New project takes Burlington musician from 'spiritually confused' to creatively inspired

Burlington musician Eric George felt “emotionally bewildered” and “energetically and spiritually confused” when the COVID-19-related shutdowns happened.

The host of Radio Bean’s ever-popular Honky Tonk Tuesdays who’s released 11 albums of his own music missed playing live shows. He especially missed the connections music creates, from the opportunity to collaborate with others to hugging friends at shows.

“(Music is) sort of my primary magnet that draws me to other people,” George said. “I’ve made myself keep making and keep moving. But it has been hard. It’s definitely been hard.”

Prior to the pandemic, George played two or three shows each week at assisted-living facilities and nursing homes and was devastated when that stopped. “I really, really, really miss being able to share that light in those spaces,” George said.

Then a friend from Colorado, Meg Rice, sent him a song she’d been working on and asked if he’d like to mix it for a recording. That same day, another friend, Maddie Rabin, sent him a vocal recording and gave him similar permission to do with it as he wished.

That led George to compile more home recordings from his musical friends. The result is “Singles Weekend Vol. II”, a 12-song album that comes out digitally on Friday.

Vermont musicians including Hayley Jane, Addie Herbert, Ivamae, Linda Bassick, Hannah Hausman of Honey & Soul and Laura Heaberlin of Cricket Blue contributed songs. George mixed the songs and added instrumentation, then passed them along to fellow Burlington musician Jer Coons, who mastered the recordings.

“What a great thing to put my energy towards,” George said, “to feel like I’m connecting with my friends and their music and creating something we all kind of need right now, which is to hear what other people are working on creatively.”

Contact Brent Hallenbeck at (802) 660-1844 or bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com. Follow Brent on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrentHallenbeck.

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