CRAFT RECORDINGS ANNOUNCES
THE BADDEST SHOW ON EARTH: GREATEST HITS LIVE
BRAND NEW COLLECTION CAPTURES OVER 50 YEARS OF CONCERT HIGHLIGHTS FROM
GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS
Featuring a trove of previously unreleased material, the new collection includes hard-hitting favorites such as “Who Do You Love,” “Bad to the Bone,” and “Move It on Over”
Spanning 1978 –2024, the collection showcases electrifying performances from Atlanta, Boston, Roslyn, Sarasota, and more
Catch the legendary blues-rockers this spring and summer on their worldwide tour, The Baddest Show on Earth
Click here to pre-order now
From their record-breaking 50 States in 50 Dates Tour in ’81 to their current tour, The Baddest Show on Earth, George Thorogood and the Destroyers have always given 100 percent on stage. Now, as the legendary blues rockers celebrate more than five decades together, Craft Recordings shines a spotlight on their high-octane concerts with The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live. Spanning 1978–2024, the brand-new collection showcases some of the band’s most electrifying live performances—many making their debut on record—including such enduring crowd pleasers as “Who Do You Love,” “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” “Bad to the Bone” and “Move It on Over.”
Arriving June 12, The Baddest Show on Earth will be available on LP (featuring four previously unreleased tracks), while the expanded CD and standard/hi-res digital editions include eight previously unreleased performances. Both physical formats feature new liner notes from GRAMMY® Award-winning producer and blues musician Scott Billington. In addition to black vinyl, fans can pick up a Translucent Yellow vinyl pressing exclusively at Barnes & Noble and Blazing Red Smoke vinyl exclusively through GeorgeThorogood.com and on tour. Pre-order the album today and listen to a previously unreleased performance of “Who Do You Love” captured live in Atlanta in 1980.
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For more than 50 years, George Thorogood and The Destroyers have remained one of the most consistent—and consistently passionate—progenitors of blues-based rock. And no one knows that better than the millions of fans who’ve seen them live. Formed in 1973 by guitarist, singer, and songwriter George Thorogood and drummer Jeff Simon, the Delaware-based band honed their sound on stages across the Northeast, building a devoted word-of-mouth following through their high-energy performances and blistering grooves.
Things began to heat up in the late ’70s, after the band relocated to Boston and signed with Rounder Records. Channeling the raw power of their live shows in the studio, they released their self-titled debut in 1977, followed a year later by their breakthrough album, Move It on Over. Their profile continued to rise with a string of popular releases, including More George Thorogood and the Destroyers (1980), Bad to the Bone (1982) and Maverick (1985). Still, their true passion always remained in the live arena.
“George’s connection to unvarnished, primal rock and roll made the music relevant in a way that no one could have predicted,” writes Scott Billington, who spent over 40 years as Rounder’s Vice President of A&R. “And even though he went on to make many wonderful records…he’s the first to say that he’d rather be on stage than in a recording studio.”
That unwavering dedication is on full display throughout The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live, beginning with highlights from the band’s earliest years. Standout performances include the previously unreleased “Ride on Josephine,” captured in 1978, and “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” recorded in 1980. The latter—also making its debut on record—features stellar interplay between Thorogood and his late, longtime saxophonist Hank Carter. Fans will also relish reliving the group’s signature hit, “Bad to the Bone,” culled from a triumphant 1982 homecoming show in Boston.
The band’s showmanship has never wavered, as evidenced by more recent previously unreleased performances, including “Born to Be Bad” from 2024, along with fiery renditions of two blues classics: Howlin’ Wolf’s “Howlin’ for My Baby” (2023) and Willie Dixon’s “Tail Dragger” (2020), both exclusive to the CD and digital editions.
Speaking about The Baddest Show on Earth, Thorogood says, “When the lights go down, the downbeat hits and the audience erupts; all bets are off. The Destroyers are at their best when we play for the people, and these are some of our favorite—and rarest—performances from the past five decades. You wanted the baddest, you got it.”
Today, George Thorogood and The Destroyers—which currently consists of Jeff Simon (drums, percussion), Bill Blough (bass guitar), Jim Suhler (rhythm guitar), and Buddy Leach (saxophone)—have played more than 8,000 live shows. Career highlights include their record-breaking 50 States in 50 Dates tour in 1981; numerous high-profile tours alongside The Rolling Stones, Sammy Hagar, and ZZ Top, among others; over 15 million albums sold worldwide; plus landmark performances at Live Aid and Saturday Night Live.
