George McIntosh has been immersed in Country music all his life. He first fell in love with the music when his granddad brought Country records home from America. He had his first guitar when he was 14 and soon found himself singing Country in pubs and clubs in the North East and playing guitar in a dance band in a local club in South Shields
He formed his own little band which lasted for a couple of years. George then tried his hand at going solo in the workingmen’s clubs and pubs in the North East, which proved a wonderful training ground for what was to come.
In the seventies, George helped to form the South Tyneside Country Music Club which ran for 29 years in South Shields; that’s where he met a banjo player Derek Rogers and they quickly became friends and formed George and Derek duo. With the help of agent Johnny Larkin they ventured out into the folk clubs and country clubs of the North East with a mixture of Country, bluegrass and comedy. They quickly made a name for themselves especially with their comedy routines and were invited to support Boxcar Willie on his first UK tour in the seventies.
George got married and started his family with the arrival of his two sons Glenn and Kris. As time moved on, Glenn was finishing school but, as a lot of young lads found out, jobs were hard to come by. Glenn learnt to play bass guitar and he and his dad formed the Glenn Daniels duo (Daniel was Kris’ middle name) and they turned professional in 1996. After a while, Kris began to show an interest in playing keyboards and it wasn’t long before he too decided to become a professional musician and the Glenn Daniels duo became a trio. In the search for a new name they were listening to a song by British Country singer Alan Westwood which mentioned an ‘Arizona Flame’ – the fledgling trio now had their name. Over the years George has been inspired by many of the top US Country singers like Bobby Bare, Vince Gill and Brad Paisley and he has also been influenced by some of our home grown country artists like Dennis Collier, Texas Gun and Mike Scott Tracey.
Arizona Flame comprised three of the most dedicated musicians from Tyneside, George McIntosh (lead vocals and lead guitar), Glenn McIntosh (bass and vocals) and Kris McIntosh (keyboards and vocals). This new family band quickly proved very popular on the club and festival circuit and by 2006 they had amassed no less than 23 club awards touring the length and breadth of the UK. In time, it was time for Glenn and Kris to settle down to raise their own families which is not easy if you are forever touring. George recruited two new musicians Steve James on lead guitar and Neil Roberts on bass and Arizona Flame continued, remaining as popular as ever.
George moved to Scotland in 2010 which made it difficult to continue touring as Neil lived in Coventry so they decided to come off the road playing their last gig on 22nd December 2010 in Scotland.
During their 14 years on the road, Arizona Flame recorded four CD albums: ‘Thank God It Worked’, ‘Live’, ‘Complete’ and ‘Still Burning’. They travelled many thousands of miles and met a lot of lovely people whether bands, promoters, or followers of British Country music.
With the demise of Arizona Flame, George continued working as a soloist but after meeting Carol Cooney, a compère at Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry, the two of them quickly formed a relationship both in life and on the road with the formation of a the new McIntosh duo. Together they recorded one CD album ‘Time Of Your Life’.
When Carol needed to find time to babysit here grandchildren it was time for the McIntosh duo to call it a day and George now only works solo but he stressed that Carol remains very supportive of his decision to remain on the road. He still loves touring and life on the road and still regularly stays with lifelong friends he made while touring with Arizona Flame. I asked him if he would ever retire he replied “They will have to carry me out in a box first!” Having said that, there is now no sign of him in any of the gig lists so maybe he did.
In the seventies, George helped to form the South Tyneside Country Music Club which ran for 29 years in South Shields; that’s where he met a banjo player Derek Rogers and they quickly became friends and formed George and Derek duo. With the help of agent Johnny Larkin they ventured out into the folk clubs and country clubs of the North East with a mixture of Country, bluegrass and comedy. They quickly made a name for themselves especially with their comedy routines and were invited to support Boxcar Willie on his first UK tour in the seventies.
George got married and started his family with the arrival of his two sons Glenn and Kris. As time moved on, Glenn was finishing school but, as a lot of young lads found out, jobs were hard to come by. Glenn learnt to play bass guitar and he and his dad formed the Glenn Daniels duo (Daniel was Kris’ middle name) and they turned professional in 1996. After a while, Kris began to show an interest in playing keyboards and it wasn’t long before he too decided to become a professional musician and the Glenn Daniels duo became a trio. In the search for a new name they were listening to a song by British Country singer Alan Westwood which mentioned an ‘Arizona Flame’ – the fledgling trio now had their name. Over the years George has been inspired by many of the top US Country singers like Bobby Bare, Vince Gill and Brad Paisley and he has also been influenced by some of our home grown country artists like Dennis Collier, Texas Gun and Mike Scott Tracey.
Arizona Flame comprised three of the most dedicated musicians from Tyneside, George McIntosh (lead vocals and lead guitar), Glenn McIntosh (bass and vocals) and Kris McIntosh (keyboards and vocals). This new family band quickly proved very popular on the club and festival circuit and by 2006 they had amassed no less than 23 club awards touring the length and breadth of the UK. In time, it was time for Glenn and Kris to settle down to raise their own families which is not easy if you are forever touring. George recruited two new musicians Steve James on lead guitar and Neil Roberts on bass and Arizona Flame continued, remaining as popular as ever.
George moved to Scotland in 2010 which made it difficult to continue touring as Neil lived in Coventry so they decided to come off the road playing their last gig on 22nd December 2010 in Scotland.
During their 14 years on the road, Arizona Flame recorded four CD albums: ‘Thank God It Worked’, ‘Live’, ‘Complete’ and ‘Still Burning’. They travelled many thousands of miles and met a lot of lovely people whether bands, promoters, or followers of British Country music.
With the demise of Arizona Flame, George continued working as a soloist but after meeting Carol Cooney, a compère at Glasgow’s Grand Ole Opry, the two of them quickly formed a relationship both in life and on the road with the formation of a the new McIntosh duo. Together they recorded one CD album ‘Time Of Your Life’.
When Carol needed to find time to babysit here grandchildren it was time for the McIntosh duo to call it a day and George now only works solo but he stressed that Carol remains very supportive of his decision to remain on the road. He still loves touring and life on the road and still regularly stays with lifelong friends he made while touring with Arizona Flame. I asked him if he would ever retire he replied “They will have to carry me out in a box first!” Having said that, there is now no sign of him in any of the gig lists so maybe he did.
Research by Nick Catford.