Starlite Radio comes ‘home’ with release of 22 Blackbirds at Memorial Hall May 31

By Jonathan Hicks, Staff Writer for The Rock River Times

In 2001, Nathan McDonald left his family and girlfriend in Rockford and moved to Tulsa , Okla. , where he had spent his childhood. He left with hopes of making music alongside old friends.

The aspiring musician would spend a year out West before coming to the realization that, though he had grown up in Tulsa , his home was in Rockford .

“My heart was elsewhere,” said McDonald, referencing then-girlfriend Jessica Schlueter. “I was sifting through things that I was sure about and wanted to take more of a risk on, and things that I wasn’t as sure about and wasn’t willing to take risks on. When I balanced those out, Tulsa was not where I was supposed to be.”

He came home to family—specifically two younger brothers who had found their musical inspiration. He also came home to his girlfriend Jessica, the woman he would eventually marry. Perhaps most importantly, he came home with a greater sense of self and surroundings. It is with that backdrop that Starlite Radio was born.

Assembly

Starlite Radio was born in 2002, initially an effort of the McDonald brothers— Nathan , Jordan and David. A year later, they would be joined by Schlueter, who took over on lead vocals. By 2004, after Nathan and Jessica had walked down the aisle, Starlite Radio was officially a family endeavor.

Nathan: “When I moved back (from Tulsa ), it allowed me to be more myself in the music. David had picked up the drums in that year. Jordan had already been playing bass... and it was like, ‘You play drums now, and we’re all brothers and live in the same house, so we can set up a practice room in the basement.’ It was pretty clear that Rockford was the place for me to be.”

David: “I had been playing (drums) for a year or so. Both of my brothers had been experienced with bands, and I had never been in one. I got an opportunity with both of my brothers. ... They were asking me to do something with them. (I decided) I’ve got nothing to lose.”

Jordan : “A lot of the stuff I had been playing, before Nathan and David, involved me learning other people’s songs and just playing a bassline. But with this, we were actually writing music together. That was the most important part.”

Jessica: “Nathan and I sang a lot together. I had tried my own singer/songwriter thing, and it was great, but it was missing something. When Nathan came back, and his brothers were in the band, I wanted to be a part of that...and I got my way!”

Nathan: “We started writing stuff, and it was this mellow, introspective music. When Jessica came on, we started getting into more folk and roots rock, which I think is more our background. I think we’re a folk rock, pop rock band.”

Catharsis

Their grandparents’ farm was always a place of family and happiness. Nathan , Jordan and David all recall good times there. However, in the summer of 2006, their grandfather passed away from cancer at the age of 84. While they were still coping with that loss, Jessica’s grandparents died last June, the result of an automobile accident while driving home from their 55th wedding anniversary celebration. As families do, the McDonalds dealt with tragedy together. They experienced the grieving process while in the midst of creating their first full-length album, 22 Blackbirds.

Nathan: “I got a call from my mom, saying it was time to say goodbye to Grandpa. She asked me to bring my guitar. We visited for a while when Mom asked, ‘Can you pick a hymn and sing?’ (My grandfather) had a big appreciation for nature and animals. I chose a song called ‘All Creatures of Our God and King.’ It was really hard for me to sing, and I almost didn’t get through it. Surrounding his bed, we didn’t know if he was awake, but when we finished, he smiled a big smile.”

Perseverance

22 Blackbirds would not come easily—or quickly—for Starlite Radio. Looking for a cost-effective, yet personal space, the McDonalds would return to their grandmother’s farm to record the album. They would spend five weekends there, and with the help of friends, eventually finish the recording process in their own home.

Nathan: “We wanted to record everything live and capture more emotion. We just wanted to have a certain energy, and I feel we captured that. We originally wanted to release the album in the summer of 2007, but then pushed it to the fall. Recording the main vocal parts was taking so long that we moved it to the end of winter. By January (2008), we had enough money to mix it.”

Jordan : “All the equipment we used was borrowed. We were basically able to make a record for free because of nice friends.”

Home

Writing and recording in such personal locations and with the help of close friends makes the theme of “home” unavoidable. With 22 Blackbirds now completed and on the brink of release, the band is eager to share their family journey with the world. They do so this Saturday, May 31, at a CD release show at Memorial Hall.

Nathan: “People should come out to the show because everyone that recorded on the album will be there. Memorial Hall makes it more special as there is more of an auditorium or theater feel. We’re really going to put on a good show.”

Jessica: “We want to have the same feel at the show as we had recording it. We’re excited about sharing the end product with those that mean the most.”

Five dollars gets you in the door at Memorial Hall this Saturday, May 31. Doors open at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show. Tickets are available in advance at Meg’s Daily Grind or online at the band’s Web site. Though there is limited seating, any unsold tickets will be available at the door. For more information about Starlite Radio, including show listings and the latest on 22 Blackbirds, go to www.starliteradio.com.

This article was from the May 28-June 4, 2008, issue