Connie Freeman (Morris) Partridge

Connie was born in Atlanta and grew up in Cobb County. Her parents, Murray and Barbara Freeman, listened to bluegrass, country and rock ‘n roll music all through her childhood and, as a result, she was exposed to a variety of musical styles. Her dad enjoyed singing and playing acoustic guitar and in 1964 formed a bluegrass band called “The Ridgerunners”.

Before becoming interested in bluegrass music as a teenager, Connie played piano, alto saxophone and sang in choral groups both at school and church. When Connie was approximately 14 years old, her Dad purchased her first guitar. After learning a few basic chords, she started performing occasionally with her Dad’s band on guitar, acoustic bass and harmony vocals.

Connie soon expressed an interest in learning to play the banjo, and her Dad quickly purchased a new instrument for her. Once Connie gained some skills on the banjo, she became a full-time member of her Dad’s band around 1970. All through the 1970’s, “The Ridgerunners” performed at many bluegrass festivals in the Southeast and in 1978 were named one of the top three bluegrass bands in Georgia by Brown’s Guide to Georgia.

In 1979 and 1980, Connie also played banjo with the well known band, “Bluegrass Generation” and co-founded the all female bluegrass band, “Cherokee Rose”.  In 1984, after living in New York City for several years and relocating back home to Georgia, Connie co-founded  “Georgia Bound”, with which she still performs today.

In 2001, Connie became a member of the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Honor.  In 2003, the Atlanta Society of Entertainers honored Connie as their “Female Vocalist of the Year” and Georgia Bound as their “Bluegrass Band of the Year”.  And in 2014, Connie was inducted into the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame.

Connie is married to fellow band member, Jeff Partridge.

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