George & Barbara Staerkel with Mountain Annie's in Ruidoso, New Mexico

George started performing with his first live band at age eight and attended college at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin obtaining masters degrees in music education and performance. After college he spent 15 years touring with various bands and has arranging and recording credits which include the Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman and Bill Watrous big bands. From 1980 - 1985 he was lead singer and keyboardist with "The Tokens", a New York based pop group with 12 gold records to their credit but who are mostly remembered for their recording of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". The Tokens also recorded many national radio and television commercials including, Wendy's, Burger King, United and Pan Am Airlines, Coke & Pepsi, Clairol Haircoloring, and Sunkist Orange (Good Vibrations). He also did a lot of session work in the New York City area during the early '80s when not on the road. George is still active on the radio talk show circuit and is happy to do interview with people looking for an aging rock & roller.


	From 1986 to 2000 George lived in Kenosha Wisconsin. During that time he performed with several bands including "Dave Major and the Minors, a five piece show band out of Chicago; and "Critics Choice", a five piece group billed as having the largest repertoire of live music in the state of Wisconsin. he also performed with the "Kenosha Pops Concert Band" from 1986 to 2001, a 60 piece performing group where he served as the concertmaster, contactor and president of the board of directors. A recent addition to George's list of endeavors is his own internet website where the computer generated background accompaniments he produces are now available for purchase to the general public. In the past three years he has provided music for seven pageant winners including Miss Wisconsin 2000, all of which won their respective titles with George's musical arrangements. George still keeps busy using the new computer technology to include writing and recording radio and television commercials for local businesses, and as a session player for recording studios in the Chicago, Milwaukee and Phoenix areas.

In September of 2000 George accepted the position of "Musical and Technical Director" for the Arizona Opry (a dinner theater featuring a Branson style stage show) in Apache Junction, Arizona where he is also one of the featured performers, performing live on 32 different instruments as well as vocals. The season runs annually form November through April with shows six nights a week. George currently has fourteen recordings available covering a wide variety of music with more scheduled to release soon. George also operates his own recording studio where he produces recordings for the other members of the Arizona Opry cast. He has also done recording work for other entertainers in the Phoenix area.