Video Premiere: “Statesboro Blues” David Starr

Photo: Jeff Fasano

We are pleased to premiere David Starr’s new video “Statesboro Blues” from his critically acclaimed Touchstones. An evolving album project, Touchstones features a new digital release every month for one year. During the time when Covid-19 stopped the world in its tracks, Colorado-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, David Starr took time to reflect on and revisit music that shaped his own.

Produced by David Starr and Mark Prentice, Touchstones’ first nine singles include “Magnolia” (J.J. Cale), “Cabo San Lucas”, “Drive” (The Cars), “Angel From Montgomery” (John Prine), “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” (Gladys Knight), “Someone Like You” (Van Morrison), “These Days (Jackson Browne), “Gotta Serve Somebody” (Bob Dylan), and “Every Kind of People (Robert Palmer). Produced by David Starr and Mark Prentice, with co-production by David Kalmusky, all songs were recorded at Addiction Sound Studios in Nashville by David Kalmusky, Ethan Barrette and Alberto Sewald. Singles are available across digital platforms now.

Starr has released nine albums, toured internationally and opened shows for esteemed artists such as John Oates (Hall & Oates), Karla Bonoff, The Steel Wheels, Survivor and more.

With his brand new single, David Starr turns in an absolutely joyous and personal version of Blind Willie McTell’s eternal classic “Statesboro Blues” that will infuse your day with the shuffle you need to survive. Starr eschews the often-quoted Allman Brothers cover and takes the song to his own place and time, breathing new life into one of America’s greatest popular songs. His vocals are compelling and expressive and his guitar work is a veritable clinic on phrasing and tone. Setting the track to a lyric video was a brilliant idea, as this keeps us focused on the story, not the soloing. Starr clearly understands that this is vocal music first and his guitar is the response and never the call. This is a pristine new take on one of everybody’s favorite songs and reminds us of everything we love about the blues.

David Starr says, “I have always loved this standard since I first heard The Allman Brothers version in the 70’s and knew it had to be a part of the Touchstones project. I’ve played it in virtually every bar band I’ve ever been in and decided to take a straight ahead gritty blues approach. It is so fun to play and sing, and I wanted to bring that live energy to the recording. I think you can hear that we’re having a good time!”

Watch “Statesboro Blues”

Band members include David Starr (lead vocals, rhythm guitars), Mark Prentice (bass, organ,) Matt Bubel (drums), Dan Dugmore (lap steel), John Prentice (electric guitars.)

Touchstones follows Starr’s acclaimed February 2020 record, Beauty and Ruin. Produced and arranged by John Oates, the collection of songs was inspired by Of What Was, Nothing Is Left, a novel written by Starr’s grandfather in 1972.

With roots in Arkansas blues, country rock, and classic rock, David Starr’s influences range from The Band and Jackson Browne to Eric Clapton. As bandleader for the David Starr Band, they opened for Travis Tritt, Survivor, The Guess Who, and Clint Black. Since 2013, Starr has focused on his solo efforts.

Starr owns and operates a guitar-based music store called ‘Starr’s Guitars’ in Cedaredge, Colorado. The store is such an institution that Cedaredge proclaimed the musician’s birthday as ‘David Starr Day’ in 2016. He was instrumental in the 2018 opening of the Grand Mesa Arts Center, an intimate event space brough to fruition through strong community support in Cedaredge, CO. He helped design the space to attract musicians and visual artists to Southwestern Colorado.

David Starr is currently on tour. For tour dates see here