Fed by fierce, spontaneous inspiration and a keen feel for rhythmic and dramatic flow, George Wallace paints emotionally rich songs and textured soundscapes with seasoned, intuitive skill. He adeptly contrasts light and dark, joy and brooding, stillness and power over an immense variety of musical genres. Experimenting, celebrating and visionary; these words aptly describe George’s unique directions in composing and producing.

George was born, not surprisingly, to musical parents. His flair for composing and playing first showed up when he began classical piano and theory lessons at age eight in Philadelphia, PA. At 13 he encountered the absolute coolness of the electric guitar. He soon threw himself into a series of late ’60s-influenced bands (with names like Dark Side, Soul Society, Mass Confusion) as bass player, vocalist, keyboardist, and writer. George emerged from this era an idealistic, ambitious, budding talent, ready to take on the world.

At Berklee College of Music in Boston, he majored in composition and arranging and played with other groups, settling in with “Fate”, a busy, successful club act headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts. Then George was initiated into multi-track recording: “To me, a studio was like an alchemist’s laboratory. I liked that the whole could be greater than the sum of the parts." The group recorded a string of singles, all written and/or produced by George and often influenced by the Beach Boys’ “Sunflower/Surf’s Up” period. Although these singles received local and national airplay, it was not enough to get Fate out of the bars.

He left the band to pursue a solo recording career. Moving to New York City, he signed a recording contract with CBS/Epic Records and a publishing agreement with Screen Gems. He recorded two albums under the CBS label: Heroes like You and Me in 1980 and What It Is in 1982. Virtually all parts were sung or played by George himself. Both albums enjoyed enviable critical acclaim by numerous industry publications such as the Gavin Report, High Fidelity, Record World, Trouser Press, and Billboard.

According to one reporter, George had created a “high-level synthesis of style and influence…yet with something indefinably original about it, possessed of its own quirky energy… a real thing” -- (Matt Damsker, Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, April 26, 1981).

In 1983 he moved to Bucks County, PA. Now free to explore the finer subtleties of his maturing songwriter’s persona, he wrote and produced recordings over an increasingly wide range of dynamic and lyric styles. He occasionally produced other acts and several planetarium show soundtracks. For a little while longer he continued writing material for Screen Gems. Several songs from this period received airplay through covers from such artists as Ted Nugent, Pat Travers, and Joan Jett, as well as some European artists.

As his compositions became more introspective and spiritual, George turned away from the 3-5 minute format and from songwriting in general. He recalls; “I was intrigued by a ‘long form’ writing style where the work itself would take an hour or so to experience. I wanted to make spiritual music that wasn’t necessarily meditation music. I didn't want to be repetitive, yet I wanted to be able to create a hypnotic effect. I wanted to take you somewhere… but I figured in an hour’s time, and not just 4 minutes, I could really take you somewhere…”

In 1985 he formed his own new studio and production company, AirBorn Music, and produced three landmark instrumental works: Sacred Earth (1985), Communion (1988), and Frontiers (1993). He was soon a featured artist on Philadelphia-produced shows Diaspar and Star’s End, and nationally recognized on widely syndicated shows like Echoes, Hearts of Space, and Musical Starstreams. He found himself in good radio company; the compositions of Kate Bush, Tangerine Dream, Steve Roach, Richard Burmer, Andreas Vollenweider, and Philip Glass were apt to be heard before or after a George Wallace cut had been played.

In more recent years he has revisited his songwriter’s craft. He spent a year and a half in Japan, 1997-98, performing with a small jazz/pop ensemble. During this time he produced a potpourri of instrumentals, If I Had A Ship..., and a vocal collection entitled Set Free. In the spring of 2000, George reconnected with his first love from many years before. Ultimately he moved out to Alaska to be with her.

From his new studio amidst the mountains he has just released a CD of remarkable new songs, Passion Play: songs of spirit, love, and outrage. It’s a rich, expansive musical ride with a calculated flow of tender love songs, aching search for meaning, and loony-tune satire, all delivered with a fiery honesty and George’s trademark dazzling production. Unifying Passion Play are his lifelong themes: the love for another, the quest for that which is higher, and the heartfelt wish for a better world.

Coming soon!
If I Had a Ship...

Stay tuned!

For more information and ordering
please contact:

George Wallace

georgewallace@airbornmusic.com