After finishing 8th grade George worked as a miner in Kentucky, but eventually moved to Denver, Colorado to pursue a career as a professional musician.

[4] After singing and playing guitar with various Denver bands, George moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, where he found work at radio station WPAY.

Adopting "The York Brothers" as a stage name, they quickly found success as a live act in Detroit's country music taverns.

The start of the Second World War and the resultant shortage of shellac for production of records led to most labels cutting back on releases.

[8] The York Brothers were trimmed from the Decca roster after releasing six sides, although their popularity in the Midwest and South remained strong.

They survived the 1948 AFM recording ban[9] with steady live work, including a six-week stint with the Louisiana Hayride, and remained with the Opry until 1950, when they returned to Detroit.

In 1963 the brothers started their own label, York Bros. Records, and released several regionally popular singles, including "Monday Morning Blues."