For Immediate Release
January 29, 2020
Nashville artist George Shingleton to release new single, “Fire or Flame,” on February 21st
A modern journey through classic sounds, evoking The Allman Brothers, Waylon Jennings, and Hank Williams Jr., and full of Appalachian twang
Nashville-based singer-songwriter George Shingleton is set to release a new single, “Fire or Flame,” on February 21, 2020 via Rock Ridge Music. Produced by Dave Pahanish (who co-wrote #1 songs recorded by Jimmy Wayne, Toby Keith, and Keith Urban), “Fire or Flame” is a slow-burner rife with twang and grit that questions whether a relationship is a fling or one for the long haul. Co-written by Shingleton and Pahanish, the song is a modern journey through classic country and Americana sounds, and it also features Shane Sanders on lead and rhythm guitar, “Cowboy” Eddie Long on steel guitar (Hank Williams Jr., Jamey Johnson), Rachel Loy on bass (Hank Williams Jr., Taylor Swift), Jefferson Crow on piano and organ (Gary Allan, Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson), and Shawn Fichter on drums (Tim McGraw, Peter Frampton). “Fire or Flame” is the first single from Shingleton’s forthcoming album, which is due out later in 2020.
“I think a lot of people have been in a relationship at least once, where they weren’t sure of the other person’s feelings,” says Shingleton. “That’s where the idea stemmed from for this song; the anxiety of hanging on the line for someone who you love can be nerve-wracking. A fire is long-standing, but a flame burns or can be put out easily.”
A son of rural West Virginia, Shingleton was raised on traditional gospel music in small country churches. Music was in his paternal line, with many family members playing an amalgam of bluegrass and Appalachian “hill country” music. Choir directors encouraged him from a young age to find his voice and let it fill the space between altars and spires, people and pews. That voice, it turns out, would also fill the hollers of the mountains. He spent more time outside than in, providing the soundtrack to crackling campfires and electrified stages, each performance pushing him closer and closer to realizing his sound.
As a teen, he fell in love with the sounds of Hank Williams Jr., Ronnie Van Zant, Gregg Allman, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard, and his music was eventually informed by all of them, toeing the blurry lines between Americana, country, blues, Southern rock, and gospel. Shingleton’s music has also been inspired by his wife, with many of his songs influenced by her presence in his life; she was the one who saw the potential in his playing and performing and encouraged him to go for it. “She saw the happiness and the light in me when I played,” Shingleton explains, “and that helped me see the light in myself.”
The integrity of his stories and sound has earned him the respect of other artists, including Darryl Worley, John Michael Montgomery, Bucky Covington, Montgomery Gentry, Charlie Daniels, Bo Bice, and Keith Anderson, all of whom have invited him to share their stage. Shingleton plans some touring, with tour dates to be announced soon.