Big George recently suffered a mild stroke and as a result all of the gigs that we were due to play have now been cancelled. Please note that he is walking wounded at the moment, he has been lucky in that the stroke has not severely disabled him as it does others and he now requires a period of rest and recuperation.
BIG GEORGE WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. GOING THROUGH SCHOOL TOGETHER
George Ross Watt was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1958 and brought up in the slums which housed the shipyard and engineering workers. It was a beginning that gave him a lust for life and made him uncompromising on the music he loved and composed, and as the years have rolled on has shown that he has a god given talent to write and entertain.
After playing in the typical local band circuit for many years, he was hired by one of his all time heroes, James Dewar. James Dewar was another Scot with a god given talent of performance and musical ability and played with such bands as "Stone the Crows" and the "Robin Trower band". Unfortunately after four years the partnership came to an end, when James Dewar was forced to retire through ill health. When this situation arose Big George knew the time was ripe to form his own band and as a consequence of these events, we now have "Big George and the Business".
In the initial stages Big George tried a number of different formats and local musicians until he found himself with a three piece band. This version was rapidly acclaimed for their raw, gutsy, uncompromising style of Blues, and it was only a short time before they were nationally recognised. Releasing their first album " The Alleged Album" only further enhanced their growing reputation for a rockin' style of Blues, which no other UK band could match.
The release of the Alleged album propelled the band into the touring circuit traveling extensively throughout the UK, Europe and Scandinavia. When time permitted the band eventually managed to return home long enough to write and record their second album, "All Fools' Day". By this time their reputation had spread across the Atlantic and they were invited to appear in the Montreal Jazz festival, hard rock cafe and other venues in Quebec and Ontario in 1992. Since those days the band have made frequent returns to Canada and America and have graced many a stage with the likes of Buddy Guy, Larry Davis, John Campbell, Bo Diddley, Mick Taylor, to drop only a few names.
While in Canada in the late 1990's the band recorded half of their next album, "Home of the Wolf", in Montreal. The title track of which was inspired by Big George being made an honourary member of the Mohawk nation following a gig at the Kahnawakhe reservation close to Montreal. While the first album was gutsy and raw and the second saw the band expanding with piano and other instruments, the Home of the Wolf album explodes with the potential shown in the first two. It has now shown George graduating from an accomplished guitarist to one of the finest guitarists, singers and writers that was ever to grace a stage in the world of the Blues. In addition to his work in the Blues world he has also worked widely in the world of television penning and performing for many highly acclaimed UK television programmes.
In recent years in between touring George also involves himself with the local community, in the teaching of many kids in music and in particular guitar tuition. He has also now produced and recorded a large number of young up and coming bands from all over Scotland in his custom built studio. His patience and diligence in this field has earned him great praise from the local community in which he lives.
With smokey tones that would make Joe Cocker jealous and a style of guitar playing that would have had Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan nodding in approval, Big George is an unforgettable performer who has thrilled crowds all over the world for several years. Wherever this band travel, they take no prisoners and leave no one in any doubt.............that they are...........The Business.