CDs
L J's Songs / CDs
L J started writing songs in the mid '60s.
They vary widely with regard to topic and musical style.
They include melodic love songs, psychedelic and heavy rock expressions, social commentaries and songs of inspired testimony.
Evolving through his trials of life, he has phased in and out of creative periods, which has resulted in over 100 songs being written along the way.
It has only been in recent years, having finally acquired the home studio equipment necessary, that he has been able to begin the task of getting them all recorded in a presentable manner.
His currently available CDs offer a wide range of listening experiences and demonstrate why he is regarded by many as one of northeast Ohio's most dynamic and unique songwriting musicians to ever fall through the cracks of fate into oblivion.
To obtain CDs or song files, please feel welcome to contact L J at:
"Dreamy" is a suite of instrumental versions of original compositions "performed" by The L J Fortier Memorial Electronic Orchestra, directed by L J Fortier. The music was produced with a sequencer, with L J having either recorded or programmed every note and beat of every musical and percussion instrument. This was a late '80s effort, prior to his acquiring multi track recording equipment. Dreamy features a delightful mix of both the moody melodies and vibrant pop rock expressions of songs written by L J during the '60s and early '70s.
Tracks:
1. Out of My Reach
2. Why Do People Give Up On Love
3. Sorry 'bout the Last Dance
4. Dreamy
5. Ooh, Ah Woof
6. Why Couldn't I Have Loved You Yesterday 7. Rapture
8. Medley: Doesn't It Seem to You / I Don't Want to Say Goodbye
9. Medley: Miss That Girl / Please Take My Hand / Family of Friends
DREAMY (instrumental only)
L J's Mix :
Vintage Freeman Sound
(Studio and Other Recordings)
A collection of studio and live recordings featuring members of the original Freeman Sound group (Ray Escott, L J Fortier, John Harrow, Buster McCarthy, Kurt Sunderman), together and in various combinations with other musicians through the years.
Tracks:
01. Singing My Own Song (L J Fortier, inspired and co-authored by "Buster" McCarthy).
02. 16 Tons (M. Travis).
Both the above studio efforts from the Starshine 45 by the original Freeman Sound.
03. Give Me Your Hand (J. Harrow), recorded live by the original Freeman Sound.
04. Get It While You Can (L J Fortier)
05. If I Could Only (L J Fortier)
Both the above studio efforts by L J, Ray, Gary DelVecchio
06. Wanting To Be Free (J. Harrow) Studio effort by John, L J, Paul Bires, Gary Sloas, Brian Wingrove.
07. All of My Love Always (L J Fortier)
08. Gonna Make It With the Magic in My Hands
(L J Fortier)
Both the above studio efforts by L J.
09. Morning Time Blues
10. Time Has No Sympathy
Both the above (L J Fortier, inspired by lyrics by Ray Escott and Jack Goodwin), recorded live by "another" Freeman Sound, L J, Ray, Dave Sembach, Phil "Paper" Daugherty.
11. Heavy Trip #70 (sound collage by L J featuring efforts with the original Freeman Sound).
12. Christmas Card (L J Fortier) by L J, John.
13. Boogie (L J Fortier) Live recording by the original Freeman Sound
L J's Lost Songs
Vol. 1
(Early Efforts)
All the songs on this album were written by L J at various times between 1967 and 1994, were recorded between 2000 and 2003 on a 4-track Tascam Portastudio, remix to digital effort completed in 2007.
L J's guitar, harmonica and vocals were recorded in real time over backing tracks he programmed from scratch on a Yamaha QY20 sequencer.
Tracks:
01. Keep Your Friends
02. Tomorrow Is Plastic
03. On the Way
04. Lost Ways
05. I Just Can't Stop Lovin' You (Babe)
06. Take Your Time
07. Video Wasteland
08. Have You Heard
09. Downfall
10. All I Need
11. That's the Way It Makes Me Feel
12. By the Rules
13. Am I An Animal
14. All Roads Lead Home
15. Tarnished Star
16. More To Realize
17. Time Has No Sympathy (L J Fortier, inspired by lyrics by Ray Escott and Jack Goodwin)
L J's Lost Songs
Vol. 2
(First computer
studio work)
All the songs on this album were written by L J between 1967 and 1994, were recorded in 2009.
