Preview: John Starling - Slidin' Home
Many of the riders on the Bus know John Starling as a founding member and official front man of the Seldom Scene. Starling left the Scene in 1977 to concentrate on his career as a surgeon.Dr. Starling's debut solo release in 1979 Waitin' on a Southern Train was a departure from the progressive bluegrass that the Seldom Scene pioneered. John's music was a wonderful mix of bluegrass, honky tonk, and pre-CMA country. He expanded this mix in 1987 when he teamed up with Carl Jackson for the critically-acclaimed album Spring Training.
His next trip to the studio was the appropriately titled Long Time Gone, in 1990. I have featured cuts off of all three of these releases in the past. All three remain favorites over the years.
For the past year or so John Starling and his band Carolina Star have been touring and recording a new CD. It's been a decade and a half since we've heard the superb, real, country music of John Starling. The new CD, Slidin' Home, is scheduled for release February 20, 2007 on Rebel Records. I am thrilled to hear that John Starling has returned to the studio and equally pleased to see that he has returned to the great Rebel label. I don't have any more information on the new CD besides these two cuts. I do hear the beautiful voice of Emmylou Harris (on second listen, that could be the beautiful voice of Fayssoux McLean, formerly Fayssoux Starling) and the unmistakable Dobro of Mike Auldridge, and I would expect a wonderful assortment of other guest artists as well.
John Starling may not be the most prolific recording artist, but once again John has made the wait worthwhile.
Slidin' Home will be in stores February 20, 2007.
Watch for more information at Rebel Records.