Tracy Lawrence

One of contemporary country music's most consistent hit-makers, Texan Tracy Lawrence is best-known for the 2007 smash 'Find Out Who Your Friends Are' from the album 'For the Love' which brought him a spate of awards. He was born in Atlanta, Texas, but mostly grew up in Foreman, Arkansas, absorbing the country music of the area as well as southern rock bands and first started singing and playing guitar locally in his mid-teens. Inspired by his all-time heroes George Strait and Merle Haggard, his forthright style swiftly turned heads as he became a rising star on the honky tonk circuit before deciding to bid for glory and take his chance in Nashville. Moving there in 1990, he worked in phone sales by day and played shows at night time, performing regularly at Live at Libby's, a music restaurant designed to showcase upcoming new artists, and he won various talent shows along the way. A live radio performance attracted the interest of Atlanta Records, who signed him to the label in 1991, triggering the start of a celebrated career. It nearly ended in tragedy when he was mugged and shot by his attackers shortly before the release of his debut album 'Sticks & Stones'. This delayed the album's release until the following year, but Lawrence made a full recovery and the album's title track went straight to the top of the Country Charts. Other hits 'Runnin' Behind', 'Today's Lonely Fool' and 'Somebody Paints the Wall' swiftly followed and he had even greater success with his second album 'Alibis' in 1993, which produced four Country Chart-toppers: 'Alibis', 'Can't Break It to My Heart', 'My Second Home' and 'If the Good Die Young'. With his backing band Little Elvis he also proved to be a compelling live act as the hits continued to flow, although his private life was less successful. An altercation with his wife resulted in an arrest, divorce and he split from Atlanta as his career began to stall. Forming his own record label Rocky Comfort, his 2006 'For the Love' album - and the single 'Find Out Who Your Friends Are' - propelled him back into favour, however, while Lawrence also tapped into the Christian market with his 'The Rock' album which resulted in another hit, 'Up to Him'. Returning to the heart of country music with his next two albums 'The Singer' (2011) and 'Headlights, Taillights and Radios' (2013) the success story was back on track and he returned again in 2017 collaborating with Tim McGraw, Kellie Pickler, Jason Aldean and Brad Arnold on the duet album 'Good Ole Days', including the emotive 'Finally Home', an ode to the US military with proceeds donated to wounded veterans and their families.

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