George Collins doesn’t consider himself part of the new British Invasion but he will admit to relating to the sensibilities of his fellow countrymen in groups like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, and others who were deeply inspired by American music. Though he spent his early band days playing venues that most of the world considers holy including Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club and Fakefest in Harrogate, it was always the siren song of America that called to George. He notes, “I mostly spent my younger days playing in small pubs and town halls with just an acoustic guitar. The music that was most popular around me was English Folk however, that never really swept me off my feet like the blues did. I guess you could say I have always liked American music over the English stuff.” Diving deep into the pool of influences such as Texas Blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Mayer, and others, George followed the footsteps of Mayer in attending Boston’s famed Berklee College of Music which also boasts alumni like Quincy Jones, Donald Fagen, Steve Vai, and others. Finding his way to Music City USA (Nashville, TN), Collins has found himself performing with such artists as Jacob Jefferies (of the band Vulfpeck), Maya Manuela, and American Idol winner Noah Thompson. George asserts that playing with authenticity means experiencing the people of a culture and the Thompson gig in particular has allowed him the connection with America that he has sought for so long.
It may seem a little “on the nose” but George communicates that playing guitar in the band for the winner of American Idol provided him with an ideal means of experiencing America. Being the winner of arguably the United States most prominent talent program and his #1 hit single “One Day Tonight”, Noah Thompson’s fanbase is massive and enthusiastic. Seeing him perform live at venues like the Appalachian Wireless Arena in Pikeville, Kentucky (capacity of 7,000) provides an exciting setting for music and listeners to share a special experience. The excitement was baked into George’s tenure with Noah’s band as he received the call three days prior to his first performance with them. He recalls, “I got the call 72 hours before the first show. I literally learned the music on the ride to that first gig in West Virginia. It was quite terrifying but also very exciting. You find out what you’re really made of in those situations. You have to both know the music well and ‘feel’ it well. It’s not enough to just play it, you have to gel with the other musicians and create a comfort level for the artist up front to feel supported at the highest level. What I recall about that first gig was that it was packed. I remember taking a guitar solo and hearing the crowd scream. Not many jobs give you that kind of immediate and enthusiastic reinforcement for your efforts.”
Though he spends most of his time in the vibrant Nashville live performance and studio scene, his adventures playing in locations like Lori’s Roadhouse (Ohio, Ogemaw Michigan) and the like are what Collins feels grounds him to the roots of Country-Rock music. For a creative professional, the environment they inhabit can propel them exponentially upward. This is certainly displayed in the various artist who witness and enlist George to collaborate on their music. Among these is Indie Pop artist Maya Manuela with whom Mr. Collins is currently serving as musical director and guitarist. Music is a continually expanding endeavor for George who declares, “I’d actually never played country music before I got the gig with Noah, so a lot of it was learning on the job. Living in Nashville has really exposed me to a lot of country music so I’ve been soaking it in as much as possible. I grew up in Settle (England) where Folk music was the predominant genre. In Boston it was all about Jazz and Rock. Music is communication and there’s so much to expressing yourself as a person and a musician, you can’t be closed off. I make a lot of guitar videos for social media and as a content creator, I’m always thinking how I can help someone to learn and expand what they want to say as well as what they have to say. Music is so incredible because it keeps evolving and transforming; I love being a part of that!”