Starbuck (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Founder | Bruce Blackman, Bo Wagner |
| Headquarters | Atlanta , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
| Website | www |
Starbuck emerged as a rock ensemble originating from Atlanta, Georgia, in 1974, founded by keyboardist, vocalist, and producer Bruce Blackman alongside marimba player Bo Wagner. Prior to forming Starbuck, Blackman, Wagner, and guitarist Johnny Walker achieved recognition with the Mississippi-based "sunshine pop" band Eternity's Children, which scored a Billboard Hot 100 hit with "Mrs. Bluebird" in 1968. During the early 1970s, Wagner worked as a session musician in Los Angeles, made appearances on The Lawrence Welk Show, and performed drums for pianist Liberace.
Starbuck's initial single, "Moonlight Feels Right", climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1976. While this remained their highest chart position, other tracks also entered the Billboard Top 100, notably their 1977 single "Everybody Be Dancin'", which peaked at No. 38.
Between 1976 and 1980, Starbuck toured alongside major artists such as Electric Light Orchestra, KC and the Sunshine Band, Hall & Oates, England Dan & John Ford Coley, and Boston. Their television appearances included performances on The Midnight Special, American Bandstand, and Solid Gold.
In the early 1980s, the group briefly adopted the name Korona and achieved one Hot 100 entry with the track "Let Me Be," which reached No. 43 in 1980.
Original members including Blackman and Wagner reunited in July 2013 for a concert at Chastain Park in Atlanta. They came together once more for a farewell performance on August 20, 2016, featuring the same lineup. Bruce Blackman released an album titled Starbuck 2022 containing twelve new songs and maintained his creative output; in September 2024, the single "Jones About You" premiered on YachtRockinRadio.com.
In April 2014, Blackman was honored with induction into the Mississippi Writer's Garden. He documented Starbuck's history in his 2018 publication, The Road to Moonlight Feels Right - the story behind one of the most popular songs of the '70s.
Bo Wagner later established a performing arts academy and shifted his career toward healthcare services tailored for entertainers under the moniker "Dr Bo." He passed away at age 72 on June 20, 2017, in Santa Monica, California.
Albums
| Year | Album | US Top 200 |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Moonlight Feels Right | 78 |
| 1977 | Rock'n Roll Rocket | 182 |
| 1978 | Searching for a Thrill | — |
| 2022 | Starbuck 2022 | — |
Singles
| Year | Song | CA | CAN AC | US BB |
US AC | US CB |
AUS |
NZ | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | "Moonlight Feels Right" | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 21 | Moonlight Feels Right |
| "I Got to Know" | 36 | 9 | 43 | 11 | 40 | — | — | ||
| "Lucky Man" | 44 | 27 | 73 | 42 | 48 | — | — | ||
| 1977 | "Everybody Be Dancin'" | 57 | 30 | 38 | 41 | 48 | — | — | Rock & Roll Rocket |
| 1978 | "Searching for a Thrill" | 46 | — | 58 | — | 45 | — | — | Searching for a Thrill |
| 1983 | "The Full Cleveland" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single |
| 2023 | "I Love Doing Nothing" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single |
| 2024 | "Spring Break Shake" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single |
| 2024 | "Jones About You" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | non-album single |