For close to 20 years now, I've been actively supporting local musicians where I've lived (and encouraging others to do the same). I'm particularly talking here about those who have not yet experienced significant national fame and exposure. Since I've been doing this, I've found support falling into three different levels.
The first is where you go to a venue (or here in Nashville, most commonly the writers nights) and you hear some fairly strong people whose names you make note of to possibly see again when they turn up in lineups. The second is where you find those who stand out in particular and you make a point to go to their gigs fairly often.
The third level is the one people like me wait for...which is finding the diamonds. The ones that make it quite clear to me why I started and continue to do this whole support thing. The ones I become on fire for and write blog paragraphs and emails galore about, telling the world how amazing they are and why you should think so as well, or perhaps got lucky enough to be entrusted to promote them. Or, there's just something about their music that just makes "the wow" impact on you from the get-go. You can't always explain why in words. I noted once that sometimes you don't pick singers...they pick you. In this category in the Twin Cities, it was TD Mischke and Michael Loonan, who kicked this whole thing off for me in the first place. Sean Smith is another who could possibly fit into this category.
Welcome the newest addition to this third group--George Adams.
I found George as a result of my Radio Free Nashville stint, most specifically hearing his music on "Geo On the Radio", the show that is on before mine. I found some sample tracks and one full track on his MySpace and was completely blown away. That hasn't happened since finding Mark Lowry eight years ago...and the rest was history there. This guy has one incredible voice; if you've spent any amount of time in my blogs on or my website, you know how I feel about truly great voices. Plus, the songs, all originals, are great. George's monthly gig at the VFW Post 1970 in West Nashville went on my calendar and I became even more pumped for the gig after finding some short video performance clips.
What I heard on George's website was confirmed live. As far as I am concerned, he has the best voice I have heard in this town since I came here. In a smoky little VFW post hall with a "Cheers" like bar, he managed to outsing just about every less than superstar level male artist on the radio today and hold his own with all the rest. Now, I tend to avoid smoky places like the plague and my bedtime is usually long before the midnight closing time. But, I knew in short order I wasn't going anywhere after hearing just a couple of songs.
When I was driving out to do my radio show Saturday, I was listening to "Geo on the Radio" and heard him play "Everything That Glitters" by Dan Seals. He noted that he often performs it live. As I was listening to the cut, I said "yeah--that would definitely work for him". I asked George to do that song, and it was just as awesome a performance as I'd imagined. He also did "Life's Highway", "Somewhere In My Broken Heart" and several other covers that either made you forget or not care that someone else did them first because he made them all his. That of course is what a true artist does. I might also add he is a charismatic performer and his bio is accurate in that he has an entertaining way with an audience, all developed with years of performing around Nashville and elsewhere.
All I can say is, what a find George Adams is. This radio gig has its perks. I call these things as I hear them. Go to his websites and hear what I'm talking about. Then go hear him for yourself. He plays what he likes, and I like what he plays. So far, so good.
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