[1] His "high-energy boogie-blues" sound became a staple of 1980s US rock radio, with hits like his original songs "Bad to the Bone" and "I Drink Alone".

Thorogood began his career as a solo acoustic performer in the style of Robert Johnson and Elmore James[2] after being inspired in 1970 by a John P. Hammond concert.

[4] In 1973, he formed a band, "the Delaware Destroyers", with high school friend and drummer Jeff Simon.

[2][5][6] With additional players, the Delaware Destroyers developed its sound, a mixture of Chicago blues and rock and roll.

The band's major recording debut came with the album George Thorogood and the Destroyers, which was released on August 16, 1977.

[22] The album's title track eventually became the band's most well-known song[23] through appearances on MTV and use in films, television and commercials.

[24] Later that year he was the featured musical guest on Saturday Night Live (Season 8, Episode 2) on the October 2, 1982, broadcast.

[26][27] It was written by Thorogood[28] as a holiday special for MTV, with John Lee Hooker appearing in the music video.

[30] The album featured Thorogood's only song to reach the Billboard Hot 100, a remake of Johnny Otis's "Willie and the Hand Jive", which peaked at number 63,[31] and his concert staple "I Drink Alone".

[22] In 1988, rhythm guitarist Steve Chrismar joined the band, and was featured on their next album, Born to Be Bad, also released in 1988.

[34] His eighth studio album, Boogie People, only sold around 300,000 copies,[35] but it did contain the song "If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave)", which eventually became a concert staple.

[15] In 1992, The Baddest of George Thorogood was released,[15] it was the band's second and final album to be certified platinum by the RIAA.

[31] George Thorogood signed a three-album deal with Eagle Records in 2002,[41] and released Ride 'Til I Die the next year.

[34] Ride 'Til I Die was the final Destroyers album to feature Hank "Hurricane" Carter, he was replaced by Buddy Leach.

[15] In 2004, Greatest Hits: 30 Years of Rock was released,[15] it was the band's final album to be certified gold by the RIAA.

[citation needed] Hank Carter, who served as the saxophonist for Thorogood's band from 1980 to 2003, died on September 14, 2021, at the age of 71.