Today we’d like to introduce you to Dallas Starke.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I began singing musicals in my living room with my mom as a small child before starting school. As early as age six, I sat in with my dad’s country band and sang in church. I would sing for anyone who would listen and watched all styles of performing artists in awe. In my teenaged years I continued to sing at dad’s country gigs sometimes but began to gain interest in the blues. When waiting tables, I met a band called Mike the Cat and they would let me sit in and do a couple tunes at old (now expired) Nashville haunts like Wolfy’s and Maggie McGees. As I moved through college to pursue a career as an elementary teacher, I stopped performing as much so I continued to try to strengthen my range by singing along with greats like Aretha Franklin and Etta James on my commutes between work and school. During my junior year in college, I met my dear friend and musical mentor, Roland Gresham Sr. (not to be confused with his famous son, Jr.). I self-auditioned at an old favorite in Murfreesboro called The Boro—liquid courage in one hand, a cigarette in the other. I landed the gig, becoming the final “Roland Girl” of his career. Roland’s deep influence inspired and shaped my music, propelling me straight into the vibrant Nashville jazz and blues scene. We worked together for over a decade until he fell ill and passed away. I was fortunate to have met many talented musicians through him and continued with an original version of our band until COVID slowed everything down. After COVID, I regrouped and formed a new band continuing to play music regularly at Sambuca of Nashville and Rudy’s Jazz Room as well as many private events. Working alongside so many gifted musicians over the years has taught me a great deal, and I am deeply grateful
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Taking over as bandleader toward the end of mine and Roland’s time together was a huge learning curve. I could no longer just show up and sing, I had to manage musician schedules, pitch to venues, and make sure we all got paid fairly all while juggling a full-time teaching job. It was challenging to find venues who paid union standard in our city of Nashville which is overly saturated with musical talent and people who are unstoppably driven to show-off their gifts. I worked to find ways to balance my passion for teaching and performing and not burnout in either field. People often have the misconception that teaching was my back-up plan or I wasn’t successful in music because I wasn’t on a path to fame. I think that playing music professionally lends itself to a spectrum of achievement. It’s an opportunity to share your unique voice, help others heal, build connections with people, bring joy, and put something into the world that you can be proud of. People can be brilliant in more than one field simultaneously and you can have passions that are completely unrelated to one another. I have been incredibly fortunate to live both lives-loving my ‘day job’ and also getting paid to do something else that I love-sing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have been performing in Nashville venues for over two decades mostly singing jazz and blues with a quartet comprised of a piano or guitar player, upright bass player, drummer, and myself. I am grateful to have been nominated for the ‘best jazz vocalist’ for the National Industry of Music Awards (NIMA) in 2024. Of all our productions, the performance I am most proud of is our annual tribute to Billie Holiday at Rudy’s Jazz Room (every April) for four years running. Each year, we bring together an exceptional lineup of musicians to honor her legacy, creating a deeply connected experience for our audience in THE jazz venue in Nashville. For the past 20 years, I have been fortunate to maintain parallel careers in both education and music.
What matters most to you?
Working with people who hold similar values to myself. Showing up with humility and integrity are the most important to me. Knowing you can trust that people will be on time, keep up with dates, learn the music, and just be reliable in general makes the music more enjoyable to create together when you don’t have to manage those other details. Regardless of how well-known or talented folks are, arrogance can get in the way of positive relationships. I focus on surrounding myself with people who bring humility and integrity to all the tables.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @dallas.starke
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/dallasstarke
- Youtube: @dallasstarke
