Pine Grove songwriter sings Maroons praises

The following was reported in today's issue of the Pottsville Republican and Herald:

Strumming a six-string acoustic guitar in front of a microphone Thursday afternoon, George P. Graham of Pine Grove recorded his rousing tribute to “The Great Pottsville Maroons.”

“I think it’s a good sing-a-long. It has an old-time flavor to it,” Graham said in between takes while working out the rough edges at Chestnut Lane Creations, just off Chestnut Lane in Pine Grove Township.

Graham is hoping to have the single available for purchase in March.

He wrote the ditty Tuesday morning, inspired by recent efforts to help the legendary Pottsville professional football team regain its 1925 championship title from the NFL, including David Fleming’s “Breaker Boys: The NFL’s Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship,” published by ESPN Books in October.

Graham included the words “Breaker Boys” in the chorus.

David R. Evans, who owns the studio and started recording in 2002, said he’s impressed with how Graham can translate inspiration into a song.

“He just keeps on writing songs one after the other. I don’t think I’ve met anybody who can just write lyrics like he does,” Evans said.

Graham debuted the song Wednesday, the first day of Fleming’s second local promotional tour for the book. Graham attended the first book-signing on the new tour at The REPUBLICAN & Herald, and treated about 80 Maroons fans waiting in line by singing a few bars. He received a round of applause.

On Thursday afternoon, Graham arrived at Evans’ studio toting his banjo and acoustic guitar in two black cases and sporting his favorite tan ball cap, which features a U.S. Army patch.

Evans recorded the track using a digital mixer with a hard drive, as Graham sang into one microphone and sent vibrations from his the friction between his fingers and the strings into another.

“Dave might be able to add voices or other instruments if I needed. He’s a very good engineer,” Graham said.

After he celebrates down time with family for the holidays, Graham will put the CD package together.

“I’d like to see it do well and help the cause,” he said.

Born in Philadelphia in 1942, Graham graduated from Bishop Neumann High School in 1960, served in the Army National Guard from 1964 to 1970 and was honorably discharged as a specialist 4.

He worked as an assistant district permit manager for the state Department of Transportation in Harrisburg before retiring in 2000.

He and his wife, Marianne, have two children, George N., Maryland, and Sunny, Vermont, and two grandsons.

His hobbies include martial arts — he’s a 10th-degree black belt. He’s also been singing and recording his music since the 1960s.

He sells his music on homemade CDs, including a pop music compilation, “George Graham: Sings His Hits from the ’50s and ’60s,” and his 2006 gospel CD, “A Voice for Jesus.”

He also enjoys performing locally. His next show will be 7 p.m. Dec. 14 at a Christian Coffee House at Welcome United Methodist Church, Main Street, Landingville.

He said he’ll do religious, Christmas and secular songs, and if he got a request to strum his tribute to the Pottsville Maroons, he said, “I’ll play it.”

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