For Immediate Release
February 5, 2021
Nashville country artist George Shingleton releases two versions of new single, “West Virginia Moon,” today, February 5, 2021
Shingleton to appear on “Fly Rod Chronicles” on Discovery Channel and Pursuit Channel in mid-February
Nashville-based country singer-songwriter George Shingleton releases two versions of a new single, “West Virginia Moon” today, February 5, 2021, via Rock Ridge Music – both a full-band version and acoustic version are rolling out. Produced by Dave Pahanish (who co-wrote #1 songs recorded by Jimmy Wayne, Toby Keith, and Keith Urban), “West Virginia Moon” is a love letter, in music form, to Shingleton’s original home state.
Says Shingleton about the song: “‘West Virginia Moon’ was co-written with David Oakleaf. It’s about the strong feelings I have for the state of West Virginia, and how it’ll always be home for me. David had just played a show or two up there when we got together for writing, and this song just seemed to fall into place that day. I played it out here and there, and folks seemed to really like it.”
Somewhere, somehow, Curtis Fleming, of the TV show “Fly Rod Chronicles” heard the “West Virginia Moon,” and he contacted Shingleton to ask if he could use the song for an upcoming episode of his show. Shingleton was invited to drop by when the show was filming in West Virginia. “I didn’t get to do any fishing with Curtis and his crew when they were shooting the fishing scenes, but I got to stop in and hang with them around the campfire on one of the nights they were staying near the New River,” recalls Shingleton. “We all had a lot of fun that night, just picking songs and telling fish stories. Curtis and the guys were very welcoming, and easy to hang out with.” Shingleton’s campfire jam session, which included “West Virginia Moon,” will be part of the “Adventures in the Gorge” episode of “Fly Rod Chronicles,” set to debut on the Pursuit Channel on February 16th at 9 a.m. eastern (the show will air three additional times that week on the Pursuit Channel). It will also air on February 20th on the Discovery Channel at 6:30 a.m. eastern.
“West Virginia Moon” is the follow-up to Shingleton’s album, Out All Nighter, which was released in December 2020. The album, also produced by Pahanish, offered eight gutbucket country songs charged with chronicling the daily interpersonal push-pulls between sin and redemption. Glide Magazine praised the album, writing, “From the opening track ‘Handful of Hell’ with its confessional, pleading twang, it’s immediately clear that Shingleton is both a skilled song craftsman and a talented vocalist. His soulful vocals bring to mind the likes of Chris Stapleton and George Jones… Out All Nighter is packed with the kind of songs that would be hits in another era (and may even hit the mainstream considering the success of artists like Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson), with Shingleton straddling the line between outlaw country and Southern rock in his own original style.”
Prior to the album’s street date, Shingleton released three singles from the record: “Have a Good Time” (October 2020), “Handful of Hell” (May 2020), and “Fire or Flame” (February 2020). Shingleton’s music, and “Handful of Hell” in particular, earned praise from American Songwriter, which called it: “…grittier… There’s a lost honesty in country music like Shingleton’s and that’s on display in his newest song, ‘Handful of Hell’…” Cowboys & Indians lauded “Have a Good Time,” writing: “‘Have a Good Time’ is the kind of great I need right now. Keeping this song pounding out of my… speakers… is probably the best I’ll feel all day. This might be the medicine you need right about now, too.” Shingleton also released a standalone holiday single, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” in October 2020.
Born and bred in rural West Virginia, Shingleton’s Appalachian extended family ties run deep; music-making has been in Shingleton’s blood, quite literally, from his early days of singing and playing instruments in the church. Beyond his sacred, sanctuary-nurtured musical roots, Shingleton’s influences run the gamut from Hank Williams Jr., Merle Haggard, and Waylon Jennings, to Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band.
Though he began strumming guitars at age 12, Shingleton didn’t begin writing songs seriously until he was almost 30, doubling down on his craft once he moved to Nashville from West Virginia to pursue his dream fulltime. With Shingleton’s music toeing the blurry lines between Americana, country, blues, Southern rock, and gospel, it’s 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.
Once the green light is given, Shingleton can’t wait to head out on tour and perform “West Virginia Moon” and the songs from Out All Nighter on the road. Where safety protocols are being followed, occasional in-person shows have started to creep back into his schedule. Fans eager to see Shingleton perform now can catch him livestreaming weekly on his Facebook page at 7:30 p.m. central time every Tuesday evening for his “Tuesday Night Tunes” series.
George Shingleton is managed by Rock Ridge Music (Nashville, TN) and is booked by Paradigm Talent Agency.