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George Friend

GEORGE FRIEND | BIO

Inspired by his father's record collection of '50's-'60's-r&b, rock&roll and blues, GEORGE FRIEND started performing at 14 years old. While in high school in Michigan he started playing the clubs 3 nights a week, and in the meantime studying jazz in the day. After moving from Michigan to San Francisco at 18, he soon performed a series of shows with poet Allen Ginsberg. Later he moved to Detroit where he furthered his jazz studies and was mentored by the controversial John Sinclair. It was Sinclair who gave George the inspiration to deeply engage himself in Blues music.

While playing in Detroit, he performed behind Sinclair playing Thelonius Monk and Robert Johnson tunes, gaining the attention of music scenester and bandleader R.J. Spangler (Johnnie Bassett, Alberta Adams). He joined Detroit's most famous R&B/Funk/Soul band, The Sun Messenger; A flight that would take him from neighborhood bar to the concert stage.