Short Biography of Artist George Nandan-Third Party's Perspective!

 Nicely written from a Third Party's perspective! Updated April, 30th, 2017.

Short Biography of Artist George Nandan

George Nandan

Girl From GT Project

Artistic Journey

Television

Hostess- Shanaz Husain

July 9, 2014

Short Biography of Artist George Nandan

Written by an Anonymous Third Party.

            George Nandan was born Nankissure Raghunandan AKA Sunny to Patrick and Kuntee Raghunandan in a Dutch designed village of Canal No.2 Polder. Canal No.2 Polder is the second of the Canals Polder dug by African slaves under Dutch rule. It is located on the West Bank of the Demerara River. The Village of Canal No.2 Polder is known for its proximity to Wales Sugar Estate on the Bank of the same Demerara River. Situated just thirteen road miles from the capital Georgetown, Canal No. 2 is ideal for the students who are enrolled in high schools in and the Technical Institute that George attended. The village remained mostly agricultural with a small minority working in the capital Georgetown and elsewhere. The Canals Polder was created mainly for coffee and cotton plantation but was replaced by sugar cane which wiped out most of the coffee, and totally wiped out the cotton plantations.   

            The village of Canal No. 2 is known for its academics notably Kawall Primary School

Birthplace of George Nandan

Pic. Courtesy Narpattie Ganesh.

under legendary Headmaster the late Budhoo. Artistic culture has always existed as well. When his first cousin Hanuman got, married George was the Sybala and saw firsthand live

performances and music that influenced the emotions of people and he knew right then and there that one day he will create melodies that appeal the same way.

            Born in a home with artistic parents, at the tender age of six George made his debut at the Hindu Temple. His Dad is a former member of the Ramayana Group of the same Temple. opportunities to be exposed in various types of Hindu Cultural styles of music. George picked up learning the styles of playing the Dolak (drums) from his Dad while developed playing the different styles of Maticore drums by observing his Mom.

            During his Boyhood years George developed his singing talent by vocalizing Bollywood melodies namely the styles of playback singers Mukesh and Rafi. He was fortunate enough to have a tape recorder with the option to record in the seventies. He fondly recalled his Mom and Dad recording their first religious song and was inspired to be a real recording artist. His Dad played the drum and sang with Mom. That became a reality years later. George had certain responsibilities such as taking the cows before and after school to graze in the swamp in the back-dam as known locally. There was a Jamoon tree that George sang after snacking on mangoes, cashews, jamoons or whatever fruit was in season while the cattle grazed. That way he can practice and not be bored and scared. Rover his dog would keep his company.

          There would be many times when George would sing a set of songs repeatedly to pass the time and yoked the bulls and head home before nightfall while still singing Filmy songs as it was known then. George kept developing his vocals as the opportunities presented itself. He would always do his chores so he can and observe the local musicians. That group called the Sour Sop did not materialize into a band but laid the groundwork for the Naya Fasana Band under the late Jugnu.

George Nandan and his wife Kaminie

Nandan. 1990 Queens Botanical Gardens

Flushing, New York, USA.

Pic. courtesy Dolly Baijnath

Graphics courtesy Meli Singh

            A constant source of inspiration was from the radio, in addition to the countless cassettes tapes accumulated by his Dad. Inspirational singers/songwriters/vocalists such as Sundar Popo, Ramdeo Chaitoo, Dropattie, Bhawanie Singh (Original singer/songwriter for Drinking in the Bar), Mohan Nandu, Mighty Enchanta (Original Singer for Fowl Cock a Nap e Drum) among many whose works were aired that had an influence on his artistic skills. He was in attendance in almost every major concert event in his Boyhood days featuring leading bands of the day such as Merrytones, Sohanie Combo, and De Originals among others in his native village.

            In the second grade of Kawall Primary School, George was called Little Mukesh by classmate Rohit. He remembers getting in trouble for disturbing the class with his singing.

Christmas takes on special meaning because he was thrilled to participate in the singing of

Christmas Carols. He was chosen many times for his voice and would be the only male vocalist in the group on stage. He looked forward to sing many of the Folk and Patriotic songs of the day. 

Kawall Primary School where George

Nandan got encouragement from 

Tch.Harry Narine

            As George approached Pre-Teen years his family started converting to Christianity. He welcomed the opportunity to learn new styles of music. He made his singing debut as a Gospel Singer at the Canal No.2 Presbyterian Church. In his teenage years, he got a good handle of Gospel Hymnals and started writing Gospel songs and got interested in acting in the church’s plays. There was a one play that he put together with the youth group that became inspiration for the others.

