Blues man George Thorogood wants to ‘keep rocking’
George Thorogood’s most recent album, 2017’s “Party of One,” was something altogether new for the blues rocker — a solo acoustic set, his first recording without his hard-charging band, the Destroyers. Thorogood talks about that album with pride and calls it “long overdue.” But when asked if he will do any solo acoustic numbers during his show at the Ferguson Center on Thursday night, he laughs. “No, man, I had a hard enough time doing it in the studio,” he said. “I’d have a really hard time pulling it off on the bandstand. We want to keep rocking, keep the spirit of youth alive.”
He is 69 years old, but feels good and sounds energetic. Forty years after he emerged on the scene playing electrified covers of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and John Lee Hooker, he still stays true to his roots.
GEORGE THOROGOOD CREDITS LONGEVITY TO THE FANS
69 years young, hard rocking blues and boogie guitar guru George Thorogood has been on the road for nearly 45 years. The Delaware native first popped unto the scene back in 1974, with his band the Destroyers, selling over 15 million records during his more than four decade run.
Their self titled debut (1977) went gold and quickly introduced fans to Thorogood's love of old school blues, giving us the popular remake of John Lee Hooker's 'One Bourbon, One Scotch, & One Beer' as well as 'Kind Hearted Woman' by Robert Johnson. All totaled, Thorogood and the Destroyers have released 16 studio albums, earned six gold records, including two earning platinum certification.
Epiphone's New Signature White Fang is Bad to the Bone
Courtesy GuitarPlayer.com
The introduction of Epiphone’s George Thorogood White Fang ES-125 TDC is a long-overdue tribute to the slide-wielding blues rocker whose badass-to-the bone guitar tone is one of the most recognizable around. Based on the vintage Gibson ES-125s that Thorogood has been slinging for decades, the White Fang ($899 street) has been optimized for the Delaware-born guitarist via a custom neck profile, Wilkinson Deluxe tuners, Epiphone ProBucker P-90 pickups, a wooden bridge and an eye-catching Bone white finish.
Far from being just a sweet-looking signature model, however, the White Fang was born out of necessity. “I was kind of forced into it due to the fact that I had worn out all my old Gibson 125s,” Thorogood says. “They’re frail and they just kept breaking down, and we were spending thousands of dollars trying to rebuild them. Finally, the people in my organization told me I couldn’t play them anymore because it was costing us a fortune. They asked me to try some Epiphone guitars.
“I picked one up and it sounded good, but I physically couldn’t play it because the neck was too wide and thick. Epiphone said that was the least of my worries, because they could alter the neck and frets and all that to my specs. It took a little time to make the changes I wanted, but ever since they turned me on to this instrument, I can’t put it down. And I think that’s the way it should be with a musical instrument. It’s like having really good food on your table that you can’t stop eating.”
George Thorogood Talks Upcoming Show At Town Hall, Guitars, The First Record He Bought, Robert Johnson, Hank Williams And A Lot More
BY: Joe Rock WBAB 102.3
George and I had a great chat about the show.
We talk about how you can help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by buying one of the shirts George and I are wearing in the picture above.
We also discussed his influences of Robert Johnson and Hank Williams. Plus we talked the first record he bought and the first time he heard himself on the radio.
Give a listen below and then make sure you catch George at Town Hall September 25th.