Sue Bonzell: Today’s artist is George Birge. You’re watching Cow Chair Country powered by vlivecast. I’m your host Sue Bonzell. Let’s get started.
Sue Bonzell: He has become an instant sensation on TikTok because he created a song from somebody making fun of country music. I am so excited to introduce you to George Birge. Hey, George.
George Birge: What’s up y’all?
Sue Bonzell: I am loving this whole story. So, you saw a video, somebody was making fun of country music and the lyrics that are typically in a country music song. And tell me what happened after that.
George Birge: Yeah, I was on a writer’s retreat down in Galveston, Texas with Clay Walker. I had just gotten done giving him this whole monologue spilling my life to him, telling him I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep playing live music, I might just focus on being a writer going forward and I was just at this crossroads in my life. And Clay looked at me and he was like, “Man, you know what you need to do?’ And I’m expecting this big, prophetic thing he’s going to tell me and he’s like, “You need to put your songs on TikTok.”
I definitely did not expect that from Clay Walker but I created a TikTok account that night. And obviously, me being me, the first thing I did was go to the country music hashtag. And the first video I saw, was who I now know was Erynn Chambers, lightheartedly poking fun of country music. She was like country music ain’t nothing, but beer, beer, truck, truck, girls and tight jeans. While she makes a great point, I kind of was just like, “Man, wouldn’t it be cool if I took these lyrics and showed her that a country song writer could turn that, even the most mundane lyric, into something cool.” And so I think I spent maybe 30 minutes on it before we went to dinner that night and I just posted the chorus. I actually had to have Clay’s social media manager teach me how to post on TikTok. And he showed me how to post the video I had made.
And we went to dinner for probably three hours. And I think I had six followers at the time. I was basically posting this to no one. And we came back from dinner and I had gotten 10,000 followers in three hours. And then within a couple of hundred thousand views in three hours. And so we’re all like, “Clay was right. This is working. This is it.” And I really thought it was just kind of like a one little flash thing but over the course of the next couple of weeks, I ended up getting well over a hundred-thousand followers and the video went on to do millions and millions of views.
And there was such a demand for me to finish the song, that I actually called one of my really good buddies and had him help me record what we call a demo if it. Basically, go in the studio and record a budget friendly recording of it. And I put that out for free, just on YouTube and SoundCloud. And again, it went insane. When I recorded it and put the whole song out, it really popped. And every label that I’d always dreamed about being on a Nashville, started calling my cell phone and press and all of this stuff that I never in a million years could have expected started coming together. So, it’s funny how life works out sometimes, but it’s been a really fun ride getting here.
Sue Bonzell: Isn’t that amazing? TikTok has been, I think, instrumental in a lot of country music careers recently. I’m just blown away by this. I did a quick Google search on you and there’s three pages worth of press about you doing this song. It’s incredible. You’re on people magazine. I’m like, “Man, this is killer, man. You, hit the jackpot on this one.”
George Birge: It’s so funny. I still to this day could not tell you a series of events how it came together. First Clay Walker telling me to get on TikTok. Second, me randomly stumbling upon this video. Third, I never do stuff like that. I never write songs in responses to people. I never post them for sure. And so how all of that… It almost feels fated. It feels like it was supposed to happen. And I’ve had a long road getting here in this town and I’ve had little wins and successes here and there, but I’ve really never had anything take off to this extent. So, I feel very blessed to have gotten my opportunity to take off here.
Sue Bonzell: It is a great song. I do love the song. And of course, as you said, you’ve had some successes doing some songwriting with other country artists. Who do I have here? I have on my list, Matt Stell, the guys from Rascal Flatts, Chris lane. That’s some pretty good names there. So you’re doing fine in your own right, but now we have discovered you which is the amazing thing. One of the best things on your TikTok channel, besides everybody dueting this, everybody’s dueting it, which I love is watching you with your wife and your kids, and your kids who are little, singing the words to the song. It’s the cutest thing ever.
George Birge: It is so fun. Yeah, I’ve got a four year old and a two year old, my little guys here. And I think that that gives me confidence and gives me the ability to kind of relax and let what happens, happens, because at home, I have the best support system in the world and they are my biggest fan club. My two year old, he can’t even talk and he knows the words to Beer Beer, Truck Truck. So I’m embarrassed to say that when he’s older, I going to have to tell him that his first words were beer, beer, truck, truck.
