Nathan Clark George
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Nathan Clark George

Franklin, Tennessee, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2013

Franklin, Tennessee, United States
Established on Jan, 2013
Band Folk Acoustic

Calendar

Music

Press


"2006 Musician of the Year"

No local musical artists [of Carbondale, IL] travelled so extensively as the Woodbox Gang and Nathan Clark George (the latter with and without Shady Mix's Mark Stoffel), while still finding time to create and record new music of such amazing quality....

...George performs a wonderful task-- he captures all the majesty, subtlety, and complexity of the Bible and its teachings in appealing, original folksy pop songs that don't pander lyrically or musically to the largely vapid Christian-rock radio industry. George, also an astounding guitarist, recorded a solo CD as well as a duet Christmas disc with the great multi-instrumentalist and singer Stoffel. After a huge chunk of the last year or so on the road with his family as a full-time musician, George and Stoffel closed out 2006 with a tour of Europe. - Nightlife, Carbondale, IL


"CD Release"

It's been said that music can be a more powerful communicator than any sermon, that people will accept a message in music that they would not listen to in words. For years singers and songwriters have been relaying powerful messages to somewhat unwilling audiences by wrapping them in words and music.... Now, one of Southern Illinois's own singer/songwriters is doing the same. In a world where theological sermons and open statements of Christian faith are often ridiculed, Nathan Clark George is taking his message of faith in, hope for, and love of his creator into the popular arena with his guitar and his voice.

George is a renaissance musician whose roots are firm in the faith of his past, but whose message is contemporary, moving into the twenty-first century to fulfill the spiritual needs of the people who hear it. With just his voice and guitar, his simple yet sweet voice draws audiences in and wraps itself around them like a warm cardigan sweater on a windblown winter day. The music is positive but not proselytizing, with words that reach right to the core of what it means to be broken by life but lifted by faith. The music is pop-sounding, reminiscent of great singer/songwriters of the past like Jim Croce, James Taylor, and Rich Mullins. Yet the message that flows through George's music is much more complicated, at times sternly powerful and at other times frail, getting to the center of what it means to be human.

George calls Murphysboro, Illinois his home, but his music and the soul-searching message behind it have taken him around the world. Like the scriptures from which they are taken, acoustic masterpieces like "Brothers" call audiences to "bear one another's burdens in love and let us do good to all we embrace." Critically acclaimed previous releases Slam the Door & Words for Everyday have won George fans that would never darken a church door or turn on a TV sermon, and won George the 2006 Acoustic Artist of the Year Award from IndieHeaven.com and made him a finalist for the Independent Music Association's 2005 Musician of the Year Award and. Now, poised on the brink of a five-city European tour, George offers hometown audiences two brand-new collections, Rise in the Darkness and A Midwinter's Eve.... - The Carbondale Nightlife


"Artist Review by Brent Stewart"

When I asked Nathan Clark George what he had been up to lately, he said “Touring. And I need money go to the dentist.” Such is the life of an independent musician.

For the last couple of years, Nathan, his wife Patsy and their four children literally have been touring across the country. A partial list of the states Nathan has had performances includes Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, North and South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana,
and the place they call home, Illinois.

After December, Nathan will pack his family back up in the motor home and start out on another year of work as an independent musician. This last year was quite a significant year for him, professionally. He received the Indieheaven.com Momen-tum Award for Acoustic Artist of the Year and was a finalist in the Independent Music Awards Acoustic Album of the Year category for “Slam the Door.”

...Most importantly, he found consistent footing in his calendar of events, performing more than 80 shows this year. Next year, he will continue trying to find ways to expand his support base, possibly signing a management deal. “The fact that for two-and-a-half years, my sole income has been through music,” he said. “I think that’s good. “I’m not in the upper echelon of independents, but that’s a good indicator that things are working. My fan base has grown, I’m getting repeat invites for shows, and I’ve won some awards. I think there’s a logical progression.”

brent.stewart@thesouthern.com / (618) 351-5074 - The Southern


""Slam the Door" 2005 Finalist!"

Slam the Door was named a top 5 finalist in the 2005 Independant Music Awards Awards for the Singer/Songwriter category! Judges included folks like Nora Jones, Nickel Creek and more. - The Independant Music Awards!


"Acoustic Artist of the Year 2006!"

In March of 2006 Nathan Clark George was named the Acoustic Artist of the Year at the popular independent Christian music site Indieheaven.com! Voted on by peers and fans Nathan was chosen from hundreds of artists and has now been nominated once again for the same award for 2007. - Indieheaven


"A Performance Review by Christian Hale"

" There are shows that are considered good and there are those shows that are considered great. And then, there are those shows that truly should not be missed - and last Friday night, the Liberty Theater played host to one of those shows. Anyone not at Nathan Clark George's CD release performance on Friday, January 28, 2005 totally missed out and should kick themselves. His new CD "Slam the Door - an album of family, joys, failures and hope" was shared with the audience, as well as some great covers like Lyle Lovett's "She's No Lady She's My Wife." But Nathan's music is impressive in that his own songs' lyrics reveal an introspective soul who deals with the trials of adult life and having family while wrestling with his desire to keep a kid-like heart. Between songs, Nathan would easily interact with the crowd . ..In short, it comes to him naturally - and naturally is how his songs felt; revealing, funny, sad, enlightening and hopeful. In front of a packed house, Nathan and his friends gave a refined and moving performance, extending a bit of their collective soul to the eyes and ears of the crowd, touching even the hardest heart with a certain grace." - Murphysboro American, Thursday, Feb. 2006


"Elegantly Written..."

