David Starr Builds Steam With Second Single “Lonesome Train” Off Forthcoming Album Must Be Blue
Rockabilly Johnny Burnette Cover Transforms To Gritty Blues Heater
NASHVILLE, TN (March 28, 2025)…Blues/Americana artist David Starr releases the second single from his forthcoming album Must Be Blue, a cover of the Johnny Burnette classic “Lonesome Train” reimagined as a gritty Blues heater. Out today on GRAMMY® award-winning Quarto Valley Records, the 1950s rockabilly song gets a fresh remake, with ripping slide guitar, pocketed drums, and a blazing mandolin solo, it is a unique combination of Blues and Americana, affirming Starr’s signature “Bluesicana” sound.
Originally written by Glen T Moore and Milton Subotsky, the rockabilly song was on Johnny Burnette’s trio album (Johnny Burnette & The Rock & Roll Trio) released in 1956. Starr first heard the current arrangement while playing drums in a band from Grand Junction, CO, since then it has become a staple in his live set from full band shows to those with his duo partner, mandolin player Erik Stucky.
“Erik Stucky and I added this song to our setlist one night quite by accident. It popped into my head during a gig, and I gave Erik a few seconds notice before tearing into it,” Starr shares. “He loved playing his lightspeed mandolin licks and audiences really seemed to dig the energy!”
When selecting songs for the album, the lively cover was at the top of the list, “I was looking for something from my current setlist that rocked, and this one jumped out at me. While it was originally released during the early days of rock 'n roll, it's a blues tune at its core. We were very fortunate to get Nashville Cat Rob McNelley to add some killer slide guitar! While Rob is known for recording top-40 country, he is also a blues ace having recorded with Buddy Guy, Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa, just to name a few.”
Recorded at Addiction Sound Studios in Nashville, the track features an A-list team of musicians, including 3-Time ACM Guitarist of the Year, Rob McNelley, on slide guitar (Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, and Carrie Underwood), Matt Bubel on drums (Chris Stapleton, Andrea Bocelli, Big & Rich, Kip Moore), Erik Stucky on mandolin, Mark Prentice on bass and keyboards (Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen, Lyle Lovett, Desmond Child), and acoustic guitar and vocals from David Starr. Starr and GRAMMY®-winning producer Mark Prentice produced the project, with David Kalmusky (Journey, Shawn Mendes, Keith Urban, Neal Schon, Motley Crue) engineering and mixing.
Starr is celebrating the release fresh off two sold-out shows on his home turf of Colorado’s Western Slope. He is gearing up for a two-week acoustic UK run in Edinburgh, Southport, Rhossili, and more. He is also set to return to the UK this summer to perform at the renowned Belladrum Festival on the Medicine Show popup stage hosted by Rob Ellen.
To listen to “Lonesome Train” please visit DavidStarr.lnk.to/LonesomeTrain
For more information on David Starr, please visit www.DavidStarrMusic.com
ABOUT DAVID STARR
David Starr is a Colorado-based Blues and Americana singer/songwriter with over 11 albums to his credit. The Arkansas native has honed his decades-long career touring internationally, sharing the stage and collaborating with esteemed artists such as John Oates (Hall & Oates), John McEuen, Steve Cropper, Jim Lauderdale, and Wild Ponies as well as opening for acts like America, Karla Bonoff, Jim Messina, Survivor, and more. He has been a showcasing artist at Folk Alliance International, Americana Fest, and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance. In 2024 he melded his blues background of growing up playing electric guitar in Southern Arkansas clubs with his time spent in Nashville exploring Americana and Folk. What he arrived at was his own brand of “Bluesicana” - a melding of the two genres for his highly anticipated project Must Be Blue. After receiving rave reviews and recognition on previous singles from editorial playlists on Spotify such as “Got Blues”, it was clear he was striking a nerve. GRAMMY®- winning label Quarto Valley Records agreed and signed Starr to a record deal for the album, releasing in 2025. He is a member of the Blues Foundation, The Colorado Blues Society, and the Pikes Peak Blues Society. Starr’s prestige extends beyond the stage, having launched Starr’s Guitars in Little Rock, before relocating to Cedaredge, CO in 2001, where it is now a beloved institution. Starr is also 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. In 2024, he produced the sold-out inaugural Grand Mesa Songwriter Festival, which brought 15 songwriters to Cedaredge to perform over 50 shows across five venues. For information on new music and upcoming tour dates, please visit www.DavidStarrMusic.com.
ABOUT QUARTO VALLEY RECORDS
Founded by tech entrepreneur Bruce Quarto, the California-based independent label, Quarto Valley Records, represents Rock, Blues, Jazz and Americana genres with an impressive artist roster featuring legacy musicians Paul Rodgers, GRAMMY® award-winning Edgar Winter, Savoy Brown as well as the legendary talent that comprises The Immediate Family, GRAMMY® award-winning producer and renowned drummer and songwriter Tom Hambridge, GRAMMY® award-winning producer and percussionist Narada Michael Walden, blues-rock artist Sean Chambers, British blues sensation Bonham-Bullick, Wings member Denny Seiwell, acclaimed Americana singer-songwriter Al Staehely, singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer Steve Postell of The Immediate Family, esteemed Americana-Blues singer-songwriter David Starr, the soulful Richard T. Bear, pianist and songwriter John McAndrew and emerging artist Dominic Quarto. For more information, please visit: www.quartovalleyrecords.com.