There’s a certain kind of kid you notice right away—not because they’re loud, but because they’re locked in. Focused. In it. That’s George.

At 9 years old and in third grade, George Carter V has already built a relationship with music that feels less like a hobby and more like something wired into him. It started early—preschool classes, then ukulele—but the moment he picked up an electric guitar, things clicked. Not in a dramatic, movie-scene kind of way. Just a quiet, steady shift into something that felt right.

Now, guitar is his main lane, but he doesn’t stop there. Drums, bass, acoustic—he moves between them naturally, figuring things out by ear as much as instruction. He plays in the “Rockers” group through RiverCity Music Academy and looks forward to every performance, not in a nervous way, but in a ready way. 

What stands out isn’t just that he plays—it’s how he listens. George has a strong ear, picking up songs from bands like The Black Keys, Queens of the Stone Age, and Foo Fighters, then teaching himself how to recreate them. His instructors help shape that skill, but the drive is already there.

Outside of music, he’s still a kid in the best sense—riding bikes around the neighborhood, golfing with his dad, playing pickleball with his mom. But even there, the pattern shows: he likes doing things fully.

He performed at his school’s talent show this spring, and he’s gearing up for Salem’s Make Music Day in June—another step, another stage. 

George is also learning something a lot of adults still struggle with: progress isn’t instant. Music gets frustrating. Practice matters. Improvement takes time.

No big speeches. No pressure. Just showing up, playing, and getting better.

And if his hair ends up as long as Dave Grohl’s along the way—that’s just a bonus.