and liked keeping my wife happy. She once said she couldn’t go to sleep unless I was safely home. I didn’t see Smoke again for a few years
Charlie Starr with Buffalo and Chank Middleton in Macon. (Photo by Gilbert Lee)
“I’ll keep my story short. During my days as founder and Publisher of Gritz magazine, I began to hear a small buzz coming from At- lanta about this band Blackberry Smoke. Now, I had spoken with Richard Young of Kentucky Headhunters about his son’s band, Blackstone Cherry, so I thought people were just saying the name wrong. I was hired to help choose the best “new” southern rock bands worldwide for a compilation called Stars and Stripes being assembled by Z-Rox and Alice’s Records in England. Grinder- switch had just reunited, and Dru Lobar gave me a track. The Southern Rock Allstars has a new original penned by Jakson Spires. Lots of good bands on there, (there was even a song from my own band on there. The bosses choice, not mine!) including a band called Blackberry Smoke’s “Sanctified.” . I research- ing the liner notes I found out more about them, and it seems it was a very short time thereafter that they played at a club two miles from my house called The Handlebar. All I remember is that the crowd was very, very small because I walked to the front and took a seat and proceeded to have my head blown off. The band played like they were playing for 50,000 people. It was amazing. I was gonna hang back and talk to them, but it was already 11 pm and at the time I was married
until my pal Scott Greene unloaded on me about a show he and his son Steven had seen, and I just had to go the next one. I did. Now, I can’t remember which show. I have gone with Scott a handful of times- twice in Charlotte, down in Macon and one “homecoming” show in Atlanta where folks were packed in like so many rocking sardines. I now have all the al- bums and love the band. Health and age keep me from going to a lot of shows like I would have in the 70’s. The last one we did was Charlie Starr and Benji Shanks acoustic in Macon. Very cool. I love the way the guys spend time with the fans, and the fact that there’s not an ounce of ego. Charlie Starr is the best. He always welcomes us backstage, and honored me by penning the foreword to my latest book, From Macon to Jacksonville, coming in September. I play their music a lot. (Not as much as Scott. Smoke is that brother’s heroin! As in addiction, not to imply that Scott is a druggie! ) I look forward to see- ing them again soon. Hopefully the stars will align. Until then, I have my live DVD’s and my CD’s to rock. Finally a word about the “Brothers and Sisters.” Folks, this is as close as it comes to the peace and love and music movement of the ‘60’s. It’s truly a family. Lots of love. Just the way it should be. Amen.” - Michael Buffalo Smith
Blackberry Smoke’s Best Albums Ranked by the Readers (Truth be told, more than a few fans said “All of them!”)
1. The Whippoorwill (2012) featured singles “Pretty Little Lie” and “Ain’t Much Left of Me.” 2. Little Piece of Dixie (2009) featured single “Good One Comin On”
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