David Starr with Erik Stucky

"His music is authentic, his songs are honest; full of emotion and truth. A voice you will never forget.” (John Oates).

With a name like Starr, is it any wonder? The Arkansas native has honed his decades-long career releasing over ten albums, touring internationally, sharing the stage with esteemed artists such as John Oates and John McEuen, and opening for acts like America, John Oates (Hall & Oates), Travis Tritt, Restless Heart, Karla Bonoff, The Steel Wheels, Survivor, and more.

His unique mix of soulful vocals and honest lyrics create a folk/roots sound all his own; garnering him prestigious showcase performances at Folk Alliance International, AmericanaFest, and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance. In 2022, he performed over 50 dates including a two-week run in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, where he has come to build and grow recurring audiences year after year. He continues to top the Colorado Music Chart and is frequently one of the most downloaded artists on Airplay Direct. A master guitarist, he is endorsed by Breedlove Guitars and was honored to create his own limited edition signature guitar and featured on the cover of their Spring 2021 magazine.

His latest project Better Me, includes high energy acoustic-driven songs such as the title track and “Closer To You,” the fiesty blues-rock “Poison The Water,” as well as the haunting “Any Chance Of Going Home,” which features classic fingerpicking with Starr’s sharpened storytelling lyrics.

Recorded in Nashville, TN at Addiction Sound Studios, the project was produced by Starr and Mark Prentice, with A-List musicians such as Matt Bubel (drums/percussion), Jimmy Mattingly (fiddle), Dan Dugmore (steel guitar/electric guitar), John Reno Prentice (electric guitar), Irene Kelley (background vocals), Michelle Prentice (background vocals), Mark Prentice (bass/keyboards), and acoustic and electric guitars from Starr.

Better Me follows Starr’s 2020-21 album Touchstones, where he released a single a month for a year. A crowd favorite, Starr went back to his roots covering the music that shaped his own, from "I've Got To Use My Imagination" (Gladys Knight), to “Drive” (The Cars), and to "These Days" (Jackson Browne).

Starr’s critically acclaimed album Beauty & Ruin is a collection of songs inspired by Of What Was, Nothing Is Left, a novel written by Starr’s grandfather in 1972. Produced and arranged by John Oates, it is a southern gothic tale beautifully told through Starr’s own musical lens, with the help of some of his favorite Nashville collaborators including Dana Cooper, John Oates, Irene Kelley, Doug and Telisha Williams, Shelley Rae Korntved, and Jim Lauderdale.

Starr’s prestige extends beyond the stage as well, having launched Starr’s Guitars in Little Rock, before relocating to Cedaredge, CO in 2001, where it is now a beloved institution. Starr is a founding member of the board for the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center in Cedaredge, an intimate event space aimed at attracting musicians and visual artists to Colorado’s Western Slope. He also produces the town’s annual Apple Fest, which draws over 15,000 people to the area, securing live music from more than a dozen acts on the Starr’s Guitar Stage over the course of the 3 day festival.

An early riser by nature, Starr is often found up before 5am, and applies that same work ethic to his music. A prolific artist, he is constantly touring, writing, and recording; and continues to affirm himself as a mainstay in the Americana/Folk genre.

Growing up in the rugged mountains of western Colorado, Erik Stucky picked up his first mandolin at the age of 8. Following the release of his debut album Stray Clouds in 2017, Stucky packed up his instruments and a single suitcase and pointed his pickup for Nashville.

Influenced heavily by New Grass Revival and Lyle Lovett, the Americana artist proved his ability to cross genres from Country, to Soul, to Jazz, all the while maintaining an unmistakable writing style and voice with his sophomore album, Good Vibrations (2021). Performing on the mandolin and guitar, Stucky combines his passion for lyric writing, folk instrumentation, and big band arrangements.

The mandolin player known for his easy listening voice and lyrics (think Jack Johnson or Jason Mraz) has held stages across the United States and Europe and been featured on Today in Nashville, RFD-TV, Nashville Entertainment Weekly, The Cowboy Channel, The Bluegrass Situation, and many other media outlets. His music has been also praised by Roots Music Report, M Music & Musicians Magazine, and CMA, AMA, and ACM award-winner Crystal Gayle.

When he’s not writing or playing music, Stucky enjoys exploring the outdoors, reading, practicing martial arts, hunting, and eating great food. To keep up with Erik’s latest music news and tour dates, visit www.erikstucky.com and follow him on Instagram @erikstucky, Facebook @erikstuckymusic, YouTube, and your streaming platform of choice.

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