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…well I walked into
Smith's Olde Bar on Saturday night with 102 degree fever. I loaded
myself up with anti-biotics and other "drugs" and made the supreme
effort for one reason and one reason only…Garrison Starr. Weird name
for a band, right, but that's all I kept hearing from my friends, my
music pals and others. "Make sure to catch Garrison Starr at
Smith's". Well the "weird name for a band" is actually HER name and
the "band" was simply a bassist and drummer backing one of the best
female performers I've seen in Atlanta in years. It was a special
early show at Smith's and the place was a bit empty. Usually, that
is a bad thing, but in this case it seemed much more intimate and
somehow scripted that way. The 50 or 60 people there (myself
included) were part of something special. It really was an honor to
be at that show. |
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Garrison Starr is cute. I don't mean
cute in the innocent, dainty child/woman way, as much as in the
confident, spunky and engaging way. When she smiles, you feel the
need to smile with her. When she talks, it seems like she is only
talking to you. Sometimes, she appears a little ruffled and confused
and she's the first to tell you that she's kind of chatty, but none
of that really matters. What matters is that she has one of the
purest most hypnotizing voices that I've ever heard. Her spirit and
energy are a part of every song she writes. This lady is no joke
people. You will be hearing from her soon. Garrison hails from
Mississippi, but comes to us by way of Nashville, TN. Through her
musical journey, she has enlisted the help of some of Country
music's greatest forces: Steve Earl, Ray Kennedy and Mary Chapin
Carpenter just to name a few. Garrison will actually be opening for
the great Steve Earl on a number of upcoming dates. If you like that
Nashville sound; if you are into singer/songwriters; if you just dig
good music, then Garrison Starr is for you. Just check out her
website at
www.garrisonstarr.com if you need more convincing.
The band played about an hour and spent most of that time showcasing
material from her new CD, "Songs from Takeoff to Landing".
Highlights included "Gardenia", "Big Sky", "5 minutes" and the
beautifully haunting "Silent Night". She also went back and did a
song called "What I Wish For" from her earlier release, 18 Over Me.
This was a special request from a fan in the audience and with just
her voice and an acoustic guitar, Garrison did it more than justice.
Everybody in the room was enthralled. I really can't say enough
about her. Once in a very short while, you come across that one
artist that takes you "there". It happened to me about 6 years ago
when I heard a band called Whiskeytown fronted by a tremendous
talent named Ryan Adams (I think you all know who HE is by now) and
it happened to me again on Saturday night. Go to the website and see
for yourself. I'm going out on a limb with this, but by 2004 I
predict that most of you reading this will own a Garrison Starr
record. She will be huge. It is just a matter of time. Great songs,
an amazing voice and a very engaging personality are the formula for
success. Garrison Starr has all three! Don't miss any opportunity
you have to see this little lady before she hits. After that, I
think, tickets will be hard to come by.
See more on Garrison Starr at
www.garrisonstarr.com.
Music Man.
musicman@atlantashows.com
g_a_r_d_e_n_2000@yahoo.com
Please submit review requests at least 2 weeks prior to show time..
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