Blue Sky Riders: Kenny Loggins, Georgia Middleman, Gary Burr w/Amber Rubarth
The creative spark that turned into Blue Sky Riders was struck as two veteran singer/songwriters worked on their first song together.
“The best part,” says Kenny Loggins of that meeting with Gary Burr as he wrote for “How About Now,” his well-received 2008 release, “was that when we sang together, we sounded like brothers. The last time I experienced that kind of blend was with Jimmy Messina in 1971.”
Loggins, one of the premiere voices in modern popular music, called Burr, one of Nashville’s most accomplished writers, afterward and asked if he’d like to form a band. Then he suggested they look for a third, female voice.
“I’ve got the perfect person,” said Burr. “Georgia Middleman. She’s the best I’ve ever worked with.” Loggins flew to Nashville and the three sat down to write.
“What a meeting!” says Loggins.
“We wrote our first song and were singing with a three-part blend that comes once in a lifetime.”
With that, Blue Sky Riders was a reality.
Middleman, a renowned singer/songwriter, says the experience has reminded her of the Joseph Campbell line, “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.”
AMBER RUBARTH has become a fixture in New York's indie scene, named #1 Best of NYC Songwriter by Deli Magazine last year and grand prize winner of NPR's Mountain Stage New Song Contest. Her fourth album A Common Case of Disappearing produced by Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, Norah Jones) highlights her raw, vulnerable voice against a driving band. The album debuted at #13 on iTunes Songwriter charts and features duets with Jason Reeves and Jason Mraz.
