About Us

It was the summer of 69.…. (Lol, inside joke) My first major rock concert was at the Laurel Pop Festival with Led Zeppelin, JeffBeck, Jethro Tull,and Rod Stewart. I saw Alvin Lee 10 years after and when he brokeinto “I’m going home” I knew that music would play a major part in my life. I was still in high school when I started playing in a band. I started hanging with my friend David Byrne from Talking Heads, jamming at all of the local coffee houses, and hanging outwith Nels Loftgin and his band Grin. I was hooked I didn’t know at that time that but my love for music would soon turn intoa career. A good friend of mine formed a band called the DT’s, one of the first punkbands in Baltimore. I started working with the band doing sound production andbooking dates for them as well. We cut a single that got a lot of airplay on WCVT. The band became quite popular in the market. We did a lot of work with WCVT which is now WHFS. One of the DJ’s from WCVT introduced me to a band called AR15 andas they say the rest is history. AR15 became one of the biggest new wave bands from Baltimore playing 250 dates a year and gained sponsorship from BC Rich Guitars. They were playing shows all along the East Coast and at that point I quit mydaytime job and just started managing and booking the DT’s and AR15. I wasintroduced to Nick, the owner of CES talent. CES booked Face Dancer, Bootcamp,and Child’s Play. Over the years I managed/consulted some of the biggest bands fromBaltimore like YNOT, The Loft, Honor Among Thieves, Versus the Earth, and HyJinx.worked at CES for 15 years booking bands thousands of dates into the top venues allalong the East Coast including Hammerjack’s, Gerards, and Network. After 15 years, CES decided to stop booking bands and started touring Broadway shows like Marie Osmond and The Russian ballet. I started booking shows for Marie Osmond, handled merchandise for the shows, but my love was still with music so I left CES and was offered a job at Starleigh Entertainment. I took Never Never and Honor Among Thieves over to Starleigh Entertainment with me where in 2010 I became partners inthe company and now 12 years later I am the sole owner of Starleigh Entertainment. Over the years I have booked thousands of dates in hundreds of clubs. I have gotten sponsorships from Paul Reid Smith guitars, BC Rich Guitars, and Bud Light to name afew. I have also worked in the studio producing music for many artists. I also created the legendary Wednesday Nights at Hammerjack’s with The Loft and Versus the Earthat Cancun Cantina. One of my passions is developing new talent and that is a new program that Starleigh is going to offer. As the owner of Starleigh Entertainment my love for music is stronger then ever. With all my years of knowledge and experience (some people may call it old school) I have built a great team around me and together we are going to take Starleigh Entertainment to the next level and make it bigger and better than it has ever been.

Linda Pollard is an entertainment consultant with over 20 years experience in the industry. With an extensive music background as a talent agent and staff photographer for a major Hampton Roads Rock N Roll magazine, Linda’s passion and eye for a band’s musical creativity and harmony help to drive the success of her and the performers. With goals of maximizing bands’ talent and success, relationships are her keys to success. Empowering talented performers to help achieve mutual results. Lyrics tell a story, performances bring them to life.  

Mike Newberry is a singer, guitarist and lifelong musician with over 20 years experience in the industry, and a true passion for music and performers. Through high school, Mike held the position of first chair bassoon with the Greater Baltimore Youth Orchestra, with whom he toured Germany and Austria. As a member of the GBYO, Mike performed a number of times with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Following high school, Mike attended Towson University as a Music Education major, but ultimately got his bachelor’s degree from McDaniel College in Vocal Performance and Music Theory. While at Towson University as a member of the choir there, Mike sang with the BSO at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and performed also at the National Cathedral in Washington DC.As a vocalist, Mike has been the front man and lead singer of several popular bands in the area, including Super Bueno, Wake the Neighbors, 80s tribute act More More More (who recently opened for the Beach Boys), and progressive metal act Concrete Prophet. As a member of Prophet, Mike shared the stage with legendary artists like Dokken, Zakk Wylde, and Joey Belladonna. A musician to his core, Mike has long been, and will continue to be, an advocate and shepherd for performers of all stripes. “I am very passionate about providing the same gateway for artists and musicians today that I had as a young man!” 

Jim McFaul is a guitarist, bassist and singer with over 30 years experience in the Maryland music scene. He is the founder and manager of Crushing Day, a regional favorite since 1993. Having played over 3,300 shows, from Key West, FL to Killington, VT, with Crushing Day and another couple hundred acoustic shows, Jim has worked with hundreds of clubs, pubs, festivals, weddings, corporate events, private parties, grand openings, etc…(see a complete list of venues at  http://www.crushingday.com/bio.php). Jim has also worked with hundreds of national, regional and local performers over his tenure in the music industry. National artists Jim has worked with include Ace Frehley, Puddle of Mudd, Da Da, The Posies, SR-71, Lita Ford, Drivin’ and Cryin’, Jimmie’s Chicken Shack, The Pat McGee Band, Dig and comedian Bobcat Goldthwait…plus regional favorites The Ravyns, Never Never, Child’s Play, The Amish Outlaws, Kristen and The Noise, Mr. Greengenes, Under the Covers, Doc Marten and The Flannels, The New Romance, Tripwire and many more. In addition to the veteran performers Jim has worked with, he has also helped mentor countless up and coming performers and is excited to bring his passion for the thriving local music scene to the Starleigh family!

As a drummer who’s career spanned over 30 years in the music industry, Steve has performed for various bands throughout the Mid Atlantic region and East Coast most recently for Hyjinx and Under the Covers. Steve has transitioned from performing to scouting talent to expedite the creation of new acts as well as managing existing bands. He activity seeks relationships with venues of all sizes to provide top quality entertainment for their guests. A Delaware native, Steve’s primary focus is to expand Starleigh’s reach to provide the regions best entertainment to venues in Delaware and New Jersey.

Kristy Jones is the heartbeat of the communications center here at Starleigh Entertainment. Kirsty has been an asset to the agency for over 8 years by keeping the communication process flowing smoothly.  Confidence, detail oriented, and well organized, Kristy helms the information platform here at Starleigh Entertainment!!