Starbuck

Starbuck originated in Atlanta during 1974, chiefly recalled for the AM radio staple “Moonlight Feels Right.” Singer-keyboardist Bruce Blackman and percussionist Bo Wagner had previously played together in the sunshine pop outfit Eternity’s Children, which scored a minor chart hit with “Mrs. Bluebird.” The pair later teamed on an unreleased album under the name Mississippi before parting again; Blackman turned to composing while Wagner toured as Liberace’s musical director. Upon Wagner’s return to Atlanta he assembled Extravaganza, whose lineup included vocalist Elgin Wells, keyboardist Sloan Hayes, bassist Jimmy Cobb, and drummer David Snavely. Wells exited within weeks, allowing Blackman to rejoin; soon vocalist Ron Norris and guitarist Tommy Strain came aboard, prompting the group’s rechristening as Starbuck.

The ensemble landed a deal with Private Stock in mid-1975 and released its debut single, “Moonlight Feels Right,” months later. Although the quintessential slice of ’70s soft pop initially flopped, Birmingham, AL, DJ Mike St. John of WERC revived it during spring 1976. Grassroots momentum carried the track to number two on the Billboard pop chart. Around the same period Strain, Norris, and Snavely departed, replaced by keyboardist David Shaver, drummer Ken Crysler, and guitarist Johnny Walker, another Eternity’s Children alumnus. Starbuck’s follow-up album, Rock ’n’ Roll Rocket, appeared in 1977 and yielded a second Top 40 entry with its lead track, “Everybody Be Dancin’.” The 1978 release Searching for a Thrill failed to chart, and the band dissolved in 1980.