George Thorogood

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George Thorogood (born December 31, 1951) is a blues-rock and rock performer from Wilmington, Delaware. He was raised on Clearview Avenue in Naamans Gardens, a suburb of Wilmington, Delaware. During this time he went to Brandywine High School.

Career

Thorogood cut his debut album entitled Better Than the Rest in 1974, and released it that same year. In the autumn of 1976 he recorded his second album, the eponymous George Thorogood with his band, The Destroyers (sometimes also known as The Delaware Destroyers or simply GT and D) and issued the album in 1977. Thorogood released his next album entitled Move It On Over in the autumn of 1978 with The Destroyers, which included the hit "Move It On Over" in 1978. "Please Set A Date" and "Who Do You Love" both followed in 1979.

During the 1980s, and 1990s, Thorogood recorded some of his most well known works, Bad to the Bone (used to great effect during the bar scene in , and in the opening scene of John Carpenter's Christine), "I Drink Alone" (from his Maverick album), "You Talk Too Much", and "If You Don't Start Drinking, I'm Gonna Leave".

Thorogood is best known for his animated stage presence and loud, raucous electric guitar playing. He often uses the slide guitar method, and was one of the first to incorporate the use of distortion with this method. He is also known as "Lonesome George".

Trivia

• In the late '70s George loved working out, cigars, pro wrestling, and especially baseball. It was during this period that Thorogood created and played on a semi-pro league team in Delaware. 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 1970's, the Destroyers and the Nighthawks happened to be playing shows in Georgetown (DC) at venues across the street from each other. By prior arrangements, George and Jimmy met in the middle of the street, exchanged guitars and went and played with each other's bands.

• George and the Destroyers are also notable for undertaking a vigorous touring schedule 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. This touring feat remains unchallenged by any other band.

Album list

(courtesy of [launch yahoo])

• (2006) The Hard Stuff
• (2004)
• (2004) 30Th Anniversary Tour Live in Europe
• (2003) Rounder Heritage Series: Who Do You Love?
• (2003) Ride 'Til I Die
• (2000) Anthology
• (2000) Encore Collection: Extended Versions
• (1999) Half A Boy/Half A Man
• (1999) Live In '99
• (1995) Live: Let's Work Together
• (1993) Haircut
• (1992) The Baddest of George Thorogood and the Destroyers

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