ago,” Starr said. “One of the things we’ve tried to do is nurture music and art.” Multiple stages at the festival are care- fully curated to feature a diverse lineup of songwriters, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Attendees were able to discover new artists and reconnect with familiar favorites. This year’s songwriters included Jackson Emmer, Irene Kelley and Jeanine Renée, among others. “We had 15 songwriters from out of the area primarily, and then we had five venues on the main street area that we have, one of which was my store,” Starr said. “We were gratified that it sold out, especially when a lot of people weren’t sure what they were going to experience.” Starr’s vision for the festival is fostering connections in his community. It’s a place where songwriters can network, collaborate and inspire one another. For music fans, it’s a chance to deepen their appreciation for the music they love and to make personal connections with the artists who create it. “When you live in a small town, you look for ways to nurture music,” Starr said. “In this setting, people get to hear about how the song was written, what the background is, and there’s that interplay between mu- sicians who maybe have never met until that moment and can sing on one another’s songs, because we all share that language and that vocabulary that’s being used.” MI — By Kimberly Kapela by authorized retailers and brands; avail- able with free shipping; and featuring a minimum seven-day return window. “With economic pressures making it harder for music-makers to invest in music gear, it’s more important than ever that the music-making community has access to affordable musical instruments. We launched the Reverb Outlet to make it easier for music-makers to find the best deals on the instruments that will inspire them,” said David Mandelbrot, Reverb CEO. “Now that players can shop discounted outlet music gear alongside our huge range of affordable used music gear, it’s easier than ever to find the perfect instrument for your budget.” {reverb.com}
Starr’s Guitars’ David Starr
STARR’S GUITARS’ OWNER HELPS PRODUCE LOCAL MUSIC FEST D avid Starr, owner of Starr’s Guitars in Cedaredge, Colorado, not only runs his
to hear directly from the songwriters, who share the inspirations and personal stories that shaped their music. For Starr, whose store is located across the street from the Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center which puts on the festival, it was a no-brainer to get involved. “I’m on the board of the Grand Mesa Arts and Events Center, and I helped get that started with my wife and some other folks who started a non-profit seven years
26-year-old guitar dealership, but he’s also the driving force behind his local music fest, the Grand Mesa Songwriter Festival. This year’s sold-out event, which was held from June 7–9, highlighted Starr’s dedi- cation to creating a platform where song- writers — both seasoned professionals and up-and-coming artists — could showcase their craft. Each performance is a chance
Reverb Launches Outlet Website
R everb has launched the Reverb Outlet, a new destination on Reverb that will feature an always-changing collection of new and like-new music gear from top brands for at least 20% off retail prices. “Outlet music gear is a fantastic value for music-makers,” said Jim Tuerk, Reverb’s director of business development. “With the launch of the Reverb Outlet, we’re mak- ing it easy to access your favorite brands for less. Often, it’s brand new overstock or clearance music gear that retailers or brands are simply looking to clear out. Other times, it’s gear that’s been opened, used for a demo, or simply doesn’t have its original box, but is otherwise in like- new condition.”
The Reverb Outlet will feature high- quality, discounted music gear from Re- verb’s community of authorized sellers, ranging from retailers like ProAudioStar and Alto Music to brands like Focusrite and Korg selling discounted items directly to music-makers. All of the new and like-new music gear in the Reverb Outlet will be at least 20% off retail prices — but often more; sold
16 I MUSIC INC. I AUGUST 2024
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