Blackberry Smoke

Blackberry Smoke frontman Charlie Starr’s great-uncles Buford and Merle Abner were members of the popular Southern gospel quartet The Swanee River Boys. ∙ Starr grew up listening to gospel and bluegrass, but he became interested in rock music when he discovered an Aerosmith cassette lying in a mud hole near his home. ∙ Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson suggested that Starr name his band Blackberry Smoke. ∙ In 2009, Blackberry Smoke cut a version of Willie Nelson’s “Yesterday’s Wine” with country legend George Jones. ∙ In 2012, Zac Brown signed Blackberry Smoke to his Southern Ground label. ∙ The band has had four consecutive albums in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.