"Elegantly written, arranged, and performed folk/fusion of Scripture Settings..." Dan Scott of www.scripturemusicmp3.com - Dan Scott


"Letter of Recommendation"

"We thoroughly enjoyed Nathan Clark George's musical contribution at our family camp last year. His presentation is professional, honest, clear, edifying, and entertaining. Our camp attracts over 600 people, and represents a wide variety of musical tastes in the Christian market, and we were pleased with the enthusiastic reception he received. We had many evaluation forms expressing appreciation for the inclusion of Nathan Clark George in our camp venue." ~ Sincerely, Kevin Swanson, Pastor of Reformation OPC - Director, Renewing the Family Camp - www.renewingthefamily.com - Kevin Swanson


"Finalist - 2008 Acoustic Artist of the Year"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

“NATHAN CLARK GEORGE”
ACOUSTIC ARTIST OF THE YEAR
INDIEHEAVEN MOMENTUM AWARDS

MURPHYSBORO, IL, Feb 5, 2008, – IndieHeaven.com, the leading organization supporting Independent artists in Christian music, is pleased to announce that NATHAN CLARK GEORGE has been chosen as one of five finalists in the category of Acoustic Artist of the Year, in the 3rd annual "Momentum Awards".   This prestigious award will be handed out at the upcoming IndieHeaven CIA Summit 2008 conference March 29, 2008.

IndieHeaven founder and CIA Summit director Keith Mohr states, "It's important to recognize and applaud the efforts made in recent years by artists who are independent. By providing them the recognition they have earned, we hope to increase their platform and awareness. There are many independent artists who are doing an incredible job with their music and most importantly their mission. We look forward to the awards being a part of our annual artist’s conference." Visit www.ciasummit.com for more information about the Christian Independent Alliance Summit.

NATHAN CLARK GEORGE seamlessly blends contemporary folk, AC and finger-style guitar work into one. He possesses a unique gift that mesmerizes his multi-generational audiences. With five projects on the shelves, NATHAN CLARK GEORGE is no newcomer to the field of music. His self-written/composed songs have illuminated stages across the nation, bringing a view to the reality of God in everyday lives. His latest project, “Rise in the Darkness” has received critical acclaim. Along with being nominated for the above award, this cd has also been chosen as a 2007 finalist in the Contemporary Christian category by the Independent Music Awards! “In my 10 years working with thousands of independent artists, there are very few who maintain the level of commitment, pursuit of excellence, and passion of mission as Nathan Clark George. Nathan is truly an indie success story!”,states Keith Mohr, President, IndieHeaven. With a strong regional and national fan base, NATHAN CLARK GEORGE has won over many with his talent. The listener hears an honesty that flows through his lyrical content. NATHAN CLARK GEORGE is the epitome of a true family man, many times taking his wife and five children on the journey along with him. Exhibiting the characteristics of all of the above under one artist, it has surpassed the want and has become a “need” to purchase the music of this artist and add him to your daily listening repertoire.

Contact: www.nathanclarkgeorge.com
www.indieheaven.com/artists/NATHAN CLARK GEORGE
mail@nathanclarkgeorge.com
press release prepared by THE INNER VIZION - www.theinnervizion.com - Beat Wire


"Nathan Clark George succeeds...."

The music of Nathan Clark George
Reviewed by Dante Tremayne

I really like Nathan Clark George, so it is hard for me to consider him a Christian contemporary musician. I have a general disdain for Christian contemporary music, or CCM, as a whole. The music is shallow, weak, repetitive, simple, and deliberately manipulative. A typical CCM concert features a stadium filled with sentimental Christian men and women waiving their hands and crying while repetitively singing the chorus of some cheap “Jesus is my buddy” song for ten minutes in order to work them into a hypnotic frenzy. I know this because I’ve played in the CCM industry for several years.
Nathan Clark George succeeds where CCM bands have failed. His music is contemporary, which means that his style of music is fresh and inclusive of new developments within the music world. His music appeals to many types of listener, covering several genres of music. Being acoustic, the music itself can be played virtually anywhere without offending some listeners, unlike rock-n-roll. Yet his acoustic style is challenging in its structure, incorporating different styles of picking and strumming, often giving his music either a traditional/folk feel, or sometimes Celtic and other old world flavors. He is backed by a variety of instruments, including mandolin, upright bass, violin and drums. His vocal style is strong and manly, but not rough or overpowering. He sits comfortably in the middle, delivering a solid vocal performance.
His lyrics are anything but contemporary. He puts forth every effort to deliver a solidly biblical lyric devoid of sentimental easy-believism, something rarely found in CCM, which probably explains why he hasn’t yet won a Dove award for “Best Album of the Year.” His lyrics, those that aren’t straight from the Bible, are merely reflections from him on the life that God has given him and how he is called to live. Any place where I hear him sing about doing anything good or right, he always reminds himself that it is only by the grace of God that he will be able.
I was graced with two of his albums to preview, A Midwinter’s Eve and Rise in the Darkness. (I would have liked to hear more of his first two albums, Words for Everyday and Slam the Door. I was able to get some samples online at his website, www.nathanclarkgeorge.com, which was nice. I recommend everyone visit his site.) A Midwinter’s Eve is a Christmas album featuring old hymns like Silent Night and O Come, O Come Emmanuel, along with old traditionals from other parts of the world. Rise is composed mostly of songs whose lyrics are lifted almost entirely from scripture, but also features a couple of originals either dealing with something biblical or of his need to lean on God’s grace for everything.
In both of these albums he did something that a few people may cringe at. He took solid worship hymns and made them a little more modern. But he did what I have not seen anyone else do. He did them right. These hymns retain all the majesty of the original, while featuring modern instruments. I was thoroughly impressed. He understood the music he was playing. That, in and of itself, was enough for me. Listening to those hymns told me that this man is playing for an audience of One, and wants to please Him the way He wants to be pleased.

- A 2007 Review from Highlands Study Center


Discography

- To Live Is Christ - 2013 - A double cd album of psalms & hymns written for worship at Parish Presbyterian Church in Franklin, TN

- Still - 2010 - A beautiful collection of both ancient and new Christmas music

- Pull Up a Chair: CD / DVD - 2009 - featuring a live performance from October 18, 2008

- Single: What if I Were in the Garden - January 2009

- A Home at Horn Creek - 2007 - solo guitar & voice

- Rise in the Darkness - 2006 - "...he captures all the majesty, subtlety, and complexity of the Bible and its teachings in appealing, original folksy pop songs that don't pander lyrically or musically to the largely vapid Christian-rock radio industry."

- A Midwinter's Eve - 2006 - a collection of "old world" folk renditions of some of the greatest songs of the incarnation ever written.

- Slam the Door - 2005 - Independent Music Awards Finalist

- Words for Everyday - 2003 - a thoughtful presentation of the Scriptures in song.

Photos

Bio

Award winning singer/songwriter Nathan Clark George has been touring with his music for over a decade, including almost 5 years full-time in an RV with his family. His discography delivers compelling musical presentations of Scripture along with transparent snapshots of life. Franklin Springs Family Media produced a DVD featuring a full-length concert, as well as a documentary of Nathan and his family and their lives on the road entitled Pull Up a Chair. He was also one of the featured artists on the release from Ligionier Ministries, My Cry Ascends, by Greg Wilbur.

More recently Nathan has been writing and working for corporate worship at Parish Presbyterian Church in Franklin, TN. It is Nathans desire to encourage a thoughtful and meaningful approach to worship and the Scriptures in song. Furthermore he continues to write and record many folk tunes based on theology, poetry, and everyday life.

Nathans concerts are eclectic, truly musical and aesthetically pleasing. He understands the delicate balance of being fun and meaningful of being powerful but not ear-splittingly loud of being rooted in history but immediately understandable. In his view concerts should leave you wanting more, they should inspire and encourage.

From coffee houses to churches to arts councils and every venue in between, Nathan Clark George keeps his repertoire flexible, but his style consistent. People in coffee houses appreciate the scripture songs as much as anything else, he says. Im just a musician who is willing to go anywhere and sing for anybody. I really dont follow the Christian music scene so I dont know where, or if, I fit in. I just try to be cognizant of where God wants me and try to stay within that framework.

INFLUENCES & SOUND:
Nathan's music is a an acoustic blend of the great folk traditions with influences ranging from historic classical composers to artists like Rich Mullins, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, and more. Usually Nathan performs with just a guitar and voice and the standard setup is two mics - one for the guitar and one for voice. This means that the sound is also real - truly acoustic.

SET & PURPOSE:
Nathan's set consists of mostly original songs, with a few standards, both historical and modern, thrown in for good measure. Many of Nathan's originals are based directly on the Scriptures, on real life presented with honesty, or family life - both the struggles and the joys. His presentation is less testimonial and instead is focused more on applying the Scriptures in real life.

A CONCERT VS. WORSHIP:
We are very aware that a Worship service is quite different than an informal concert. Nathan has a high view of corporate worship and is very careful to work with the pastor and/or minister of music to make sure that any musical presentation is appropriate to the worship of God. Informal concerts usually include worshipful songs, but also Nathan will throw in some fun, family, and artful songs that simply make for a great evening of music.

CONCERT LENGTH:
A normal evening concert lasts just over an hour. However, Nathan often simply joins a worship service with a song or two, or can present two 45min sets in a coffeehouse setting. Most House Concerts are just under an hour.