Blackberry Smoke frontman Charlie Starr’s great-uncles Buford and Merle Abner were members of the popular Southern gospel quartet The Swanee River Boys.

Starr grew up listening to gospel and bluegrass, but he became interested in rock music when he discovered an Aerosmith cassette lying in a mud hole near his home.

Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson suggested that Starr name his band Blackberry Smoke.

In 2009, Blackberry Smoke cut a version of Willie Nelson’s “Yesterday’s Wine” with country legend George Jones.

In 2012, Zac Brown signed Blackberry Smoke to his Southern Ground label.

The band has had four consecutive albums in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.