I love being a traveling musician. There are so many opportunities that go alongside traveling for music – including the travel itself! While it can be a challenge with all the running through airports, waiting for long periods of time, catching early morning flights, and staying up late nights, it’s all worth it when you finally arrive at your destination.

These opportunities I have been given, to travel to many different places, have definitely given me the ‘Travel Bug’ – and now I want to see more of the world! It truly is hard to fathom at times just how big this world is, when you’re standing in places that hold great history. Or flying above the beauty of the mountains, and then landing right down in the middle of them, and being surrounded by them. It shows how small oneself really is in this huge world.

Or taking an overseas flight to an entirely different country on another continent. Just getting off the plane and being somewhere new, that’s totally far from home. At times, I just need to stand there for a moment and remind myself, “I’m here, right now, I’m standing in this part of the world!” I get to see some positive things and some negative things, too. There are both, no matter where you go.

I love to take any free time I have on the road to explore new places. I always try to do new things and meet new people with each new place I go, to make my visit even more memorable. I like to check out historic places and learning about them, exploring the sites as much as I can before showtime, and then talking about it with my fellow musicians.

I also love hearing different languages, and doing my best to learn a few words from each language. I’ve gotten to meet many new friends throughout my travels, and sometimes you can connect even without speaking the same language. There were a couple of ladies we met in Germany, and had conversations by pretty much just using our hands. I spoke a few German words that I knew, and we used our phones to translate and tell each other stories. We shared lots of laughs as we tried to understand each other. It was such a memorable experience because it was just so fun to try and talk with them.

I didn’t become a musician to travel, but it is turning out to be an attractive part of the lifestyle as you grow and develop as a musician. I’m thankful for that.

Travel has become a new love of mine – second to drumming and singing of course! I can’t wait for my next trip, wherever it may be, and hope to make it another memorable trip indeed.

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George initially learned to play guitar in Grade 6, when his teacher decided that the entire class be taught guitar by a nun. Guitar seemed to come pretty natural to George, and he picked it up quickly. Soon he was asked to perform during church services, and for the next few years he played guitar for Sunday mass and other functions.

Drums entered George’s life when one of his friends suggested he take up percussion class. Since a bunch of his other friends were also joining, George also joined – and discovered a real talent for drums.

George’s musical influences came from the rock genre – whatever was broadcasting on Wawatay Radio, or whatever cassette tapes he could get his hands on.

Today, George might actually hear himself on Wawatay Radio – since the station plays a lot of Midnight Shine music, including the single Northern Man, which spent three weeks at #1 on the National Aboriginal Music Countdown.

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