But the older he got, George strayed from teenage angst and distortion, cut his hair and related more to country, Americana and folk music.
Two decades later, Rick George, now living in Dayton, is a Nashville recording artist.
He’ll be performing on Nov. 13 at Meridien Uptown in Centerville. The show, as far as this writer can tell, has nothing to do with progressive thrash metal.
The concept of a metalhead going country may seem absurd, but George cites a few contemporary outlaw country artists who have a penchant for metal, like Cody Jinks and Whitey Morgan. For further proof, pictures from the 2022 Buckeye Country Superfest show Jinks wearing a Swedish death metal shirt and a Dimebag Darrell guitar strap.
While there also could be an argument made about the relationship between the “outlaw” modifier of country and the innate rebellion of metal music, perhaps the two genres aren’t so different to begin with.
Both explore struggles of love and societal norms through raw, emotional expressions. Both have roots in American folk traditions, like blues and Appalachian music. Both lyrically play with dramatic narratives — though one is often a little easier to understand.
The genres are more alike than not.
When Rick George’s tastes started to evolve into country music, it was by way of popular 1990s country artists like Alan Jackson and Travis Tritt. But he didn’t completely reroute his musical path until he heard Waylon Jennings, one of the pioneers of the country outlaw movement.
George’s debut single, a cover of Jennings’ classic “Drinking and Dreaming,” was released in 2021. The song was produced by Dean Miller — son of Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Roger Miller — and features vocals from Melonie Cannon.
“I have a lot of favorite Waylon songs but that one just always seemed to hit home the most with me,” George said. “‘Drinking and Dreaming’ in particular, as far as the lyrics go, is something I can relate to. Like, all I’ve got is a job that I don’t like. I’m waiting in line for no reason. It’s just applicable for a 35-year-old guy.”
His singing voice, tonally deeper than the one he speaks with, takes on the quality of a country troubadour who’s been at it for years, simultaneously unaffected and enveloped by the wear and tear of the road.
Maybe he’s born with it, maybe it’s a combination of the Midwest and “Yinzer” accents.
George is currently in the process of finishing his debut album, a five-song EP. Recorded at Dayton Sound Studios, the self-titled album will be all original music. He describes it as singer-songwriter classic country, a little bit of folk and a little bit of bluegrass. It is set to be released by the end of the year.
He also has another album in the conceptual stages that he plans on releasing sometime in 2025. It will have a full band and a honky tonk feel.
This past August, George played the Country Legends Festival in West Liberty, Ohio, alongside Tracy Lawrence, Diamond Rio and Blackhawk. Playing on the local music stage, he described the experience as “inspirational” and said that “it couldn’t have gone better.”
And while Diamond Rio is no Testament or Carcass, or vice versa, it’s still quite the accomplishment for Rick George to open for figureheads from two genres — ones that could seemingly not be any more different, yet exactly the same.
When asked if he’d ever go back to being in a metal band, after years of making headway in the country music world, he said he would. Maybe just not full time.
“Occasionally in the car, Pantera or something like that will come on and I’m like, yeah … I miss this.”
Brandon Berry writes about the local music scene in Dayton and Southwest Ohio. Have a story idea for him? Email branberry100@gmail.com.
What: Rick George
When: 6 p.m., Nov. 13
Where: Meridien Uptown, 28 W. Franklin St., Centerville
Cost: Free
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