Abstract: A method for starting a combustion turbine generator 10 includes configuring the generator so that the generator's rotor 16 is connected to receive all DC electrical power from the armature 30 of a DC-field brushless exciter 20 after rectification by a rotating rectifier. The method also includes causing the DC-field brushless exciter 20 to provide all of the DC electrical power to the rotor 16 by rotating a shaft 12 with a turning gear 22 to drive the DC-field brushless exciter 20 and rotor 16. The method further includes supplying electrical power to the generator's stator 18 as the shaft 12 is rotating so that the stator 18 provides an accelerating torque to operate as a synchronous motor to bring the rotational speed of the shaft 12 up to a starting rotational speed. A combustion turbine generator includes a starting controller 28 to control the rotational speed of the shaft 12 and the supply of electrical power to the stator 18.