Sue Bonzell: That’s perfect. Starting them young he’ll be writing songs with you in no time, right?
George Birge: Exactly.
Sue Bonzell: Well, real quick before, I’m going to ask you to play this song, I am going to show the famous clip of your TikTok post so everybody can see what we’re talking about. Let’s take a look.
George Birge: Yeah, please.
Erynn Chambers: (Singing).
George Birge: You mean something like this? (Singing). Could be a hit.
Sue Bonzell: All right, that was the TikTok that did it all for George Birge. It’s hilarious. I keep watching it. It cracks me up. And you gave her songwriting credit as well, didn’t you?
George Birge: She was just… There was a lot of discussion about that in the comments section when I posted the video, whether she would or would not get writing credit and it was never a question for me. She was the one that inspired the song. She is in fact the one that said, “Beer, beer, truck, truck.” And Erin was such a great sport when I posted the rebuttal too. She loved the song and was really cool about it. So not only did I think it was fair, but I thought she deserved it too. And I hope it’s a big hit and changes both of our lives. She’s been a great sport about it.
Sue Bonzell: That’s awesome. Now, when you first did the demo, I think you had it named Out Here in the Country, is that correct?
George Birge: Yes.
Sue Bonzell: And then you brilliantly changed the name to Beer Beer, Truck Truck, because you know…
George Birge: I can’t take credit for that. I was sitting on the couch one day and I had recently, am so proud to announce, that I signed with Records Sony Nashville. And I got a call from the president of the label, and he’s like, “Hey George, I know you love it’s called Out Here in the Country,” but he’s like, “We got to call the song, Beer Beer, Truck Truck, right?” And I was like, “Yeah, you’re right.”
Sue Bonzell: Yeah, we kind of do.
George Birge: For everybody to find and just kind of shows the lightheartedness of it too, so I think it’s aptly named for sure.
Sue Bonzell: I think it’s great. I saw another TikTok of you, which cracked me up and I’m waiting for this to be the next song that you write and that is don’t drink and drive. That was a video of you shotgunning a beer on a golf course, teeing up the ball and hitting it. You got a nice swing. So you’re a pretty accomplished golfer.
George Birge: Thank you. That is a party trick that I learned from none other than John Daly. He is a member at the course that I played at out here and he calls those Michelob Ultras Arkansas mineral waters. The first time I played with him, he did that and it blew my mind so I had to try it. If you haven’t seen my TikTok you have to see it, it’s pretty wild.
Sue Bonzell: Oh my God, that is hilarious. I absolutely love that. So I’m excited for you. I’m excited for all of your success. Are you ready to share this song with us today?
George Birge: Totally unprepared.
Sue Bonzell: Nice work.
George Birge: So, this is a song that I never meant to finish and thank you guys so much for the support. And like we talked about it’s aptly named Beer Beer, Truck Truck, so I hope y’all like it. (Singing).
Sue Bonzell:
Yeah, fantastic! I’m just loving this, I’m so excited for your success. Where can we… Obviously we can get the song everywhere now that it’s out. What’s next for you?
George Birge: So it has taken off fast and I feel like if I’m dreaming, please don’t wake me up because it’s been a lot of fun lately. I just got to cut a five song [inaudible 00:12:17] with my favorite producer in town, Ash Bowers. It is the most incredible project that I’ve ever been a part of and I’m so excited about it. So, hopefully that will be coming later this summer. I have some collaborations coming up with artists that I would have never in a million years guessed that I would get to feature on. So that’s coming as well. We’re going to have a big summer and a huge fall, and we’re going to hopefully be chasing this song up the charts as well, so it is a lot to look forward to right now.
Sue Bonzell: Well, I am absolutely thrilled for you and your success, wishing you all the best. Thank you so much for being here and taking the time and playing the song for us.
George Birge: Thank you guys so much for having me, for being believers and hopefully we’ll talk soon.
Sue Bonzell: Sounds good. Thanks for watching Cow Chair Country. I’m Sue Bonzell. Make sure you follow me on TikTok and like and subscribe. And of course, if you have an up-and-coming country artist that you would love for me to interview, please let me know in the comments.
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