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John Van de Mergel

Sounds | David Starr, Magnolia (cover ft. John Oates)


Starr is een americana singer/songwriter uit Colorado en mij volledig onbekend. Deze J.J. Cale cover kreeg vooral dankzij Poco bekendheid. De versie van Starr is misschien wel de meest brave/onopvallende. Hij blijft het origineel trouw, maar heeft niet die kenmerkende stem van Cale, wel een zéér aangename, warme klank. De versie van Poco is natuurlijk helemaal 'Eagles'. De backing vocals van Oates, de dromerige gitaarpartijen en laid-back groove zorgen wel voor een iets meer soulvolle touch.


lees


When selecting songs for the Touchstones project Starr stuck with his favorites. “Magnolia” is no exception. “My first recollection of this song was during my days playing in bars in my hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas. There was a band that played the song really well and it just stuck with me. I immediately became familiar with Poco's version and have loved it ever since,” Starr shares.


“The song just feels like a hot summer night to me. Hot, lazy, sensual and full of longing. I've played it for years and really wanted to cover it for Touchstones. John Oates was in the studio to sing on another track during an overdub session. I asked if he'd sing on ‘Magnolia’ and he said, ‘I'm gonna put some Philly soul on this one, okay?’ It made all the difference and I'm glad he put his mark on this one!”


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), Karla Bonoff, 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. 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.





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