Biography

Contact info:
David Starr
davidstarrmusic@gmail.com
970.640.8088

For more information, please contact:
Kate Richardson, Richlynn Group
kate@richlynngroup.com
615.970.7474

Click here to go to David Starr Catalog


Better Me: "a rhythmic, melodic song that is both sonically and lyrically uplifting."~ Americana UK

Poison The Water: "hard-hitting lyrical song perched on top of a sanctified groove that'll stir your heart and mind...stellar vocals and spot on vocal phrasing on this tremendous funky groove." ~ Rock & Blues Muse

Closer To You: "'Breathtaking' might be an often-used term, but in this case it accurately applies -- the video footage and the song are both breathtakingly inspirational." ~ Americana Highways

Any Chance Of Going Home: "Unexpectedly darker…I definitely shed a tear. Strong imagery" ~ Grateful Web



Prolific Colorado singer/songwriter David Starr, releases his latest EP Better Me on all digital platforms today with the final single, "Because You're Right". Rich with bright acoustic guitars, soulful grooves and lead vocals from Starr, and his signature storytelling lyrics, it is a stellar collection of songs that fires on all cylinders.

Track 4 on the release, "Because You're Right" is the only song not written by Starr on the project, co-written by Erik Stucky, Bob Rea, and Chelsea Chaput. Premiering on The Bluegrass Situation on Monday, March 13, listeners got an early listen of the final installment of the EP. "Erik is one of my favorite artists, friends, and collaborators, so it's fun to be able to sing a song that he wrote. I heard him play it at a gig one night and I just couldn’t get it out of my mind. I think it shows that there are always two sides, and in love it's often hardest, but best to compromise, as difficult as that may be," Starr shares. Stucky can also be heard lending his mandolin parts to the recording.

The project as a whole ebbs and flows between the more Americana-infused sentimental songs "Because You're Right," "Some Angels Fly," and "Any Chance Of Going Home," to the bright and joyous title track "Better Me," energetic love song "Closer To You," and the raucous and rocking blues number "Poison The Water," which features special call & response background vocals from Reverend Joseph Rice.

"This is a mix of new songs and old songs alike. Some I have had for years like 'Closer To You' and 'Poison The Water,' they were both favorites of mine but deserved to be recut with a killer band. It was fun to record 'Because You're Right' because it's the only song on the project that I didn’t write, and it's written by my good friend and collaborator, Erik Stucky, who's also playing mandolin on the track. I heard him perform it live one time and I just couldn’t get it out of my head. The other three songs live in my singer/songwriter zone, which is where I tend to gravitate lyrically. I love setting a scene and telling a story, and I hope that’s what others gather from those songs.

After doing Touchstones it was a welcome return to get back to recording original music. On top of that, to have three of the six songs be super energetic was really fun. They are a blast to play live and I think that energy is captured in the recording. Addiction studios is my favorite place to record in Nashville, and when you find something that works you just want to do it again and again. I think we have really fine-tuned the sound between the incredible musicians, Mark my co-producer, and David Kalmusky. I'm excited to record more!" ~ David Starr

CD Release Date: March 17, 2023

Produced by: David Starr and Mark Prentice
Recorded at: Addiction Sound Studios, Nashville
Mix Engineered by: David Kalmusky
Mastering: David Kalmusky
Artwork: Jason Denton

Musicians:
David Starr: Acoustic, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals
Erik Stucky: Mandolin
Matt Bubel: Drums, Percussion
Mark Prentice: Bass, Keyboards
Michelle Prentice: Background Vocals
John Reno Prentice: Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar
Jimmy Mattingly: Fiddle
Dan Dugmore: Acoustic, Electric & Pedal Steel Guitar
Irene Kelley: Background Vocals
Special Call & Response Background Vocals for "Poison The Water": Reverend Joseph Rice


SONGS - Listed in order of release:

1. BETTER ME (Featured Track)(3:20)

Songwriter, Publishing & PRO:
David starr / David Starr Music / ASCAP

ISRC Code: TCAGE2233900

Single Release Date: May 10, 2022

"Better Me" was written in the fall of 2021, with some lines Starr has been carrying with him for years. "Ultimately it's about how to be better and move forward. I think as people we are always striving for that, this is an optimistic take. The verse about castles in a far away land was inspired by my tours in Scotland and I can’t wait to be back!" ~ David Starr

Musicians:
David Starr: Acoustic Guitar.
John Prentice: Electric Guitar
Dan Dugmore: Electric Guitar
Matt Bubel: Drums,
Mark Prentice: Bass, Keyboards
Tania Hancheroff: Background Vocals

2. CLOSER TO YOU (4:28)

Songwriter, Publishing & PRO:
David starr / David Starr Music / ASCAP

ISRC Code: TCAGI2254777

Single Release Date: August 19, 2022

"Closer To You" was born shortly after moving to Starr's now beloved hometown of Cedaredge in Colorado in 2001.

