George Thorogood

Thorogood's demo, Better Than the Rest, was recorded in 1974, but it wasn't released until 1979. His major recording debut came with the album George Thorogood and the Destroyers, which was released in 1977. In 1978, Thorogood released his next album with the Destroyers titled Move It on Over, which included a remake of Hank Williams' "Move It on Over". He followed those recordings in 1979 with "Please Set a Date" and a reworking of the Bo Diddley song "Who Do You Love" both released in 1979. The band's early success contributed to the rise of folk label Rounder Records.

With his contract with Rounder Records expiring, Thorogood signed with EMI America Records and in 1982 released the single "Bad to the Bone" and an album of the same name that went gold. The song became the band's most well-known song through appearances on MTV and use in films, television and commercials. Thorogood and his band went on to have two more gold studio albums in the 1980s, Maverick and Born to Be Bad. The former features concert staple "I Drink Alone" and Thorogood's only Billboard Hot 100 hit, a remake of Johnny Otis's "Willie and the Hand Jive". In 1985, he appeared at Live Aid performing with Bo Diddley and Albert Collins.

During the late 1970s, Thorogood and his band were based in Boston. He was friends with Jimmy Thackery of the Washington, D.C.-based blues band, The Nighthawks. While touring in the 1970s, the Destroyers and the Nighthawks were playing shows in Georgetown at venues across the street from each other. The Destroyers were engaged at The Cellar Door and the Nighthawks at Desperados. At midnight, while both bands played Elmore James' "Madison Blues" in the same key, Thorogood and Thackery left their clubs, met in the middle of M Street, exchanged guitar patch cords and went on to play with the opposite band in the other club. The connection with the Nighthawks was extended further, when Nighthawks bass player Jan Zukowski supported Thorogood's set at the Live Aid concert in Philadelphia, PA on July 13, 1985.

Thorogood's popularity waned in the 1990s, although he had a No. 2 hit on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart in 1992 with "Get a Haircut".

Thorogood has been a baseball fan for most of his life, playing semi-pro ball as a second baseman during the 1970s (drummer Jeff Simon played center field on the same team). He took his daughter to Chicago for her first major league game (Cubs vs. Rockies), during which he sang "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". In a 2011 Guitar World interview, he stated "I'm a Mets fan. There aren't many of us but you know, that's me."

In 2012, Thorogood was named one of the "50 Most Influential Delawareans of the Past 50 Years". He released his first proper solo album in 2017 titled Party of One.

Happy Birthday To George, and George

Two famous musicians named George were born on this day.  First was George Harrison, who needs no introduction, in 1943.  He would have been just 73 today. 

Birthday: George Thorogood

Rock singer-musician George Thorogood is 65.