The Mississippi born and bred rocker Garrison Starr is coming back to Milwaukee, where she played a few months ago at the Miramar Theatre, with Back Porch Records labelmates Cracker.
This time 'round, though, Starr, whose latest disc is "Songs From Take-off to Landing," released on a subsidiary of the Milwaukee-based Narada Records, is sharing the stage with Melissa Etheridge at the Marcus Amphitheatre.
"It's so cool," the personable and outgoing Starr says over the phone from her L.A. home, "because I was a big fan of Melissa's earlier records. Her first record is raw rock and roll, like Tom Petty, all the kinds of styles I like. She's a total rock and roller.
"You know what's so cool ... her fans are music fans. They're into whoever she's into. I got the benefit of that when I toured with The Sundays. Not a lot of audiences are like that. The fans were like, "hey, our favorite band likes her, so we'll give her a chance, we need to listen." I think it's going to be a great crowd and a really great thing for my career."
Released earlier this year, "Songs from Take-Off to Landing" features guest appearances by Mary Chapin Carpenter and Steve Earle, but really spotlights Starr's versatile and expressive voice as well as her remarkably mature songwriting skills and her skillful guitar work.
Although it may not be ubiquitous on commercial radio, the disc is one of the best of the year and Starr hopes this tour is just the boost the record needs.
"This is the answer to our prayers," she enthuses. "There aren't that many tours to get on these days and everybody's clamoring for the same spots. This tour was a blessing for me and the best thing is it's not a mismatched tour, it's the perfect tour for me to be on."
{INSERT_RELATED}So, how did the hard-workin' Mississippi girl with the Brew City record label get such an in-demand support slot? As always, it's connections, baby.
"A friend of mine in the music business is friends with Melissa," Starr remembers. "She's really a fan of the music and she called up Melissa and she just told her, 'You need to get this artist on the tour.' Melissa already had two other artists on the tour and when that kind of fell apart, she called me.
"I came home one night and there was a message on the machine from Melissa's management just to say, 'Hey, I got this message from Melissa and she wants you to go out with her.'"
Starr had to cancel a couple of August dates down south, but that's a small price to pay, Starr admits.
"I was disappointed, but those are really the only two we have to cancel. This is such a great opportunity, though, we couldn't be passing this up."
While Starr usually tours with a crack band, she's done lots of solo appearances and those will be good practice for this 20-date jaunt, which kicks off in Minneapolis on July 30 and runs through September 4.
"(Melissa) wanted me solo acoustic, probably because its easier," Starr says. "I love playing with the band and best case scenario, it would be great to go out with the band. But I've done so much acoustic solo touring, because it's so much cheaper and easier and this tour is a good example of that. But any chance to be out on the road playing my songs is a great opportunity. I'm game for whatever. It is fun to be out there by myself, too.
"I'm riding on the bus with the crew. I'm gonna feel like the new kid at school. I'll have to make some friends fast, but I can do that."
Who knows what will happen for Starr after performing in front of the large crowds the Melissa Etheridge tour is certain to draw? But, she's already looking ahead, anticipating good things to come and thanking her lucky stars for her team at Narada/Back Porch.
"I am kind of in the back of my mind looking toward the next record. I have some new songs; I'm excited about recording some new stuff. But the one thing I love about my situation is that there is a core of people really dedicated to this project and that's the greatest aspect of this record label; they would do anything and they are working really hard to make this work."
Garrison Starr opens for Melissa Etheridge at the Marcus Amphitheatre, Wed., July 31. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster, (414) 276-4545.
If you want hear "Songs From Take-Off to Landing, " enter our contest to win a copy. We'll pick three lucky winners.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