“I was in the process of building a home there and was tending to a small campfire on the rural property as I burned some scrap building materials. The sun was setting behind the mountain and the sparks rising into the dark gave me standing here in this light, I am reminded of my time on this earth. In that moment it was all about perspective. Sometimes the vast open sky provides that. From there, the song just felt like a gift. I’ve always wanted to re-record it with a good band and that's just what we did on this version!" ~ David Starr

Musicians:
David Starr: Acoustic Guitar.
John Prentice: Electric Guitar
Dan Dugmore: Electric Guitar
Matt Bubel: Drums,
Mark Prentice: Bass, Keyboards
Michelle Prentice: Background Vocals


3. POISON THE WATER (3:52)

Songwriter, Publishing & PRO:
David starr / David Starr Music / ASCAP

ISRC Code: TCAGK2272746

Single Release Date: September 16, 2022

Leaning into the blues/roots side of his music, Starr wrote "Poison The Water" as an outlet for his frustrations with the larger systems at play.

"I wrote "Poison The Water" back in the early '90's. It was in response to some political drama that was happening at the time. I felt compelled to ask a rhetorical question about why our leaders seem to blow things up just to get attention. It was relevant then, and is possibly even more relevant now. I recorded it in my early home studio in Little Rock way back when and felt it needed a new treatment with a full band." ~ David Starr

Musicians:
David Starr: Acoustic Guitar.
John Prentice: Electric Guitar
Dan Dugmore: Electric Guitar
Matt Bubel: Drums,
Mark Prentice: Bass, Keyboards
Michelle Prentice: Background Vocals
Reverand Joseph Rice: Call and Response Vocals


4. SOME ANGELS FLY (3:44)

Songwriter, Publishing & PRO:
David starr / David Starr Music / ASCAP

ISRC#: TCAGN2210310

Single Release Date: October 21, 2022

"The introspective song features Starr's signature storytelling lyrics and organic production, with rich acoustics, piano, and fiddle. Out today, the song is available on all digital platforms.

Starr’s Arkansas roots show through in the lyrics, with a nod to kudzu and changing of seasons from summer to fall.

"I think this song complements autumn, it's a time to look inward and perhaps take a moment to think back on some of the people that have come in and out of your life. "Sometimes people are a mystery and will stay that way forever, this one is for anyone who has lost someone and has unanswered questions." ~ David Starr

David Starr: Acoustic, Guitar, Lead Vocals
Matt Bubel: Drums
Mark Prentice: Bass, Piano
Michelle Prentice: Background Vocals
John Reno Prentice: Guitars
Jimmy Mattingly: Fiddle


5. ANY CHANCE OF GOING HOME (3:30)

Songwriter, Publishing & PRO:
David Starr / David Starr Music / ASCAP

ISRC Code: TCAGQ2204776

Single Release Date: December 2, 2022

Starr used his long-honed songwriting craft to write a story around a stranger he encountered early one morning. "I watched an unknown older man in my small Colorado town one morning as he very deliberately prepared to smoke a cigarette in the dawn light. I'd never seen him before and wondered what his story might be. Several phrases and ideas from my notebook merged to write his 'story.' While he remains a mystery to me, he seemed like a bit of a lost soul. I never saw him again and still don't know who he is.

The song is timely with the season, its subject matter speaks to themes of returning home and redemption; even if ultimately, the main character doesn’t act upon it." ~ David Starr

Musicians:
David Starr: Acoustic, Guitar, Lead Vocals
Matt Bubel: Drums
Mark Prentice: Bass, Piano
Michelle Prentice: Background Vocals
John Reno Prentice: Guitars
Jimmy Mattingly: Fiddle
Dan Dugmore: Stell Guitar
Irene Kelley: Backing Vocal


6. BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT (Featured Single)(3:26)

Songwriter, Publishing & PRO:
Chelsea Chaput  / Writer ID 765211057 (ASCAP) / Chaput Pulishing / ASCAP
Robert Rea / Writer ID 1181769723 (BMI) / New Dime Publishing 659118522 / BMI
Erik Stucky / Writer ID 607164757 (BMI) / StuckyFunk Music 688982362 / ASCAP

ISRC Code: TCAGU2359882

Release Date: March 17, 2023

Prolific Colorado singer/songwriter David Starr, releases his latest EP Better Me on all digital platforms today with the final single, “Because You’re Right”. Rich with bright acoustic guitars, soulful grooves and lead vocals from Starr, and his signature storytelling lyrics, it is a stellar collection of songs that fires on all cylinders.

"Because You’re Right" is the only song not written by Starr on the project, co-written by Erik Stucky, Bob Rea, and Chelsea Chaput.


ABOUT DAVID STARR:

David Starr possesses "a compelling voice, something truly special, both accessible and passionate" (Elmore), that has been honed releasing ten albums, touring internationally, and opening shows for esteemed artists such as John Oates (Hall & Oates), America, Karla Bonoff, The Steel Wheels, Survivor, and more.

His latest EP, Better Me, includes the title track as the first single, with a new collection of long-awaited originals to follow including, "Closer To You," and "Poison The Water."

His previous project, Touchstones, featured a new digital single release every month for one year, culminating in a full album in December 2021. During a year where COVID-19 stopped the world in its tracks, Starr took time to reflect on and experience anew the music that shaped his own, and put his own spin on a number of classics such as "I've Got To Use My Imagination" (Gladys Knight), "Drive" (The Cars), and "These Days" (Jackson Browne).

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. Starr’s prestige extends beyond the stage as well, having launched Starr's Guitars in Little Rock in 1998, then relocating to Cedaredge in 2001. Today, the store is such an institution that Cedaredge proclaimed the musician's birthday as David Starr Day in 2016. Starr was also instrumental in the 2018 opening of the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center, an intimate event space brought to fruition through strong community support.