Growing up in rural areas of the southeastern United States, I was exposed to a healthy dose of Southern Rock. At the time, I had no idea that legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Outlaws, and Molly Hatchet were creating some of the biggest hits of the 1970s.
Most of us recall our first concert. Mine was Charlie Daniel’s Volunteer Jam V in January of 1979. It was an excellent historical introduction to Southern Rock, although I had no clue it was becoming its own genre. Luckily, I was working backstage at a concert where Blackberry Smoke performed and met their bassist, Richard Turner. A few months later, I recorded a podcast episode with Richard, and he was kind enough to tag Charlie and Benji to record an episode when they played an acoustic set at the 2025 30A Songwriters Festival.
RELATED: Richard Turner, Blackberry Smoke Bassist
Fast forward thirty-nine years, and I discovered Blackberry Smoke thanks to my good friend Lorri Beth Hayes. I’m unsure how I missed their 2003 album and the others that followed. Well, I suppose I do—life got busy, and music took a back seat. About a year before I started this podcast, I finally heard their songs “Good One Comin’ On” and “Ain’t Much Left of Me.” I became an instant fan.
Charlie Starr is a founding member of the Atlanta-based southern rock band Blackberry Smoke. Guitarist Benji Shanks joined the band in 2018 as a multi-instrumentalist.
Benji Shanks and Charlie have known one another for many years. Shanks began as a guest guitarist with the band several years ago. Today he’s a staple in Blackberry Smoke’s lineup and often plays acoustic sets with Charlie.
In addition to embarking on their new tour, “Rattle, Rumble & Roll,” this duo performed at the 2025 30A Songwriters Festival. We sat down in the podcast studio at Shacks Art Gallery in Grayton Beach, FL, to discuss their musical careers and life on the road.