Conversations with George Hage

Today we’d like to introduce you to George Hage.

Hi George, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I grew up in the Concord/Charlotte, NC, area. My dad moved every couple of years, so I spent part of the years up and down the east coast and some overseas. I currently reside in Raleigh, NC. I picked up a guitar at age thirteen after hearing my neighbor’s dad play licks from Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy on his late 60s Gibson acoustic, followed by many afternoons spinning records on vinyl. I sketched and created characters at an early age, which was inspired by my love for comic books and seeing artists like Greg Capullo design characters in Wizard magazine. My love for art was connected with my love for music when I started seeing album and gig poster art in guitar magazines. That inspired me to design for bands. I did my first screen poster in 2010 for my band. That led to friends’ bands hiring me for art, then work with festivals, breweries, and beyond.

Over the years, I’ve toured and written with several bands. Early on, I played guitar in a group called Yearling, which was signed to Tragic Hero Records in the US and In-N-Out Records in Japan. I met a lot of wonderful people while I was in the band. That led to projects with Oso Optimo, One Small Step For Landmines (members of Coheed and Cambria), and others. Years later, I joined a country/Americana group called New Reveille, which was signed and made a record in Nashville before the label went under. That all led me to my band Jack The Radio. We released an album called Creatures in 2020 and landed a music placement in AEW’s best of 2021 release, among others. Between projects, I’ve had the opportunity to fill in with bands and see parts of the country and world. I was lucky enough to fill in with American Aquarium in 2017 and travel around Europe and play music. All the while, I was drawing and designing. The music still inspires the art, and art still inspires the music.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
Ha! If the road is smooth, you probably aren’t taking enough risks or pushing yourself beyond your current limitations. Bumpy can mean progress. I’ve been fired from bands, told I shouldn’t sing, and told to go back to the garage to practice. I’ve been told I’m not country enough, indie enough, blues enough, traditional enough. I’ve been passed over for gigs and design jobs. I’ve had clients not pay. I’ve made leaps that didn’t pay off. I’ve had a lot of designs and songs that never made it out into the world, but I can continue to push myself to take calculated chances because when they pay off, it’s all worth it.

It’s always challenging when a song or an illustration is not “enough” for someone. My goal (at least my attempt) is to find the people who connect with my art. I’ve seen a lot of people sharing inspirational quotes, and this one stuck with me, something like this at least, “The people that want you to win will help you win.” Whenever I hit a bump, I try to remind myself that those people are out there, and I try to be that person for my friends and peers.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a published artist and songwriter based in North Carolina, USA. Obsessed with music and comic books at a young age, I infused these passions into my writing, artwork, and design. I’ve designed works for the Carolina Hurricanes, IBMA World of Bluegrass, Dreamvillefest, and several creator-owned projects; You can catch me songwriting and perform with my bandmates in Jack the Radi when I’m not designing and illustrating. Jack The Radio has shared the stage with The Avett Brothers, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, George Thorogood, Cold War Kids, Rayland Baxter, and American Aquarium, to name a few. My music has been featured in countless commercial, film, and TV projects, including Modern Family, Boardwalk Empire, Graceland, Beverly Hills 90210, and in sports programming for NASCAR, NFL, and PGA, among others. I recently worked with WRAL and Amanda Lamb to create original music for the award-winning Follow The Truth podcast. I’ve also self-published two art books (Daydreaming, Backyard Vacations) and an anthology comic book based on Jack The Radio: Creatures, published by A Wave Blue World.

What’s next?
The future is ever evolving. Musically, I’m excited to keep progressing as a songwriter and making a new record with my Jack the Radio bandmates. I also hope to write with friends and grow with each song. Artistically, I’m excited to work with bands, festivals, and clients that inspire me. I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, and I’m excited to see what doors open with each project. In the meantime, I’ve got some new designs in the works that I can’t share yet that I’m super excited about. I’m also excited to play shows in the new market’s around NC and play some of my first solo acoustic shows this year.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.george-hage.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegeorgehage
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegeorgehage
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jacktheradio
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jacktheradio
• Other: https://www.jacktheradio.com