First One Free (2005)

Recorded just outside the little town of Monticello, Mississippi, these sessions gave the Big Smith guitarist/singer/songwriter cause to pick up the electric guitar and rock a little and a lot. Bilyeu had ample support in the way of the Delta+Appalchian guitar work of Mississippi native Cary Hudson, frontman of Blue Mountain, the band that rightly shares co-invention credit of the Alt-Country genre, Punk and Americana’s prodigal child. These two lead guitars converse and quarrel and party in and amongst Bilyeu’s lyrics, a texture reminiscent of Clapton and Allman, as they decorate a solid frame constructed by drummer Ted Gainey and bassist Bill Thomas - capable, confident, competent. They had fun, these musicians, forging friendships while learning what an ensemble half Ozarks and half Deep South might could possibly sound like, all the while keeping in view what brought them together, there in Monticello - always the songs.

Track listing:
1. Antique Dreams

2. Don't Need So Much

3. Finally Free

4. Backwater

5. Home in the Country

6. Money

7. 800 Miles Around

8. It's Gonna Be Easy

9. Brady And Duncan

10. Burn Brightly

11. I've Brought A Sorrow Here

12. Paint

13. Budgeted Time

Words about First One Free~

"From the stellar guitar playing, to the outstanding song quality, First One Free is a gem. Tear off the cellophane, open the jewel case and enjoy one of the best records of the year." -Being There, www.beingthere.com 

“First One Free is a soaring piece of work, each song better than the one before it, loaded with guitars that meld and sing and sensible yet profound lyrics. Overall I rate it a damn good listen.” -Tom Irwin, Music Editor Illinois Times

“Mark Bilyeu is one of those rare artists who has the courage to let the songs use him as their instrument of expression. First One Free has rekindled my belief that music still has power and that it still matters. It's refreshing, bold, and important. Mark is a fine craftsman.” - John Dillon, guitarist/singer, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils

"In my humble-pie opinion, Mark is one of the best songwriter-musicians I have known, and I've known a lot." - Cary Hudson  

"[First One Free] offers a more complete picture of him as a singer, songwriter and artist…Sometimes the best [songs] need only to be played with sincerity, and that's clearly what happened during Bilyeu's time in the studio." - Michael Brothers, Springfield News-Leader

"[Bilyeu] writes songs that pull you in to [his] space and performs them with passion. They bring back memories of early The Band days, with added spice…a top-shelf songwriter and player" - Fayetteville Free Weekly