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


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

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. He was also instrumental in the 2018 opening of the Grand Mesa Arts Center, an intimate event space brought to fruition through strong community support in Cedaredge, CO. Starr helped design the space in order to attract musicians and visual artists to Southwestern Colorado.


DAVID STARR CATALOGUE


BETTER ME
Release Date: March 17, 2023

Click here to go to David Starr - Better Me

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." ~ David Starr


TOUCHSTONES
First Single Release Date: November 2020

Click here to go to David Starr - Touchstones

Touchstones, the new project from Americana artist David Starr, will feature a new digital single release every month for one year. The first seven singles, “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) are available across digital platforms now.

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. Many of the songs he chose to record he describes as "musical comfort food".

“Some of the songs I cover were lyrically inspiring,” explains Starr. “Some were songs I’d played in bands over the years. Some just felt good to sing and play. Others brought back fond memories or a kind of familiar melancholy.”

The project was produced by b]David Starr and Mark Prentice, with co-production by David Kalmusky. All of the songs were recorded, mixed, and mastered at Addiction Sound Studios in Nashville by David Kalmusky along with Ethan Barrette and Alberto Sewald.


BEAUTY AND RUIN
Release Date: February 21, 2020

Click here to go to David Starr - Beauty and Ruin

Americana artist David Starr is embarking on a new musical and literary adventure with a collection of songs inspired by ​Of What Was, Nothing Is Left,​ a novel written by his grandfather in 1972, which Starr plans to re-publish. ​Beauty And Ruin,​ recorded at Addiction Sound Studios in Nashville,​ ​is produced and arranged by John Oates, co-produced by David Starr and David Kalmusky.

The final book Fred Starr published before his death, ​Of What Was, Nothing Is Left​ is a story of tragedy, family dysfunction, and denial set in rural southwest Arkansas. After working with John Oates (Hall & Oates) on his 2017 ​The Head And Heart E​ P, David approached him with the following idea: what if we gave several of our favorite songwriters a copy of the book and asked them to write for a concept album based on the story?

The idea was not so much for them to re-tell the story, but to write songs inspired by the places, characters and situations found in the book. Contributors to ​Beauty And Ruin​ include John Oates, Dana Cooper, Doug and Telisha Williams (Wild Ponies), Irene Kelley, Wood Newton, Shelley Rae Korntved, and Jim Lauderdale.

Early previews of ​Beauty and Ruin ​prompted one listener to say "This is like watching a movie". The cinematic aural landscape visually evokes a classic tale of tragedy, love gone wrong and an exploration of human nature and all its flaws. Set in late nineteenth-century Arkansas, the original novel inspired these artists to mine their own history and life experience. This album hammers home the importance of storytelling through our country’s oral traditions reimagined through the spirit of Fred Starr's original book and now musically brought to life by his grandson, David Starr's, unmistakable and emotional vocal performance.

The re-publishing of the book along with the compilation of 11 songs has an anticipated release of summer 2019. The book will contain a forward with creative input from the songwriters involved, including interviews with each songwriter featuring insights into process and inspiration from the book.


SOUTH AND WEST
Release Date: June 8, 2018

Click here to go to David Starr - South and West

The Gratitude
Thanks to Cindy, my wonderful Arkansas family and my friends in Cedaredge, Nashville, and all points in between for their support. Thanks to my co-writers for their generous contributions. Thanks to Richlynn Group for their direction. Thanks to Linda Marks for her vision. Thanks to Johnn Oates for his confirmed inspiration.


THE HEAD AND HEART
Release Date: April 28, 2017

Click here to go to David Starr - The Head and Heart


DOING CHRISTMAS RIGHT
Release Date: 2016

Click here to go to David Starr - Doing Christmas Right

This original song first appeared around 2016 when a Scottish promoter asked for a Christmas song as part of a holiday compilation CD. Since I didn't have one at the ready, I sat down and wrote this one about a guy who visits his hometown at Christmastime. While he's not all that fond of the season, he finds redemption when he spots his old flame "standing in the snow beneath the light". As one radio host laughingly said, "so, it warmed your cold, dead heart..." Something like that!


LOVE AND SABOTAGE
Release Date: 2016

Click here to go to David Starr - Love And Sabotage

I'd like to thank the following individuals for their significant help and inspiration in the making of this record: Cindy Starr, Shelley Rae Komived, Mark Wright, Larry Beaird and the great BMG staff, John Oates, Richie Furay, Dana Cooper, Steve Cropper, Karla Bonoff and John Mooy. Last but not least, I'd like to thank my family, fans and friends who provide constant support and encouragement: I am grateful!


ALIVE AGAIN
Release Date: 2013

Click here to go to David Starr - Alive Again

In addition to the musicians and engineers who helped make this project possible, I'd like to thank Paula and Aaron Beaird and Tytus Welker at Beaird Music Group, Mark and Kathy Wright for their guidance and Nashville hospitality, my wonderful family for their love and my Cedaredge, Colorado friends for their support.
Special thanks to Cindy for showing me the way home.



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

Touchstones, the new project from Starr, will feature a new digital single release every month for one year. The first seven singles, “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) are available across digital platforms now.

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. Many of the songs he chose to record he describes as "musical comfort food".

“Some of the songs I cover were lyrically inspiring,” explains Starr. “Some were songs I’d played in bands over the years. Some just felt good to sing and play. Others brought back fond memories or a kind of familiar melancholy.”

The project was produced by David Starr and Mark Prentice, with co-production by David Kalmusky. All of the songs were recorded, mixed, and mastered at Addiction Sound Studios in Nashville by David Kalmusky along with Ethan Barrette and Alberto Sewald.

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. “It is like watching a movie,” says Oates. "The cinematic aural landscape visually evokes a classic tale of tragedy, love gone wrong, and an exploration of human nature and all its flaws." Beauty and Ruin and an updated edition of Of What Was, Nothing Is Left are available now at davidstarrmusic.com and across digital platforms.

“A collection of beautiful, poetic and somewhat sad songs with a warm and organic production that draws you in and wraps around your heart,” writes Americana Highways of Starr’s 2018 record, South and West. The record follows an acclaimed EP, The Head and Heart, also produced by John Oates, and the full-length Love and Sabotage with special guests like John Oates, Richie Furay, Dana Cooper, and Steve Cropper.

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 Center, an intimate event space brought to fruition through strong community support in Cedaredge, CO. He helped design the space in order to attract musicians and visual artists to Southwestern Colorado.