GEORGE THOROGOOD
and the Destroyers
rocks CES at the Gibson Guitar Tent
| What do you do for an encore when
you’ve been at the top of your profession for thirty years? If
you’re George Thorogood & The Destroyers you probably take a
deep breath and dive right back into the life you’ve known best
for three decades. As the band crisscrosses the country and hops
the Atlantic to bring the celebration of their accomplishment to
a legion of die-hard fans, EMI/Capitol Records marks the
occasion in their own special way—with the release of
George Thorogood & The Destroyers: The Best 30 Years Of Rock.
The sixteen song, single CD compilation, features their biggest
singles, from “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”, “Move It On
Over” and “Bad To The Bone” to “Born To Be Bad”, “Get A Haircut”
and “American Made.”
“When we first started, none of us had any idea we’d still be going strong for this long. It’s truly living a dream.” That dream has taken many forms since their first gig at Lane Hall on the U of Delaware campus. In the early years, the Destroyers got the chance to open for idols such as Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Hound Dog Taylor. The support and encouragement they received from these veterans fueled their enthusiasm and bolstered their confidence. George and original Destroyer, drummer Jeff Simon, experimented with different musicians before tapping bassist Bill Blough to join them in 1976. The trio has played with different combinations over the years, but made a permanent addition of guitarist, Jim Suhler in 2000. Currently, saxophone player, Buddy Leach rounds out the unit. When the Destroyers’ first album on Rounder Records yielded hit singles, the band made a quantum leap in terms of recognition and peer respect. The legendary Bill Graham approached the band on behalf of The Rolling Stones and asked them to open a series of dates for the British rockers. |