Last year, Thorogood played to more than 54,000 spectators during a Las Vegas Raiders halftime show, in addition to a full band PBS special, Recorded Live at Analog, which aired in over 75 markets and received top ratings. George Thorogood and The Destroyers are currently on the road once again for their The Baddest Show on Earth tour, with dates across North America, Europe & The UK. Scroll down for an initial list of shows and visit GeorgeThorogood.com for tickets and more info.
Click here to pre-order/pre-save The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live
The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live Tracklist (Vinyl)
Side A
1. Who Do You Love (Live in Atlanta, Georgia – 1980)*
2. Move It On Over (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
3. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (Live in Atlanta, Georgia – 1980)*
Side B
1. Ride On Josephine (Live in Roslyn, New York – 1978)*
2. Madison Blues (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
3. Bad To The Bone (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
4. Born To Be Bad (Live in Sarasota, Florida – 2024)*
*previously unreleased
The Baddest Show on Earth: Greatest Hits Live Tracklist (CD/Digital)
1. Who Do You Love (Live in Atlanta, Georgia – 1980)*
2. Move It On Over (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
3. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer (Live in Atlanta, Georgia – 1980)*
4. Ride On Josephine (Live in Roslyn, New York – 1978)*
5. Madison Blues (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
6. Bad To The Bone (Live in Boston, Massachusetts – 1982)
7. Born To Be Bad (Live in Sarasota, Florida – 2024)*
8. Steppin’ Out (Live in Midland, Texas – 2022)*
9. Howlin’ For My Baby (Live in Hyannis, Massachusetts – 2023)*
10. Tail Dragger (Live in Kansas City, Missouri – 2020)*
11. Boogie Chillun (Live in Toronto, Canada – 1978)*
*previously unreleased
The Baddest Show on Earth Tour Dates
March 19: River Cree Casino & Resort (Enoch, Canada)
March 20: Grey Eagle Event Centre (South Calgary, Canada)
March 22: Conexus Arts Centre (Regina, Canada)
March 24: Burton Cummings Theatre (Winnipeg, Canada)
March 25: Amsoil Arena (Duluth, MN)
March 27: FireKeepers Casino (Battle Creek, MI)
March 28: Brown County Music Center (Nashville, IN)
March 29: Rialto Square Theatre (Joliet, IL)
March 31: The Midland Theatre (Newark, OH)
April 2: FirstOntario Concert Hall (Hamilton, Canada)
April 3: Casino Rama Resort (Rama, Canada)
April 4: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa (Ottawa, Canada)
May 1: The Capitol Theatre (Port Chester, NY)
May 2: The Paramount (Huntington, NY)
May 3: Penn’s Peak (Jim Thorpe, PA)
May 5: Capital One Hall (Tysons, VA)
May 6: The Carolina Opry (Myrtle Beach, SC)
May 7: St. Augustine Amphitheatre (St. Augustine, FL)
May 9: Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival (Key West, FL)
May 10: Seminole Brighton Bay Hotel & Casino (Okeechobee, FL)
May 12: Macon City Auditorium (Macon, GA)
May 13: Pensacola Saenger Theatre (Pensacola, FL)
May 15: Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival (Richardson, TX)
May 16: Riverwind Casino (Norman, OK)
May 17: The Astro (La Vista, NE)
May 19: Vibrant Music Hall (Waukee, IA)
May 21: The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor (Windsor, CA)
May 22: Rose Music Center at The Heights (Huber Heights, OH)
May 23: Beaver Dam Amphitheater (Beaver Dam, KY)
Jun 20: Holland International Blues Festival (Grolloo, NL)
Jun 23: Uber Eats Music Hall (Berlin, DE)
Jun 26: Bataclan (Paris, FR)
Jun 29: The Civic Hall (Wolverhampton, UK)
Jun 30: Indigo at The O2 (London, UK)
Jul 4: Puistoblues (Järvenpää, FL)
Jul 10: Lakefront Music Fest 2026 (Prior Lake, MN)
Sept 4: Champlain Valley Fair (Essex Junction, VT)
Sept 25: One805Live! 2026 (George Thorogood & Buddy Leach) (Montecito, CA)
About Craft Recordings:
Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., and Joan Sebastian. Plus, the catalog recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Daddy Yankee, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likeness and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers.
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Photographer and Editor/Founder of AllMusicMagazine.com. My love of live music has taken me to incredible experiences with the top bands of all time in stadium shows to the smallest venues with equally inspiring musicians. Using the medium of photography and my publication, these memories will last forever.