Champagne Saturday (Alien Love) by George McClure

He wrote Variations on Theme (c.1980 S.G.Miller), the 5-string banjo improvisation book . A prolific songwriter, his musical compositions range from Western and Latin, old-time country gospel and instrumentals to neo-classical and jazz pieces. McClure has transcribed Mozart, Vivaldi, and Bach for the 5-string banjo and acoustic ensembles, and is author of a musical "The Green Grass of Indiana".

George McClure's influences and musical styles are diverse and his understanding of the many idioms he explores, deep. John Steinbeck's writings had a profound effect early in his life along with visionaries like Salvador Dali and M.C. Escher. Selena, Haggard, Santana, Ray Charles, and thousands continue to enthuse George. But don't typecast him or his work, he will surely disappoint you if you do.

Inspired and unique, McClure has been called "a true original" and "the imagination guru" by his peers, and his "ahead of his time" movement through life has resulted in a widespread fan base.

George McClure learned Western swing in Arizona and New Mexico bars and clubs while playing banjo and bass for a living. "We couldn't get off the stage without playing a few Bob Wills and Texas swing numbers", George says. "And we had a guy in our band who grooved on all the swing. The complex chords and structures thrilled me. That's how I started playing Western swing." George sings and plays guitar, 5-string banjo, and bass.

McClure's name is called for Golden Music Awards at Nashville NAMM George is nominated for Academy of Western Artists Vocalist of the Year You'll hear "I Made Love To An Alien Last Night" and "America" on Dish Cable TV and Muzak.

"He has a way of making every song his own."[Billy Rose] "a true original" [Britt Savage]

"McClure's second album shows just how hot this cow jazz performer really is." [Country Music Round Up]

The "Alien McClure" mentioned on the Simpsons

Check out George's autobiography [language]

McClure's sponsores include Stetson Hats and Gibson Banjos. His Nashville appearances include NeA's Music City Music Showcase and Album Release Showcase Party at Wolfy's. Other McClure venues include the historic Greune Hall in New Braunfels, TX.

Other appearances include Nashville Network TV (TNN) Country News (as Stephen George Miller), singing and playing his "CottonPatch Blues" and speaking in an interview. His "The Ballad of O.J.Simpson", was featured in the Nashville Tennessean/Banner. Stetson Hats sponsors George, as does Gibson Banjos who even built a custom gold-plated model for his use. McClure acted in Paramount's The Thing Called Love [River Phoenix] and Dreamwork's The Last Castle [Robert Redford] filmed in Nashville, Tennessee.

McClure recorded "Champagne Saturday" following six years touring with his three piece vocal acoustic ensemble, Little America", who played 180 performances in 25 states during 1996.

"CHAMPAGNE SATURDAY (ALIEN LOVE)" (Western swing, TexMex, and swing jazz), is on JIP (Just Iss Planetary) Records. Produced by McClure, it features planetary talent such as

Rick "L.D." Money (Grand Ole Opry, Randy Travis) Joey Miskulin (producer, manager, and sideman to Riders In The Sky), and Bobby Hicks (Rounder Records, Ricky Skaggs). Press

Releases Press Reviews "Highly recommended..." "Hot..." "No disputing the musicianship."

George's "Sunny Summer Blues" album of original old-time country and Americana music garnered fair reviews. (Bluegrass Unlimited said "...projects a sense of style and identity", "...a lot to enjoy.")

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PRODUCTION CREDITS

Writer of "The Ballad of O.J. Simpson", McClure is GRAMMY Producer of the Year entry contender [48'th Academy]

"Highly recommended . . . very talented" [WVOF-FM and Western Swing Monthly] "Alien McClure" as mentioned on the Simpsons

"--George McClure, thank you SO much for the amazing work you did with my songs Yours and Ghost Town. Both very absolutley perfect all-around. The instrumentation was superb, the vocalist was amazing, the production quality was like that I would expect to hear on the radio from established country artists. I was concerned at first about putting as much money as I did into the production of my music, but all fear and doubt is long since gone. It was worth every last penny. And it's easy to see why you were nominated for a grammy...your production skills

are vastly superior to the material I've heard from other companies and producers.

Thank You,

Cory Thomas"

Dish Cable TV and Muzak are spinning "I Made Love To An Alien Last Night" and "America" .

George is nominated for Best New Male Artist Golden Music Awards Nashville NAMM

"great! I love the blends" Rambles.net Review

Listen.Lycos.com Review "Warm and twangy songs..."

[Country Music Round-Up] "McClure's second album shows just how hot this cow jazz performer is." "Innovative..."

[Review of Champagne Saturday in The Advertiser ] "...a breath of fresh air..."

