did you miss in them? 

Today's video will be a Scotty McReery cover; Feelin' It. It fits because, well, it's summer here and I am feeling it. That is all. 

Love//

Carina

The Thinkin' Glue

As you might know I am doing a mini-series about the members of Home Free, a country a cappella band that is in the process of taking the world by storm, step by step are they building up to full strength. Today’s post is about Chris Rupp; the group baritone, the lead arranger and the glue. Chris is together with his brother Adam Rupp, the beatboxer, the founder of Home Free. 

Chris doesn't stand out as much as the rest of the guys in the group, at least not at first listen, but without Chris and his extremely smooth voice Home Free’s music would sound quite empty. Chris is the one that in most songs holds it all together, he’s the glue that connects the beatboxing to the tenor, and the bass to the high tenor, and he does it brilliantly without having the need to stand out on his own. But when singing on his own, you realize he's just as talented and great as the rest of them are. When I listen to Chris singing it feels like perfect temperature air touching my skin, or like drinking freshly squeezed mango juice on a hot summer's day. Smooth, and clean. Perfection.

Chris might not be the one that stands out in the songs, but he stands out outside of the singing in the way he interacts with the fans of the group. All of the guys are pretty active on different social media sights, but Chris takes it a step further. Not only does he post daily thoughts called Thinkin' on both Facebook and Twitter, allowing his fans to see a bit of who he is (some of these thoughts have stirred up some interesting discussions), but he is also a member of most of the fan groups on Facebook, where he from time to time will answer questions, or just leave a comment to someone’s post. And that is quite amazing. Not many artists will take the time to do that.

As I mentioned above Chris is also the lead arranger in the band and I love his arrangements, not that I don’t love the other guy’s ones, but Chris’ often have a smoothness to them, kind of like his voice. But they can also be surprising, and that is a trademark with these guys. They always seem to surprise.

Chris studied at Gustavus Adolphus College for 3 years before getting his degrees at Minnesota State in his hometown of Mankato, in music performance with emphasis on vocal and piano. He had his first paying gig at a wedding at age 16. 

This first video is of Chris singing A Little Bit of Everything, a Keith Urban cover with a Home Free arrangement, at the same show as the live videos I shared of Adam and Tim Foust, the bass singer. It is too filmed by HeidiRancour, check out her YouTube channel for more live videos. But before any song there has to be a proper intro, here's a derailment of it; 

And here is the actual song; 

The second video is one of Home Free’s most recent videos, it is a mash up about butt songs, done in a very tasteful way making sure not to exploit the female behind. They do, however, share their own butts in a humorous way. These guys know how to not take themselves too seriously. I’m sharing this video because it was arranged by Chris together with Layne Stein and Adam Rupp. This is different from what Home Free normally does, but still, they keep stepping out of the box. 

And here is a different type of arrangement by Chris, it is a Christmas song, and it is absolutely beautiful. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Chris is known as the "Home Free Hat Guy", as he's always wearing a hat. This video caused quite a lot of attention because of it. 

Can you see the diversity of Chris and Home Free? These are all reasons why I love them, and why I love being a huge fan of theirs.

Thanks again to Heidi for allowing me use her awesome concert clips, and thank you to Home Free for encouraging their audience to film them and put it up on social media. 

Love//

Carina