Greyhound George is now over sixty. While in his youth he tended to live by the motto "I hope I die before I get old," he is now grateful for all the years he's been able to experience, gaining a wealth of personal and musical experiences. 45 years of band and performance experience, hundreds of written songs, concerts in a wide variety of constellations, inspiring but also disillusioning encounters with blues heroes and role models—in Westphalia, it takes time to form an artist's personality.
Most of this time passed under the radar, unnoticed by the wider public. That's inevitable when you're German and involved with musical genres like blues, skiffle, soul, and reggae, and you have deep roots in East Westphalia. In recent years, however, blues enthusiasts have started to listen more closely when the name "Greyhound George" is mentioned. Could this be due to George's guitar skills or his songs? Some American colleagues have said that they wonder why more of the same isn't written in the US. Perhaps it's also due to his stage presence, which once got him to the finals of the "International Blues Challenge" in Memphis. Some even say he's a good singer. Or perhaps it's simply because he's had enough time to carefully develop his style.
Even changing trends and tendencies in the music business can no longer faze Greyhound George. While many younger artists today hardly consider it timely to make a single album, George and his band are releasing an entire trilogy from 2020 to 2022, summarizing his musical development and spanning everything from earthy Chicago blues to funk- and soul-influenced tracks to almost pop-influenced sounds.
With "No Time To Cry," the third part of this trilogy is now being released by Timezone Records. The album's 13 songs are written from a mature perspective, by someone who no longer has to go along with everything, because he doesn't have that much time left in his life. They neither follow any trend nor limit themselves to a single style of blues. Rather, like its two predecessors, it is an "album" in the best sense of the word. There are danceable numbers like
"I've Got The Blues For You" and "My Buddy Buddy Friends," as well as thoughtful songs like "Simple Man's Blues," with its strong jazz influence, and "No Excuses Anymore," a more ethereal guitar blues. A few raucous shuffles like "All You Can Eat" and "Gone For Good" are also included, of course. Songs like "If It Wasn't For You" and "Fake Reality" have a more soulful feel. Greyhound George, of course, wrote the horn sections on the album himself. He learned that along the way, too.
This band is a stroke of luck for George! The guys are well-versed in all musical disciplines, having been touring the country for just as long as George himself. They are therefore able to not only implement all of George's musical ideas, but always take them a step further. They have known each other for years from the blues sessions in Bielefeld and therefore understand each other perfectly. The resulting groove is present in every song on "No Time To Cry" and makes it difficult for the listener to simply sit still once they've gotten into it. Perhaps that's the reason why
The band has been touring Germany at concerts and festivals since 2019, was nominated for the Blues Award as "Best Band," and took second place in the "German Blues Challenge 2022." The band has just as much fun on stage as the audience. Listen to "No Time To Cry" and you'll see why!
