There’s great news for fans of Southern rock. Blackberry Smoke, one of the favorite sons of contemporary Southern rock, has been in the studio working on a new album. They also have recorded a live DVD in Georgia that will likely be released by the end of the year.
“When we’re in the studio [we] make very good use of our time,” said Blackberry Smoke frontman and chief songwriter Charlie Starr. “The majority of the work on this next album is done and we said ‘Man, this is exactly how we want our next album to sound.’ Now we’re all chomping at the bit to get back in the studio and finish it.”
| ONSTAGE |
| Blackberry Smoke with The Outlaws |
| » When: 7:30 p.m. Friday |
| » Where: Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria |
| » Info: $35; ticketmaster.com; 202-397-SEAT |
Starr and his band mates seemingly have a new energy now that they’re with Zac Brown’s record label, the Comet. Although the band has always been a hot ticket and opened for major league talents including Kid Rock and Jamey Johnson, they were frustrated by their attempts to get music out to fans especially when their album “Taste of Dixie,” and the song “Yesterday’s Wine,” which they recorded with Johnson and legendary performer George Jones, were so well received.
“The waiting was frustrating,” said Starr of past recording efforts. “The business is so strange and weird, everybody knows that. Gosh, we found ourselves in a damned if we do, damned if we don’t situation more than once.”
That’s not the case now, said Starr, who noted Brown not only is very hands-on at the label but also encourages a family atmosphere among musicians and staff.
Perhaps that’s one reason that the band had such a positive time, recording about 20 songs that range from those that sound like they “were recorded on the back porch, just laid-back Southern stuff, to songs that are going to knock people’s teeth out.”
Some of the songs that make it onto the album will be fan favorites. But others are brand new, said Starr.
“There’s a whole heap of songs people don’t know yet,” said Starr. “I can’t wait for people to hear them. I almost don’t want to play them live [now] so they’re a surprise.”
For now, though, Starr and his band mates are concentrating on their current shows and some special events including playing next month at the Grand Ole Opry in celebration of Jones’ 80th birthday celebration.
“I can’t go so far as to say we are friends, but he is a legend and he knows us. We are so flattered [to play],” said Starr. “I have got visions in my head of Gram Parsons, when he was young and played the Opry. He was the guy with the long hair. Times have changed and all that, but I still kind of feel like we’re the ones who almost weren’t supposed to be there. …”
