Episode 81: Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr

By Scott Bernstein Jun 3, 2021 • 8:57 am PDT

Episode 81 of The JamBase Podcast, a partner of the Osiris Media Network, features an interview with Blackberry Smoke frontman Charlie Starr. JamBase’s Scott Bernstein chatted with Starr about the recently released BBS album, You Hear Georgia, the band’s upcoming Spirit Of The South Tour, performing during the pandemic and more.

Charlie Starr spoke with Bernstein via a video chat on May 18, the same day the Spirit Of The South Tour was announced. The guitarist/songwriter explained what’s in store from a run that features special guests The Allman Betts Band, The Wild Feathers and co-founding The Allman Brothers Band drummer Jaimoe. The pair then discussed You Hear Georgia.

You Hear Georgia was recorded with renowned producer Dave Cobb at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A in late-May/early-June 2020. Starr told Bernstein about the precautions the band took to make the 10-track follow-up to 2018’s Find A Light. Charlie then recalled how Gov’t Mule guitarist Warren Haynes came to contribute to You Hear Georgia and the incredible experience of working with fellow Georgian Dave Cobb.

Charlie went on to discuss his “rules” for sequencing an album and how he put together the tracklist for You Hear Georgia. The title track from the album paints a picture of the South Starr knows and comes in response to the region and his home state often being misunderstood. Bernstein shared an experience that changed his feelings about the South that falls in the line with the “You Hear Georgia” lyrics.

Starr also talked about why he’s not a protest singer, bringing an expanded Blackberry Smoke lineup into the studio, collaborating with The Black Bettys vocalists Sherie and Sherita Murphy, the strange experience of performing drive-in concerts and playing livestream sets without an audience as well as additional topics.

Hear Episode 81 of The JamBase Podcast below or via all major podcast services including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Google Podcast: