George Stanford

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George Simon Stanford (born May 8)[1][2] is an American, Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter, who was signed to Mercury Records. He is a former member and lead vocalist for the band Townhall. George is a graduate of Harriton High School in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, where he played trombone in his high school jazz band.

Career[]

Stanford attended Philadelphia's University of the Arts for music. Stanford abandoned the academic world midway through his tenure for a life on the road with eclectic Philly rock act Townhall, a relationship that lasted five years (and produced one live album - 2001's Live at the Point - and two studio albums - 2003's New Song and 2005's American Dreams). In 2006, Stanford gathered his songs, left his job at a laundromat, and moved to Los Angeles, where within weeks of arriving he landed a record deal with Epic Records. The soulful singer relocated to Smash/Mercury Records the following year, moved back to his native Philadelphia, and released his debut album, Big Drop, in June 2008. It was preceded by an EP and the lead single "My Own Worst Enemy" which was featured on VH1's "You Oughta Know" program.

After his departure from the label, he formed his own independent label gbones Music and released the EP Roll Away in 2010 which featured his biggest single to date, "Meet Me in L.A." which garnered considerable airplay. He followed it up with the Las Palmas EP in 2012 and an artist residency at The Piano Bar in Hollywood.

His second studio album, Something Better was released in 2014, and featured the track "Happy As You Are" which was featured on Amazon.com's "Artists on the Rise" series.[3] Later that year, he premiered a holiday track "It's Christmas Time (Midnight Ridin')" for his fans.

In 2015, he worked on the soundtrack to the feature film "The Grace of Jake" starring Jordin Sparks and Michael Beck.[4] He released his new single "Pressure Makes Diamonds" in October 2015, and premiered it on Pat Monahan's show on SiriusXM's The Pulse.[5] He premiered a new song "I Got Famous" on his official Soundcloud/YouTube accounts in May.[6]

In August 2016, he announced he had scored two original songs for the upcoming J.K. Simmons film "The Bachelors" set for release in 2017.[7] The following month, he announced he had signed with Round Hill Music,[8][9] as a songwriter. In a September e-blast, he announced a new single release for November titled "Starring You".[10] In 2017, he continued to tour in addition to releasing three more additional digital singles "Better Man" "Future Classic" and "Moving On."

In 2018, his song "Magic Hour" received placements in the television series Kevin (Probably) Saves the World[11] and Chicago P.D..[12] He released a new digital single "Holding On" on May 23, 2018.[13]

In August, he announced a new EP recorded in an old Los Angeles church titled Alone at the Pilgrim[14] set for release in November.[15][16] Additionally, he premiered a new digital single titled "Rebellionaire" on October 10.[17]

In November, he began premiering a series of videos from the Alone at the Pilgrim sessions each week produced by TAR+FEATHER,[18] leading up to the release of the EP on December 7.[19]

Personal life[]

He's married to his wife Nikole,[20] and they welcomed their first child, a son named River in March 2013.[21] Their second son, Arrow, was born on March 24, 2015.[22]

Discography[]

Albums[]

Solo career[]

Year Album
2008 Big Drop
  • 1st studio album
  • Released: June 3, 2008
  • Formats: CD, Digital
  • Label: Mercury Records
2014 Something Better[23]
  • 2nd studio album
  • Released: August 29, 2014
  • Formats: CD, Digital
  • Label: George Stanford

With Townhall[]

Year Album
2001 Live at the Point
  • Live album
  • Released: September 1, 2011
  • Formats: CD
  • Label: Home Grown
2003 New Song
  • 1st studio album
  • Released: February 25, 2003
  • Formats: CD, Digital
  • Label: Townhall
2005 American Dreams
  • 2nd studio album
  • Released: June 28, 2005
  • Formats: CD
  • Label: 33rd Street

EPs[]

Year Album
2007 The EP
  • EP
  • Released: 2007
  • Formats: CD
  • Label: Smash Records
2010 Roll Away
  • EP
  • Released: March 12, 2010
  • Formats: CD, Digital
  • Label: Gbones Music
2012 Las Palmas
  • EP
  • Released: July 21, 2012
  • Formats: CD, Digital
  • Label: Gbones Music
2018 Alone at the Pilgrim
  • EP
  • Released: December 7, 2018
  • Formats: Digital
  • Label: George Stanford

Singles[]

Year Single Chart positions Album
U.S.
2008 "My Own Worst Enemy"
Big Drop
2009 "Meet Me In L.A."
Roll Away - EP
2010 "Lemonade"
Non-album singles
2012
"Things I Don't Need"
Las Palmas - EP
"Christmas For Two"
Non-album singles
2013
"It's So Easy"
"You'll Never Know"
2015
"Pressure Makes Diamonds"
2016
"I Got Famous"
"Today For Tomorrow"
2017
"Better Man"
"Starring You"
"Future Classic"
"Movin' On"
2018
"Holding On"
"Rebellionaire"

Videos[]

  • Alone At The Pilgrim (2018)
  • My Own Worst Enemy (2008)
  • Meet Me in L.A. (2009)
  • Roll Away (2010)
  • Lemonade (2011)
  • Cardboard Baby (Acoustic) (2012)
  • Natural Girls (2011)
  • Things I Don't Need (2012)
  • Christmas For Two (2012)
  • Downriver (2013)

References[]

  1. ^ Εlιzαbεth Grεεnε [@greeneeggsnhamm] (8 May 2012). "Happy birthday to @georgestanford (:" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "George Stanford - this is shaping up to be a great Birthday!!". Facebook. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  3. ^ Sail Across the Sun [@TrainCruise] (16 October 2014). "Recently named as an Amazon 'Artist on the Rise', @georgestanford has released his sophomore LP, 'Something Better'!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "The Grace of Jake". IMDb.com. 24 April 2015.
  5. ^ Stanford, George (2015-10-02). "Live from Las Palmas: "Pressure Makes Diamonds" debuts tonight on SiriusXM!!". Georgestanford.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  6. ^ "I Got Famous - George Stanford". YouTube. 2016-05-09. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  7. ^ "George Stanford - Thrilled to say that I landed two..." Facebook.com. 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  8. ^ "George Stanford - I'm working with Round Hill Music now..." Facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ "Hotel Café | Tickets!". Hotelcafe.com. 2016-11-02. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  11. ^ "George Stanford on Twitter: "My Song "Magic Hour" is on a hot streak! Check it out tonight on ABC's "Kevin (Probably) Saves The World"". Twitter.com. 2018-01-16. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  12. ^ "George Stanford on Twitter: "Hey Friends! Give a listen for "Magic Hour" tonight on "Chicago PD" on NBC! "". Twitter.com. 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  13. ^ "Holding On by George Stanford on Amazon Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  14. ^ "George Stanford's Instagram post: "Super Rare vintage stereo Neumann SM69 mic courtesy of @losredstar for the "Alone at the Pilgrim" sessions. This captured that room in all..."". Instagram.com. 2018-08-13. Retrieved 2020-04-20.
  15. ^ "George Stanford on Instagram: "Alone at the Pilgrim Coming in November