With the exception of the drum track on "Rockarama Real Heat", all instruments and vocals were recorded in "real time", track by track by L J himself. Horns and strings accomplished on keyboard.
Tracks:
01. Havin' a Great Day
02. Too Much Fussin' and Fightin'
03. Lookin' Up
04. Excuse Me Everybody
05. Rock On
06. This Time
07. Livin' Free
08. Show You Tonight
09. Letter From My Baby
10. Don't Race the Rain
11. Mr. Souse
12. Out of My Reach
13. Lone Survivor
14. Don't Even Know Where You Are
15. Just Right
16. Rockarama Real Heat
L J's Lost Songs
Vol. 3
(The Crunchers)
All songs written by L J Fortier between 1970 and 1990. "Haunted" and "Get Right See Light" inspired by Royal Highness. "Gray Sky Blue" inspired by Bob Baldwin.
Recorded between 2012 and 2015.
All instruments and vocals for all tracks recorded live by L J except cowbell on "You've Got To Love" and "Mad Man".
Tracks:
01. Keep Your Friends
02. Mountainside
03. Tell You So
04. You've Got To Love
05. Man Alone
06. Night Shift
07. Miss That Girl
08. He's No Fool
09. Maybe You Want To Rock
10. Haunted
11. Gray Sky Blue
12. When I'm Gone
13. Get Right See Light
14. When I'm Gone
15. Smokin' Buddies
16. Keep On
L J's Lost Songs
Vol. 4
(Mostly Christian)
A combination of L J's songs written in the early '70s and the late '80s, recorded in 2015.
All vocals and instruments recorded "live" by
L J, with the exception of some drum machine stick clicks, tambourine and bongos, as well as the left channel rhythm section on "How Would You Like Things To Be". Horns and strings done on keyboard.
Tracks:
01. Soul and State Of Mind
02. You'll Never Get Away From You
03. Can Be Found
04. Doesn't It Seem To You
05. Any Day At All
06. That's Life
07. He's Healed My Heart
08. To Give Some Joy
09. Watch Out For the Devil
10. Things Aren't the Way They Used To Be
11. Headed For Home
12. The Ship
13. How Would You Like Things To Be
14. Overcoming Adversity
15. Peace Reigns Under My Roof
L J's Lost Songs
Vol. 5
(Variety)
A variety of L J's songs whose topics range from romance to other trials of life, written between the late '60s and mid '70s, recorded in 2016. All instruments and vocals on all tracks recorded "live" by L J, except sequencer rhythm track for "Dreamy", programmed by L J.
Tracks:
01. Dreamy
02. Dream Love
03. Dream On
04. Dagger
05. All Right
06. To See Me Through
07. The Way You Were To Me
08. Summer Days Winter's Rage
09. Which Love Is Real
10. Who's Gonna Tell Me
11. Loved You Yesterday
12. Almost Home
13. Left Me Hangin' Today
14. People Throw Away Love
15. Please Take My Hand
L J's Lost Songs
Vol. 6
(Variety)
All songs written by L J between 1968 and 2017, all instruments and vocal tracks recorded "live" by L J in 2017.
Tracks:
01. What I'm Feeling
02. The Daze Lament
03. Mental Prison
04. My Summer Love
05. Shall I Go Again
06. Cryin' and Debatin'
07. And They Say
08. No Woman, No Love
09. Lookin' To You
10. Far Away
11. She Tried To Show Me
12. Easier Said Than Done
13. I'll Give You Love
14. You I Worry About
15. Being Sad Doesn't Hurt Any More
16. Family of Friends
L J's Lost Songs
Vol. 7
(Variety)
All songs written by L J between 1968 and 1990. All instruments and vocals recorded "live" by L J in 2018, with the exception of some percussion (drum machine) on "She Took My Best", "Don't Even Want To Fool Around" and the sequencer backing track on "Sorry "Bout the Last Dance". All orchestration accomplished on keyboard.
Tracks:
01. She Took My Best
02. Sorry 'Bout the Last Dance
03. Cleveland TV Blues
04. Hands of a Stranger
05. Won't Smoke Any More Cigarettes
06. How I'm Missing You
07. You Don't Need Me
08. She Made Me Feel
09. Don't Even Want To Fool Around
10. Wanted To See You
11. Please
12. Electric Man
13. Crazy As Crazy Can Be
14. Depths of Depression
15. May God Bless America
