The Minneapolis-based musician, recording artist, and Grammy Recording Academy member has released seven albums and one single over ten years, all written, produced, and engineered himself.  Argir's driven, DIY approach to music is an extension of his 30-plus years of recording and performing experience, and not only does he make the albums himself, he plays every instrument on them (with the exception of live drums).

"I often say that I need to write music, as a form of therapy," Argir says, when asked about his work ethic. "if I didn't have a studio to work in, I would record music to my cell phone. I would find a way to do it."

Born in Minnesota to professional musicians, Fred grew up seeing the hustle required of working artists firsthand.  "I didn't know my dad as a youngster, but I had his albums," Fred recalls, noting that his father was often touring.  "My mother was always singing around the house, and she was very talented. My mom was the biggest influence on me. That's where I found my hunger."

Musically, Fred keeps an open mind, and allows music from a wide array of genres to inspire him. "I like it when I change corners from one project to the next," Fred says. "I've been part of the punk scene, the grunge scene, the rock scene, the acoustic scene, and it's all fun, it's all music, all different forms of expression." 

Fred's own discography is a testament to this, covering everything from acoustic folk to straightforward, high every rock. And, like fellow Minnesotans The Replacements, Fred knows his way around alternative rock that blends supposedly discordant styles into something catchy and meaningful. "I have always been influenced by the last band I saw," notes Fred. "There's always something to get from listening to a song, watching a performance...it's all fascinating to me." 

That same openness and curiosity can be heard in his lyrics, as well. "I write the music and the words at the same time," Fred says, regarding his songwriting process. "What I enjoy is capturing the emotion within the music, the space between the words, and the words themselves." That's as much as he'll say about his songs individual meanings; Fred prefers that listeners interpret his work as they see fit, and connect his music to their own lives. 

Ultimately, what drives Fred Argir to make music is the simple fact that he loves it. "Picking up a guitar and sitting outside knocking out a few chords and jotting down a song - that seems like the closest I can get to where I want to be."