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Taylor County Native George Shingleton Gets Big Breaks in Music City; Debut Album Set to Release

By Julie Perine on June 02, 2018 via Connect-Bridgeport.com

Seven years after relocating to Nashville, George Shingleton finds himself part of the 2018 Country Music Festival lineup, as well as a semifinalist on Topgolf’s brand new “Who Will Rock You.”
 
"I'm happy where the music has taken me in life. I enjoy playing for others and hopefully making a positive impact on them," said Shingleton, of Taylor County. "I think doors are opening because the music is honest and it's easy for people to connect with."
 
Featuring celebrity judges Bobby Bones and Maggie Rose, "Who Will Rock You" debuted May 10 with eight unsigned bands ready to battle it out for coveted title, winning $25,000 and a Topgolf headline tour. Three remain in the quest to find “America’s next super group.”
 
The show airs Thursday nights on Topgolf TV through June 28, when the winning band will be announced. The eight groups which rocked national auditions for one of the coveted spots are Chris “OZ” Ferrara of Massachusetts, Crimson Riot of Las Vegas, The Love Elektric of Sweden/Pittsburgh; Lovesick Radio of Ohio/Las Vegas; Mingnon of Texas, The Revival of Arkansas., Rockie Brown of Las Vegas and George Shingleton of West Virginia.
 
The Nashville-based CMA Festival showcases the nation’s biggest names in country music; this year featuring on its final day Scotty McCreery, Joe Diffie, Jerrod Niemann, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line and other artists on various stages – the Taylor County native and his band included.
 
Both gigs are providing Shingleton with exposure and opportunity to promote his band’s soon-to-be-released debut album; a self-titled project featuring content that, in part, tells his musical journey. It all started in 2011 when – at the suggestion of singer/songwriter Dave Pahanish – Shingleton and his wife packed their bags and moved to “Music City.”
 
“I had met Dave through a mutual friend. He already had a couple No. 1 songs and was doing well down there,” Shingleton said.
 
Pahanish – who penned Toby Keith’s “American Ride,” Keith Urban’s “Without You” and Jimmy Wayne’s “Do You Believe Me Now” – believed in Shingleton’s talent and wanted to help him take the next steps in advancing his musical career.
 
At that time, Shingleton’s wife – the former Emily Albertson, a 2004 Bridgeport High School graduate – was in nursing school, so the musician traveled back and forth before the couple could relocate together.
 
“Once I got down there, he kind of showed me the ropes. He opened some doors and got me some gigs; introduced me to some other writers and killer musicians,” Shingleton said. “Everybody in the business calls him the ‘demo god’ because his demos are record-worthy. I kind of got lucky with him and he’s turned in to a very good mentor and one of my very best friends.”
 
Pahanish also ended up contributing his musical talents to Shingleton’s band, co-writing material for the album and producing it. He and Shane Sanders are guitarists and band regulars, as is keyboardist Jefferson Crow. Various other musicians make appearances with Shingleton, depending upon the venue and the show. Pahanish’s wife Kristen Lee serves as backup vocalist on the album.
 
The first single, “Glory Bound” was released in February on iTunes, Google Play and other online outlets. The second, “Greyhound to Georgia,” comes out June 8. (See YouTube video of a live performance of that tune below.)
“Then the whole album will be released at the end of the summer or early fall,” Shingleton said.
 
Those who have heard a sneak peek of the record – which includes high-tempo tunes, love ballads and everything in between – have provided positive feedback, saying it flows from track to track and has a feel-good factor.
 
“Everybody says it’s a really good road trip album,” Shingleton said.
 
Before moving south, Shingleton played throughout the tri-county area, including Main Street Station, Brickside Bar & Grille, Tygart Lake, Winston’s Hot Spot & Grill and JC Maxeys, among others. He still frequents some venues when he’s in the area. He and Sanders will play a series of shows at Brickside June 29, July 13, Aug. 24 and Sept. 14.
 
He has been hitting Music Row for the past seven years and he has gotten his foot into the door of some venues that have enabled him to continue to climb the ladder; rung by rung to success.
 
“You know, the first gig I ever did in Nashville was at Doc Hollidays on Second Avenue. I gave it up for about two years but now have come full circle and I’m playing it again on weekends,” he said. “No matter what happens, that’s like my go-to place – my comfortable place, my ‘Cheers’ bar.”
 
George and Emily Shingleton live in Heritage, Tenn., about 10 miles outside of Nashville.



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