# George Ensle

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{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}

'''George Ensle''' is a folk and country singer-songwriter and guitarist from Texas.

== Biography ==
Ensle was born in [Houston, Texas](/source/Houston) on September 6, 1948. His parents gave him his first guitar when he was 13, after which he began to learn how to play classically.<ref name=":0">Ensle, George. "George Ensle oral history and transcript." (2017) Rice University: http://hdl.handle.net/1911/97401.</ref> This classical training formed his unique fingerpicking style later in life.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.berkalinrecords.com/george-ensle/|title=George Ensle|website=Berkalin Records|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-09}}</ref>

As a teenager, Ensle joined the Houston folk club circuit, playing places like the [Sand Mountain Coffee House](/source/Sand_Mountain_Coffee_House), Theodore’s, Houlahan’s No. 2, [Anderson Fair](/source/Anderson_Fair_Retail_Restaurant), and the Old Quarter.<ref name=":2">Series I: General files, 1973-2016. George Ensle collection, . Woodson Research Center, Rice University, Houston, Texas. http://archives.library.rice.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/256003 Accessed July 09, 2018.</ref> Though he moved to [Austin](/source/Austin%2C_Texas) in 1966 to attend the [University of Texas](/source/University_of_Texas_at_Austin), he continued to perform in both cities.<ref name=":0" /> It was in the club circuit that he first met fellow artists like [Townes Van Zandt](/source/Townes_Van_Zandt), [Guy Clark](/source/Guy_Clark), [Don Sanders](/source/Don_Sanders), [Carolyn Hester](/source/Carolyn_Hester), [Jerry Jeff Walker](/source/Jerry_Jeff_Walker), [Vince Bell](/source/Vince_Bell), [Eric Taylor](/source/Eric_Taylor_(musician)), [Bill Staines](/source/Bill_Staines), and Bill and Lucille Cade.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> He also played the college circuit in the 1970s, which included the [University of Houston](/source/University_of_Houston) and [Sam Houston State University](/source/Sam_Houston_State_University), with Lindsay Haisley and [Nanci Griffith](/source/Nanci_Griffith).<ref name=":0" />

In 1977, Ensle was one of six winners chosen out of over one hundred tapes sent to the 6th [Kerrville Folk Festival](/source/Kerrville_Folk_Festival) songwriting competition, judged by [Townes Van Zandt](/source/Townes_Van_Zandt), [Steve Young](/source/Steve_Young_(musician)), and [Bobby Bridger](/source/Bobby_Bridger).<ref>Scobey, Lola (June 18, 1977). ''Cash Box.''</ref> Van Zandt would later include Ensle in a list of “contemporary performers he admire[d]” - a list composed of [Guy Clark](/source/Guy_Clark), [David Olney](/source/David_Olney), [Gamble Rogers](/source/Gamble_Rogers), and Pat White.<ref>Van Zandt, Townes (November 1987). ''Frets''.</ref>

In 1978 and 1979, Ensle was an artist-in-residence at economically disadvantaged schools in [Beaumont](/source/Beaumont%2C_Texas) and [Victoria](/source/Victoria%2C_Texas), Texas. He worked with elementary and middle school students to cultivate an atmosphere of creativity, encouraging them to write poetry, songs, and prose.<ref name=":2" />

After working in the schools, Ensle created and released his first album, ''Head On'', in 1980. He followed the album release with a tour in [Colorado](/source/Colorado).<ref name=":0" />

Around 1990, Ensle met and began to mentor Will T. Massey as Massey went on to cut his first album. The resulting eponymous album was successful; Massey used some of the money he made from its sales to pay for the production of Ensle’s ''Heartwood'' album.<ref name=":0" />

In 2008, Ensle was nominated for the Texas Music Awards’ singer-songwriter of the year.<ref name=":2" />

Some of Ensle’s many songs have been recorded by other artists, including [Gary P. Nunn](/source/Gary_P._Nunn), Bob Cheevers, Will T. Massey, and Jeff Talmadge.<ref>(January 30, 1988). ''Austin American-Statesman''.</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

Ensle continues to write, both commercially and charitably. He created "Portrait Songs," a business through which he crafts original and personalized songs for individuals and their loved ones. In recent years, he has also written portrait songs for patients in hospice care.<ref name=":0" /> He regularly hosts songwriting showcases that support and encourage fellow songwriters.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://buddymagazine.com/pdf/2017/201708-george-ensle.pdf|title=These are the original recordings, warts and all|last=Farmer|first=Mary Jane|date=August 2017|work=Buddy Magazine}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://digitalprojects.rice.edu/houston-folk-music-archive/exhibits/show/george-ensle/biography|title=George Ensle Biography|last=Guthrie|first=Norie|website=Houston Folk Music Archive}}</ref>

== References ==
<references />

== External links ==

* [http://digitalprojects.rice.edu/houston-folk-music-archive/exhibits/show/george-ensle/biography George Ensle Online Exhibit in Houston Folk Music Archive] (Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA)
* [http://libguides.rice.edu/houstonfolkmusic Guide to the Houston Folk Music Archive (Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA)]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ensle, George}}
Category:1948 births
Category:Living people
Category:American male singer-songwriters

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [George Ensle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ensle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ensle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.