Born on Jan. 27, 1968, in Atlanta, Texas, and raised in tiny Foreman, Ark., Tracy Lawrence drew from a rich musical heritage that included such Southern rockers as Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top, as well as country traditionalists George Strait and Merle Haggard. He earned his performing stripes by touring the area's bars, honky-tonks and jamborees when barely old enough to drive. Though he recalls the circuit as a "tough road" for a young performer, he says it also taught him some valuable lessons about being an entertainer.
Lawrence landed a recording contract just months after arriving in Nashville. His first album, 1991's Sticks and Stones, catapulted him to the top of the charts, yielding three No. 1 hits (including the title track) and one Top 10 hit. As if that weren't enough, his second album, the double platinum Alibis (1993), spawned four straight No. 1 hits - the title cut, "Can't Break It To My Heart," "My Second Home" and "If The Good Die Young" - and earned enough raves everywhere from GQ to Newsweek. During the mid-'90's, he was among the most-played artists in all genres.
Subsequent Albums also turned platinum including I See It Now (1994) with the hits "If The World Had A Front Porch," "Texas Tornado" and "Time Marches On," a Bobby Braddock-penned blockbuster that led to the 1996 album of the same name to double platinum status and earned Lawrence nominations at all the major awards ceremonies.
Lawrence's next album, 1997's The Coast Is Clear, produced the trademark hit "Better Man, Better Off." It preceded Lessons Learned (2000), which found the singer re-energized by his country roots. Both discs earned critical praise and kept Lawrence's radio presence and catalog sales chugging along.
It's no surprise that over the years Lawrence has received widespread recognition: He was named Billboard's Top New Male Vocalist in 1992, garnering the Academy Of Country Music's Top New Male Vocalist trophy a year later; he earned the Country Weekly Golden Pick Awards' Video Artist Of The Year prize in 1995 and its Editor's Choice Platinum Pick crown in 1996, among other honors.
Lawrence has produced his own and others' work and co-wrote a number of the songs he's recorded, including "If The World Had A Front Porch" and "Can't Break It To My Heart." Moreover, he has had considerable impact beyond the record industry. Lawrence contributed the song "Renegades, Rebels And Rogues" to the Maverick soundtrack and has starred in two CMT specials, one of which included footage from a USO tour that saw him entertain troops in Kosovo. He also co-produced nine of the 13 songs on The Civil War: The Nashville Sessions, a collection of songs written for the Broadway theater production "The Civil War: An American Musical Event." It features Travis Tritt, Deana Carter, Trace Adkins, Kevin Sharp, Michael English, Trisha Yearwood and John Berry.
Lawrence has always been active in charitable causes, and he is annually at the helm of two events that are especially meaningful to him: a homecoming concert in his hometown that funds the Tracy Lawrence Foundation and a golf tournament in Texarkana, Texas, benefiting both the Tracy Lawrence Foundation and the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Assn. Lawrence's foundation has endowed scholarships and, most recently, provided funds to equip a high school computer science lab, a room that has been named after him. Lawrence helped raise more than a million dollars for the fight against Cystic Fibrosis; he's participated in numerous fundraisers for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; generated awareness and funds for CASA, a non-profit organization providing trained volunteer advocates to abused and neglected children caught up in the legal systems; and supported a lengthy list of the charitable causes of fellow celebrities and media outlets through live concert appearances, autograph signings, auction item donations, and interviews. "People have a duty to help each other out," he says. "I'm happy I can give something back to society through my efforts to raise funds and awareness for these important causes."
A Few Interesting Tidbits about Tracy Lawrence. . .
I first realized I wanted to be an artist... when I was 12 years old
I want to be a singer/songwriter because... my love for music
The most exciting part of my career so far... meeting all of the other artists in the business
Strangest gift I've received: I've received some pretty odd gifts over the years...it's hard to single one out!
Most unusual thing I've been asked to do: I was asked to autograph a prosthetic leg for one of my fans. Someone brought it up to me at a club I was playing at for the woman while she sat on a bar stool waiting for them to bring her leg back Did I do it?: yes
Most unusual job: selling Ferlin Husky concert tickets in Spokane and Walla Walla, WA
First paying gig: Ashdown Jamboree (Ashdown, AR)
Job I would rather starve than do: telemarketing. I was about to starve anyway...I wasn't very good at it.
My hero is... as a kid Evil Kneival was my hero...he was a daredevil...he didn't fear much
Posters on my wall as a kid: Farrah Fawcett
First childhood crush on a star: Farrah Fawcett, no question. I had the Farrah Fawcett bean bag and posters of her all over my wall. Charlie's Angels was the stuff!
Worst date: I've never had a bad date
Ideal date: a night out on the town alone with my wife, leave the kids with a babysitter.
If I could tour with anyone it would be... Aerosmith
If I could meet anyone, dead or alive, and ask them one question, it would be... Elvis, I'd ask him what he attributed his charisma to.
"My music is often a snapshot glimpse into my heart and head. You can't separate Tracy Lawrence the person from Tracy Lawrence the music. It's all part of my fiber. A part of who I am. It's the paths I've crossed...the pleasures and the pains of life's experiences...my life's little gems. Those are the elements that have lead to my personal and musical identity."
Official Tracy Lawrence Website
Click here to order Tracy's new album, released January 30, 2007, For The Love, featuring the hit "Find Out Who Your Friends Are"!
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