Canadian Blues Rock Veterans ERROL STARR AND TRIBZ Release New Single “True Love”
Hamilton, Ontario-based Errol Starr and Tribz unveil their new single “True Love,” a deeply felt blues-rock track shaped by decades of musicianship and shared creative instinct. The song highlights the collective strength of artists whose careers helped define Canadian rock, R&B, and blues radio from the 1970s through the 1990s.
Frontman Errol Starr, a JUNO Award winner widely recognized for his enduring vocal presence and crossover appeal, leads the project alongside guitarist Earl Johnson, founder of the influential rock band Moxy. Johnson’s blues-rooted guitar work and Starr’s expressive vocal delivery anchor the band’s sound, bringing together two Canadian music mainstays whose work has long resonated with rock, blues, and soul audiences.
Drummer Dave Davidson played a central role in the formation of the band, bringing Johnson and bassist Donny Hill together at his home to form the nucleus of Tribz. Davidson was also instrumental in completing the band’s earliest studio recordings, including “True Love,” the first song the group developed together. A longtime member of the American Rogues for over a decade, Davidson brings with him a dedicated fanbase across Canada and the United States that continues to connect strongly with the band’s direction.
“True Love” reflects a songwriting approach rooted in patience, feel, and emotional clarity. Written by Johnson and completed collaboratively by the band, the track allows space for each performance to breathe, guided by a production philosophy centered on authenticity and groove. The band self-produced the single, ensuring the recording captures the chemistry that defines their live performances.
Lyrically, the song speaks with understated honesty and reflection, carried by lines like “Too many times I never realized just what I had” and “I was blind to the love standing right in front of me.” The message unfolds naturally through restrained instrumentation and expressive phrasing, reinforcing the song’s timeless blues foundation.
Released under the name Errol Starr and Tribz, the project reflects a clear and focused artist identity, aligning with current trends while honoring the collective strength behind the music. With growing interest from blues radio and festival programmers in both Canada and the U.S., “True Love” positions the band for continued momentum throughout the year.
“True Love” feels unhurried and deeply lived-in—what drew you to that kind of restraint and space in the songwriting and arrangement?
The song came to life late in my relationship with my late common law wife Deborah who was a constant inspiration during our 10 years together. Our time together was the closest thing to True Love that had eluded me in my later years after 40.
Each of you bring decades of experience from different corners of Canadian rock and blues—how did your individual histories shape the chemistry of this song?
Dave Davidson, the drummer and I have been best friends for probably like 40 years since we were our teens and had a band together in Hamilton after that I went on to do the MOXY thing and etc. etc. Donny Hill came in at Dave’s suggestion and put Rec of love brother from another mother. What can I tell you me and him just hit it off so well it was crazy. It looks like all of a sudden got my best friend playing base in the band with me with Dave. OK so it was very cool. Donny is a real Trew blues fan southern southern blues etc. I mean I grew up in an air when Allman Brothers refused clapping with you. Those were my main influences for Blues in those days. That’s pretty much how the song took shape. I pretty much had this song done, arranged, and formatted in the prior project that I was working with at the time that didn’t work out and that was my good friend FRANK COSENTINO.
The lyric centers on reflection and missed awareness—was there a personal moment or shared perspective that sparked the emotional core of “True Love”?
The lyrics definitely reflect on looking back at life and it’s coming to the realization that you made some bad decisions at a certain times in your life. At the same time sometimes those decisions are beyond your control. I mean one of the biggest toughest period in my life I went through was when I me and my first wife separated to Chrysta and I remember to stay. I’m getting on the elevator to go downstairs leave our apartment and go back to Hamilton and we’re both looking at each other crying our eyes out and basically known our hearts are broken and not being able to find a way back and put it together and that’s extremely frustrating. That’s also brutally honest.
Looking ahead, is “True Love” a standalone statement, or the beginning of a larger body of work that reflects where you are now as musicians and collaborators?
True love is not a standalone statement the album we put together with TRIBZ. It’s got a lot of reflections on life loves relationships because we all have a lot of time on our hands during Covid and that’s when we did most of them recording until Errol came in into the project and we started recording at his house and getting our BASICS down there and taking them the studio and waking them and find them in etc. etc. so EARL by a huge directions driver leader and getting the Band hopefully to the next Stage, which I feel and we all feel it is ready for it and that’s where we’re at.
Connect with Errol Starr & Tribz:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
Tiktok