Bill Freeman — a Nashville real estate developer, political fundraiser and 2015 candidate for mayor — died Sunday at his Forest Hills home. He was 73.
The cause of death was an apparent suicide, according to Freeman’s media company, FW Publishing, through which he had owned the Nashville Scene, the Nashville Post and other local outlets since 2018.
Freeman had suffered multiple strokes in recent years, and last year transferred leadership of Freeman Webb Company, the real estate firm he founded with the late Jimmy Webb, to his son, state Rep. Bob Freeman. Earlier this year, Bill Freeman stepped down from the Metro Nashville Airport Authority board.
Bill Freeman is survived by his wife, Babs Tinsley Freeman, and sons, Bob, Harvey and Mike Freeman.
Bob Freeman told the Banner that he frequently encountered strangers who expressed their gratitude for his father’s generosity — whether it was a couple hundred bucks to pay a bill, a political donation or an early investment in their business. Bob Freeman said he never heard those stories from his father, but instead from the beneficiaries themselves.
“If you were to ask me how I want to honor his legacy, it’s that,” Bob Freeman told the Banner. “I want to continue to be a champion of our city and help those that need it.”
Freeman and Webb launched their real estate firm in 1979. The company specializes in multifamily housing and, according to its website, now owns or manages approximately 18,000 relatively low-cost apartment units and 11 million square feet of office and residential space. They later formed FW Publishing together in 2018, before Webb died in 2019. Freeman’s son Bob joined the real estate company after Webb’s death and now serves as its president.
Freeman grew up in Donelson and attended the Peabody Demonstration School (now the University School of Nashville) and the University of Tennessee, where he dropped out after his father’s death. He worked at the Metro Development and Housing Agency before meeting Webb and starting their business. Freeman served on the boards of Tennessee State University, the Nashville Area YMCA, the Nashville Public Television Council, the Nashville State Community College Foundation and in presidentially appointed roles on the Kennedy Center Advisory Committee on the Arts and the J. William Fulbright Scholarship Awards board.
Bill Freeman was a prolific donor to and fundraiser for Democratic candidates, including Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden and Democrats in the state. His prowess as a bundler and relationship with Biden brought invitations to the White House, including an April state dinner honoring the Japanese prime minister. He also served as treasurer of the Tennessee Democratic Party.
“I’m not a golfer,” Freeman said of politics in 2015. “That is my passion.”
He did have some hobbies, though, enjoying flying, hunting and racing at the Fairgrounds Speedway. He was a major supporter of the racetrack, sponsoring billboards and cars there for years.
Former U.S. Rep. Bob Clement, a longtime friend of Freeman, told the Banner they were looking forward to hunting together in Arkansas this winter.
In 2015, he ran for mayor of Nashville, falling just short of making the runoff, which Megan Barry eventually won over David Fox.
“I know when I lay my head down tonight, I will be filled with gratitude for this experience and for each and every one of you,” Freeman told supporters in his 2015 concession speech. “I will say a prayer of thanks that I have had this opportunity and have been so blessed with the friendship of everybody in this room.”
Friends and colleagues remember Freeman
Clement said he saw Freeman last week and again in October, when Clement’s family honored Freeman with an award celebrating his contributions to the state. He recalled fishing and hunting excursions with Freeman and frequent meals together. Clement said Freeman “had a real sense of humor” and “never met a stranger.”
“He was always there for people,” Clement told the Banner. “His love was public service, no doubt about it. He wanted to make a difference, and he did.”
“He was a mentor, yes, but also he believed in me,” Jamie Hollin, an attorney who worked on the 2015 campaign, told the Banner. “He always said, ‘when it gets hard, I’m calling you,’ and that was powerful shit. … Mostly, he was my friend.”
Mayor Freddie O’Connell also called Freeman a friend: “Our city, state, and nation are better for his tenacity and commitment,” O’Connell said in a statement. “We will miss him dearly, and my heart is with his family.”
Jerry Maynard, a political operative and former Metro councilmember who worked on Freeman’s 2015 campaign, called him a mentor and a father figure. He recalled Freeman’s quiet but generous support for TSU and his support of small businesses and social justice issues.
“He put his money where his mouth was,” Maynard told the Banner. “When he said ‘I’ll do something,’ it got done. He was a true champion for equality and especially for opportunities for all. … He was very generous with his time, his wisdom, his thoughts. This guy was a father in his own right. He didn’t have to take time for me, and he did.”
Former Vice President Al Gore called Freeman one of Nashville’s “kindest and most dedicated champions.”
“Bill Freeman was a giant in our city, known as much for his role in helping Nashville grow as he was for his commitment to ensuring that all of its residents could thrive,” Gore said in a statement. “Bill always sought out new ideas and knowledge in his pursuit of a better future for his community — one of the traits that made him such an important leader in our local media landscape.”
“Bill Freeman was a friend to all of Nashville,” District Attorney Glenn Funk said in a statement. “He worked hard to give the working men and women of this community better living standards from housing to wages. We are a better city because of Bill Freeman.”
“He will be remembered as a beacon of kindness, wisdom, and a stalwart community leader,” Tennessee Democratic Party chair Hendrell Remus said in a statement. “Bill was a generous soul who touched the lives of many.”
Bill Freeman was a donor to the Banner. The reporter, Stephen Elliott, worked for FW Publishing from 2018 until earlier this year.