George Thorogood

Infobox musical artist
Name = George Thorogood

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Img_capt = George Thorogood at the Moondance Jam on July 12, 2008. Photo by Matt Becker
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias = Lonesome George
Born = Birth date and age|1950|2|24|mf=y
Wilmington, Delaware, USA
Died =
Instrument = Guitar
Genre = Blues, Blues-rock, Rock and roll
Occupation = Musician, Songwriter
Years_active = 1974 – Present
Label = EMI, Eagle, Rounder, MCA, CMC
URL = [http://www.georgethorogood.com/ www.GeorgeThorogood.com]
Notable_instruments = Gibson ES-125

George Thorogood (born February 24, 1950) is a blues-rock performer from Wilmington, Delaware. He was raised on Clearview Avenue in Naamans Gardens, a suburb of Wilmington.

Career

Thorogood's demo "Better Than the Rest" was recorded in 1974 and released in 1979. In 1976 he recorded his debut album: the "George Thorogood & The Destroyers" with his band, The Destroyers (sometimes known as The Delaware Destroyers or simplyGT and D) and issued the album in 1977. Thorogood released his next album titled "Move It On Over" in 1978 with The Destroyers, which included the Hank Williams remake of "Move It On Over". "Please Set a Date" and their remake of the Bo Diddley song "Who Do You Love" both followed in 1979 (many of Thorogood's songs were remakes of other hit songs). Before devoting himself exclusively to music, Thorogood played semi-pro baseball. ["Rolling Stone" interview by Andrew Dansby, (March 10, 2004)] In the late 1970s, Thorogood played on a team in Delaware in the Roberto Clemente League which was created in 1976. He was the second baseman and was chosen rookie of the year in the league. Soon after this achievement, The Destroyers forced him to quit playing the sport. In the 1970s, George and the band were based in Boston.

George and the Delaware Destroyers were friends with Jimmy Thackery and the Nighthawks. While touring in the 1970s, the Destroyers and the Nighthawks happened to be playing shows in Georgetown (DC) at venues across the street from each other. The Destroyers were engaged at The Cellar Door, the Nighthawks at Desperados. At midnight, by prior arrangement, while both bands played the same song ("Madison Blues") in the same key (E), George and Jimmy left their clubs, met in the middle of M street, exchanged guitar cables and went on to play with the opposing band. George and the Destroyers are also notable for undertaking a rigorous touring schedule7th Inning interview on WGN Radio 06/27/2007.] after appearing throughout the Rolling Stones tour in 1981. After two shows in Boulder, Colorado, George and his band flew to Hawaii and played for only one night. The next night they appeared in Alaska for one show. The following day the band flew to Washington State, met their roadies who had their Checker car and a truck, and continued a one show per state tour for all fifty states in exactly fifty nights. In addition, they played Washington, DC on the same day that they performed a show in Maryland.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Thorogood recorded some of his most well known works. "Bad to the Bone" was used frequently in television and the big screen. Several appearances include "", the comedy "Problem Child," John Carpenter's "Christine", and during many episodes of the television sitcom "Married with Children". This track also was used during the intro to the movie "Major Payne". The same song is also featured in the game "Rock 'n Roll Racing". It is also played during football pregame festivities at Mississippi State University. Quincy Jones once said to Thorogood, "The three things important in a record is the tune, tune, and the tune".

The Destroyers

*"Jeff Simon (Drums) 1974-Present"
*"Billy Blough (Bass Guitar) 1977-Present"
*"Hank "Hurricane" Carter (Saxophone) 1980-2003"
*"Ron Smith (Rhythm Guitar) 1973-1980"
*"Steve Chrismar (Rhythm Guitar) 1985-1993"
*"Jim Suhler (Rhythm Guitar) 1999-Present"
*"Buddy Leach (Saxophone) 2003-Present"

Discography

tudio albums

*"Better Than the Rest" (1974)
*"George Thorogood & The Destroyers" (1977)
*"Move It on Over" (1978)
*"Better Than the Rest" (1979) (Rerelease by MCA)
*"More George Thorogood and the Destroyers" (1980)
*"Bad to the Bone" (1982)
*"Maverick" (1985)
*"Nadine" (1986)
*"Born to Be Bad" (1988)
*"Boogie People" (1991)
*"I'm Wanted" (1992)
*"Haircut" (1993)
*"Rockin' My Life Away" (1997)
*"Half a Boy/Half a Man" (1999)
*"Ride 'Til I Die" (2003)
*"Who Do You Love?" (2003)
*"The Hard Stuff" (2006)

Live albums

*(1986) "Live"
*(1995) "Live: Let's Work Together"
*(1999) "Live In '99"
*(2004) "30th Anniversary Tour"

Compilations

*(1992) "The Baddest of George Thorogood and the Destroyers"
*(1992) "Anthology"
*(2004) "Greatest Hits: 30 Years of Rock"
*(2007) "Taking Care of Business " - "Double CD of Ride 'Till I Die(With 2 Bonus Tracks) & 30th Anniversary Tour"

Non-Musical Interests

Baseball

A huge baseball fan for most (if not all) of his life, as well as playing semi-pro baseball as a second baseman during the 1970s (drummer Jeff Simon played center field on the same team), when asked about his rigorous touring schedule - specifically his "50/50" Tour (50 states in 50 days) - his immediate response was "Well, it was in the off-season. So, it was nothing. Didn't have to miss a single game."

He took his daughter to Chicago for her first major league game (Cubs vs. Rockies), during which he sang "Take Me Out To The Ball Game". With obvious excitement in his voice, he said, "I told her, 'You'll see a stadium where Babe Ruth called his shot, Ernie Banks hit his 500th home run, and Milt Pappas threw a no-hitter!'"

References

External Links

* [http://www.georgethorogood.com/ George and the Destroyers official website]
* [http://www.the-trades.com/article.php?id=4384 Review: "The Hard Stuff"]