At a time when independent music retailers continue to face unprecedented challenges, Starr’s Guitars in Cedaredge, CO is celebrating a milestone of 25 years in business.
Founded by acclaimed Americana/Blues singer-songwriter David Starr, the beloved music store has spent the past quarter-century serving musicians with a carefully curated selection of new, used, and vintage guitars, amplifiers, and accessories, and has become a cornerstone of the town’s historic Main Street.
“What has kept us going is something you can’t ship in a box,” said Starr. “Every guitar has its own personality, and there’s no substitute for picking one up, playing it, and finding the instrument that inspires you. That’s an experience independent music stores will always be able to offer.”
Originally opened in Little Rock, AR, Starr relocated the business to Cedaredge after deciding to return to the American West. His vision was simple: create a destination guitar shop built on expertise, relationships, and a genuine love of music. Twenty-five years later, customers continue to travel from across Colorado and beyond to browse the store’s collection and connect with fellow musicians and friends.
More than a successful retailer, Starr’s Guitars has helped shape Cedaredge’s cultural identity. The store became an early gathering place for musicians and creatives, helping spark an arts movement that continues today.
Starr is a founding board member of the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center and launched and produced the sold-out Grand Mesa Songwriter Festival, which has collectively brought over 60+ songwriters to the Western Slope, along with headlining performances from GRAMMY-winning artists and songwriters such as John Oates, Rodney Crowell, and Marcus Hummon. He also serves as the booker and artistic director for AppleFest, which annually draws over 30,000 attendees and 200+ vendors to the small town of 2,500. In 2025, Starr received the Governor’s Creative Leadership Award from Colorado Governor Jared Polis along with his wife, Cindy Starr, recognizing their profound impact on the arts and cultural development in the state. With Starr’s Guitars at the epicenter, Starr has been an integral part of creating and developing events that have identified it as a cultural destination.
In addition to being a store owner, David Starr is equally recognized as an internationally touring singer-songwriter. Over the course of his career, he has released more than a dozen albums, toured extensively throughout the U.S. and U.K., shared stages with artists including John Oates, John McEuen, Jim Messina, and Steve Cropper, and is signed to GRAMMY-winning label Quarto Valley Records.
That dual perspective—as both a working musician and an independent retailer—continues to shape the philosophy behind Starr’s Guitars. “Music stores aren’t just places to buy instruments,” Starr added. “They’re where musicians find inspiration, build relationships, and become part of a community. We’ve been fortunate to be that place for 25 years.”
As Starr’s Guitars celebrates its silver anniversary, the milestone stands as a testament to the enduring value of independent music retailers—and to the idea that even in a rapidly changing industry, passion, expertise, and human connection remain timeless roads to success.
About David Starr
David Starr is a Colorado-based Blues and Americana singer/songwriter with over 11 albums to his credit. The Arkansas native has honed his decades-long career touring internationally, sharing the stage and collaborating with esteemed artists such as John Oates (Hall & Oates), John McEuen, Steve Cropper, Jim Lauderdale, and Wild Ponies as well as opening for acts like America, Karla Bonoff, Jim Messina, Survivor, and more. He has been a showcasing artist at Folk Alliance International, AMERICANAFEST, and Southwest Regional Folk Alliance. In 2025 he released his critically acclaimed Blues album, Must Be Blue, out on GRAMMY®-winning label Quarto Valley Records. Starr melded his Blues background of growing up playing drums and electric guitar in Southern Arkansas clubs with his time spent in Nashville exploring Americana and Folk. What he arrived at was his own brand of “Bluesicana” – a melding of the two genres with iconic Blues covers and new originals with ear-catching acoustic accents such as mandolin. Starr’s prestige extends beyond the stage, having launched Starr’s Guitars in Little Rock, before relocating to Cedaredge, CO in 2001, where it is now a beloved institution. He is also a founding member of the board for the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center in Cedaredge, an intimate event space aimed at attracting musicians and visual artists to Colorado’s Western Slope. In addition, Starr produces the sold-out Grand Mesa Songwriter Festival, which brings over 15 songwriters from the US & UK to perform across five venues in Cedaredge. In 2025 he received the Governor’s Creative Leadership Award from Governor Jared Polis along with his wife, Cindy Starr, recognizing their profound impact on the arts and cultural development in Colorado.