Americana singer/songwriter David Starr continues to move through his critically acclaimed Touchstones project with his latest single “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination.” Honoring Gladys Knight, the Empress of Soul, Starr gives a gritty twist to the classic with his signature emotional vocal delivery and punchy electric guitars. The video was directed by Jason Denton of Solar Cabin Studios and features dramatic dustbowl imagery with the accompanying lyrics. “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” is available now across all digital platforms.
On selecting songs for the Touchstones project, Starr shares that “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” was an obvious choice, "I played this song in cover bands for many years. It quickly came to mind when the Touchstones project began to take shape. I always liked the fact that it was just a great blues-based tune. Easy to learn, easy to just drop into a set when someone sits in, etc. The sentiment is also the essence of the blues; someone leaves, and you have to go on in spite of the heartache."
Celebrating Women’s History Month, this is the first cover from Touchstones from a female artist. "I think a song is a song unless it is so gender-specific that it just HAS to be sung by a man or woman for it to make sense,” Starr notes. “This song feels really universal to me. We've all had to work through heartache and use every ounce of imagination to keep the show going."
The track features Starr on lead and background vocals and electric guitar, Mark Prentice on bass and keyboards, Matt Bubel on drums, Mark Prentice and Dan Dugmore on electric guitars and Michelle Prentice on background vocals.
Touchstones is an evolving album project, featuring a new single release every month for one year. During a year where COVID-19 stopped the world in its tracks, Starr took time to reflect on and experience anew the music that shaped his own. "I’ve Got To Use My Imagination" follows “Every Kinda People” (Robert Palmer), “Gotta Serve Somebody” (Bob Dylan), “These Days (Jackson Browne), and “Someone Like You” (Van Morrison).
Touchstones was produced by David Starr and Mark Prentice, with co-production by David Kalmusky. All of the songs were recorded, mixed, and mastered at Addiction Sound Studios in Nashville by David Kalmusky along with Ethan Barrette and Alberto Sewald.
ABOUT DAVID STARR:
David Starr possesses “a compelling voice, something truly special, both accessible and passionate” (Elmore), that has been honed releasing ten albums, touring internationally, and opening shows for esteemed artists such as John Oates (Hall & Oates), Karla Bonoff, The Steel Wheels, Survivor, and more. Starr’s prestige extends beyond the stage as well, having launched Starr’s Guitars in Little Rock in 1998, then relocating to Cedaredge in 2001. Today, the store is such an institution that Cedaredge proclaimed the musician’s birthday as David Starr Day in 2016. Starr was also instrumental in the 2018 opening of the Grand Mesa Arts Center, an intimate event space brought to fruition through strong community support in Cedaredge, CO. He helped design the space in order to attract musicians and visual artists to Southwestern Colorado. For more information, please visit davidstarrmusic.com.
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