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Born within the sound of the shipyard rivet guns (making him a true 'Geordie'), this native Tynesider moved to the south of England when he joined the Royal Navy as a boy. (It was either that or the shipyards and they turned him down because he couldn't play football! - apparently it was a requisite to be able to play between tea-breaks)
He comes from a long line of boxers although his paternal grandfather was an irish wolfhound.
George took up the guitar because no one had, at that time, invented the video and, due to a recurring sports injury, needed an activity with his hands that wouldn't get him arrested. (Although it has been said that when he sings he should be locked up!) His family were well-known musicians in the northeast of England.
During the floods of 1953 his mother rescued him from the rising waters by paddling out of the family home on a sofa whilst his father accompanied her on the piano.
His music has been variously described as pop, folk, rock 'n' roll and dire.
All joking aside, George has built up quite an impressive reputation as both an entertainer and compere at some of the country's most prestigious music festivals (Eastleigh, Guernsey, Maryport, Fareham, Solent Song & Ale, Winchester, Broadstairs, Wallingford) as well as in folk clubs and pubs all over England. As well as performing as a solo artist he is joined by Geoff Higginbottom & Wounded John Scott Cree as The Phatt-B'Stards - a seriously fun good-time band and by 'Banjo' Bill McKinnon as Nine Mile Ride,
He also teams up with Shep Woolley, Gary Blakely & Pete Fyfe as The 'andsome Cabin Boys and with various, available musicians as Irish band Blo na Gael
(He is also a very good Father Christmas)
A more recent venture features George's daughters, Jenny & Kaite as "Polly's On The Shore" singing songs of ‘the girls that were left behind' or as "The Rock Chicks", when you'll find them singing more modern songs or doing some top-line backing vocals for 'the old feller' or The Phatt-B'Stards.
Over the years George has supported some of the country's biggest names in the world of folk entertainment; Jez Lowe, Harvey Andrews, Mike Silver, Artisan, Fred Wedlock & Show of Hands and in July 2004 he supported his idol, Richard Thompson in a one-off concert in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
His life-long ambition as an entertainer was to play at The Royal Albert Hall and this he achieved in July 2002. Now he would like to play inside !
When not strumming the guitar and thinking up silly jokes he works for a bank but is not allowed anywhere near the money. However he is allowed to answer the phone, take messages and he makes a great cup of tea.
He also has a broad sense of humour! (And a waistline to match)
He has two daughters and lives with his wife, in Hedge End, Hampshire (where the M27 is cobbled) occasionally making forays into Dorset to visit his Mother-In-Law (He says it saves her visiting him!) and every couple of years makes the pilgrimage back to Tyneside to see if he can find the hubcaps off his car
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