            Poverty was the norm of the day so when George failed his Common Entrance Examination his only hope for attending secondary school in another village was dashed. He had to wait to write the College of Preceptors but that was replaced by the Secondary Schools Proficiency Examination (SSPE). It enabled him to be accepted in Government Technical Institute in Georgetown, Guyana where he was introduced to the Youth Group at Bible Study who were into music such as Reggae, Calypso, Soca, Steel Pan and fort the first time partake in live Chutney known as ‘Local” music back in the day.  Funny he had to help his Mom sell vegetables to help pay for transportation to GTI when his friends were interested in members of the opposite sex, poverty can be cruel but desire to succeed can overcome anything. George continued to sing Gospel at the Government Technical Institute while he kept up his vocalizing skills on Bollywood compositions.

            At the age of nineteen George immigrated to the USA via Canada but continues in

his artistic adventures. The early eighties had limited artistic opportunities in New York. All this started to change gradually namely by veteran Broadcaster Mr. Ishri Sing who was the catalyst behind the renaming ‘Local’ music into the new ‘Chutney” rhythm.

Song: Girl from GT
Singer: George Nandan
Music: Avi-Supertones Band
Remix: VP Premier
Video: Meli Singh
Theme: Based on his True Love Story
Models: George and His Beautiful Wife of 26 years (2013).

    





 All during the nineties Chutney Bands flourish. Gemini, Angels, Treveni based in New

York and Dil E Nadan based in Trinidad to just to name a few, had tremendous impact on

George’s influence on music. In 1999 George did his first recording with Avi of the Supertones Band at the Supertones Recording Studio, Ozone Park, NY and continues to this day in Kissimmee, FL. His first song “I Love You” was a dedication to his wife that helped him got the ‘Original Artist of the Year 2000.” he went on to record over eighteen original songs that still resonates today. All his songs were aired on the Local Talent show by Host Bhawanie Singh and the Farouk Juman Radio Program by Host Farouk Juman, on WPAT 930 AM Stereo NY/NJ/CT. These were done before the social media craze except My Space. In 2001 George had to give up playing with the Supertones Band because of commitment to travel overseas.

            In 2000 George recorded debut with ten original songs on his album “Heartbeat,” plus two remixes and a jingle from the Local Talent Show with Bhawanie Singh. The Fans voted him “Artist of the Year” over leading Singers from the NY/NJ/CT area. George continued working on his second album which was scheduled to be out 2001 but cancelled when his budget ran out. His last recording was in 2004 but updated his trademark song “Girl from GT” in 2013.

  Song: You're the One
  Singer: George Nandan
  Music: Avi-Supertones
  Video: Meli Singh
  Theme: Based on his True Love Story
  Models: George Nandan, Kaminie Nandan (2016).

            







Looking back GTI George started to write poems and it was a classmate who inspired the song and capped off by the loving response by his wife in the second stanza. These two ladies are forever engrained in his heart as the catalyst who first believed in his artistic abilities. Many followed suit. George does not believe in redoing other songwriters’ works and refused to redo Bollywood songs like the other Chutney vocalists/singers. He believes that the hard work of songwriters must be respected.  George is a member of BMI and Artistic Academia. Has copyrighted numerous songs with the Library of Congress and has a blog on Google at georgenadan.blogspot.com featuring numerous Boyhood artistic stories. A few of his poems were featured on Poetry.com with one on the current list. More will be posted on this site as George gets the time.

Lake Sumter State College, the Junior

college of University of Central

Florida where George Nandan

currently attends.

           George Nandan considers himself as an Advocate against Domestic Violence. He is perhaps one of the very few if not none of the current Chutney Artists that discusses this issue. Many Chutney Artists writes lyrics that inspire other tendencies instead of honoring women. George took another approach of using redemptive Love Story to inspire men to be better husbands, boyfriends, fathers etc. You may not hear his music being played by most West Indian Djs and he does not mind because he is not into personal artistic glory.

George Nandan advocating against

Domestic Violence in 2016.

            George’s future is to cont. in college in pursuit for his Nursing Degree- RN-BSN, writing poems, songs, screenplays and do Gospel Chutney. One of his goal is to make it on the New York Times best Sellers List.







Asked for something inspirational, George gave this picture.

I believe that says it all.

End.