George Birge recently celebrated a significant achievement by landing his second number one hit on country radio with “Cowboy Songs.” Despite his rising fame, Birge’s journey to success was far from easy. He recently reflected on his career’s ups and downs during an appearance on the God’s Country podcast, where he shared a memorable story from his early days that encapsulates the struggles he faced as an emerging artist.
Birge began his musical journey performing with local bands and in bars around Austin, Texas. It was here that he honed his guitar skills and developed a strong talent for songwriting. Encouraged by his father and armed with a passion for music, Birge set off for Nashville to pursue his dreams.
In the early stages of his career, Birge faced numerous challenges. One significant hurdle was saving enough money to buy a sprinter van for touring, as an alternative to using his own truck. Despite its high mileage and worn condition, Birge felt a sense of pride in his purchase. “The sprinter had 450,000 miles on it. You could basically see through the floorboard, every single piece of it rattled, but I’ve never felt more like a king than when I bought the Sprinter,” he shared on the podcast.
Eager to hit the road, Birge got an opportunity to open shows for Scotty McCreery, which seemed like the perfect chance to test out his new van. However, the trip quickly turned problematic. Upon crossing the Kentucky state line, the van’s lights failed, and soon the engine began to show signs of trouble. Stuck in a remote area, Birge realized the alternator was the issue.
With limited options, Birge and his crew sought help at a local mechanic shop. An employee initially offered assistance but was soon fired due to substance issues, leaving Birge without a solution. A passerby offered to help but lacked the necessary knowledge to fix the van. Unable to afford towing the vehicle back to Nashville, Birge rented a small Nissan Kicks, which allowed him to complete the tour successfully. He recalled, “When you got all your money in the car, you can’t afford to get fixed up or towed. It’s a wild deal. It was like $35 a day to rent. It was perfect. And we got through it.”
This story highlights the determination and resilience Birge showed on his path to becoming a successful country artist.