[Country Music People ] "...no disputing the musicianship..." "Intriguing..."

[Review in DISC COLLECTOR ] "This is genuine Western Swing..." "A lively project and fine Western Swing."

[Rope Burns ] "The opener is a hot version of Take Me Back To Tulsa, and Across The Alley From The Alamo swings as well. These two, along with Wahoo! are my favorites from this album."

[GEORGE McCLURE Champagne Saturday from The Advertiser ] [Sounds Country]

GEORGE McCLURE -- Champagne Saturday - (JIP)

Though we are regularly treated to a little swing thanks to superstars like George Strait, over here in

the UK we rarely get to hear real western swing and when we do it is usually reissues of Bob Wills

and the other 40's/50's exponents.

McClure therefore is like a breath of fresh air, proving that western swing is very much alive and

part of the contemporary scene with 11 hot tracks that include George's originals Alien Love and

Champagne Saturday, Bob Wills' standards Take Me Back To Tulsa and Across The Alley From The

Alamo, the Gene Autry favourite El Rancho Grande and El Lumino, which is actually Rudolph The

Red-Nosed Reindeer.

A studio full of top pickers, Joey Miskulin, David Grier, Jim Hoke, Bobby Hicks, Mark Howard, Mark Schatz among them, assist. Star track: Gone With The Wind. Rating: 8.

[Review of Champagne Saturday in Western Swing Monthly ]

George McClure is a very talented singer, songwriter, guitar player and producer. All of these attributes are apparent on this brand new CD of 11 exciting tunes in the style of Contemporary Western Swing. He also surrounded himself with some very gifted musicians. One of these, is the great Bobby Hicks on fiddle. Bobby was an integral part of one of the earliest of the Contemporary Western Swing bands, that of the legendary Judy Lynn, just about 30 years ago. Also heard among the musicians is Joey Miskulin on accordion, Rick Money on lead guitar and Johnny B. on steel guitar.

The album opens with "Take Me Back To Tulsa" from the pen and songbook of Western Swing icons Bob Wills and Tommy Duncan. Also from the Wills and Duncan book is "Across The Alley From The Alamo" from their Tiffany Transcription collection. This was also a huge hit for the Mills Brothers as well as the Stan Kenton-June Christy team. The album also includes two of George's original compositions and single hits, "Alien Love" and "Champagne Saturday." George also

arranged most of the remaining tunes, which includes an incredibly great version of the Merle Haggard hit "Gone With The Wind." The late Ray Whitley recorded Cliff Friend's "Wahoo" back in the thirties as did Milton Brown & his Brownies with "El Rancho Grande." They are now both brought back by George. "Mass Grass" is an instrumental with lots of jazz feel and "Can't Drown Your Memory" is contemporary Western Swing." "El Lumino" gives Johnny Mark's "Rudolph" the south of the border treatment. The album closes with "America" in a country music vein.

This album is highly recommended to all that are fans of Contemporary Western Swing.

Western Swing Monthly - Mike Gross, WVOF-FM, Fairfield, CT

McClure's second album, "CHAMPAGNE SATURDAY (ALIEN LOVE)" (hot Western swing and swing jazz), is on JIP (Just Iss Planetary) Records of Nashville, Tennessee. Produced by

McClure, it features the alt hit "Alien Love (I Made Love To An Alien Last Night)" and planetary talent such as Bobby Hicks (Rounder Records, tours with Ricky Skaggs), Joey Miskulin, and Rick "L.D." Money (tours with Randy Travis).

GEORGE McCLURE CHAMPAGNE SATURDAY (I MADE LOVE TO AN ALIEN LAST NIGHT) JIP Records, JIP 7207-CD Bluegrass Unlimited

When the subtitle of an album is "I Made Love To An Alien Last Night," you get the sense that you're not going to be hearing a CD full of Carter Stanley covers. As it happens, George McClure's album is a journey into western swing and Texas border music, along with some sidetrips into his

own slightly twisted imagination ("Alien Love").

Along with solid versions of Bob Wills classics like "Across The Alley From The Alamo" and "Take Me Back To Tulsa", McClure easily switches back and forth from light swing, country, and even a bilingual "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" ("El Lumino"). Bluegrass fans who don't share a similar passion for the joys of Texas swing might not appreciate what they're missing, but could still be drawn to the fine instrumental breaks on the south-of-the-border banjo instrumental "Mass Grass", as well as a supporting cast which includes David Grier, Bobby Hicks, Mark Schatz, Mark Howard, Terry Eldredge, and an electrified Jim Hurst. (JIP Records, Trowbridge Publishing, P.O.

Box 70403, Nashville, TN 37207)H

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