Bob Wills, Merle Haggard, George Strait.
I'm a big Bob Wills fan. I used to listen to my dad's 78s when I was a kid.
There's a line connecting Wills and Haggard and Strait. That's the line I'd like to be in.
Tracy Byrd has always been something of a maverick. In an industry where careers are often decided in committee, Byrd has always held fast to his own creative vision and has never been afraid to take the road less traveled. That unbridled spirit again prevails on his newest release, "Different Things." Not only does Tracy continue to deliver no-holds-barred country music, he does so while embarking on a new business model that is setting the standard for artists in today's competitive music industry.
Byrd is the first country artist to partner with Artist 2 Market Distribution (A2M), the Handleman Company's independent distribution arm. A2M will sell and distribute "Different Things" to retail outlets nationwide.
"We had more control doing it this way and even though it's a little more work, there's also a little more payback if things go well," says the talented Texan, who has 13 top ten singles in his arsenal of hits. "There are people saying that this is the future and this is the way it's going to be. I believe that it can be, especially for established artists. People already know who you are. You already have a track record. They already know your hits."
Tracy Byrd's hits are well known among legions of country music fans and routinely spun by radio programmers from coast to coast. Since signing his first record deal in 1992, Byrd has become one of country music's core artists, a Texas born traditionalist equally skilled at serving up playful hits like "Watermelon Crawl" and "The Truth About Men" as well as poignant ballads such as his signature song "Keeper of the Stars," which netted the Academy of Country Music's Song of the Year accolade in 1996.
Byrd readily admits he's a man whose reality has surpassed his dreams. Growing up near Beaumont, Texas, he never considered becoming a country singer until someone coaxed him into singing Hank Williams' "Your Cheatin' Heart" at a little recording studio in a local mall. The owner heard him and was impressed enough to enter him in a talent contest. As soon as he heard the applause, he was hooked.
"All of a sudden, they couldn't get me off," he recalls with a laugh. "That's all I wanted to do."
So he did it. He became a popular entertainer on Beaumont's competitive club scene and soon attracted attention from Nashville. He signed with MCA Records in 1992 and scored a No. 1 hit with the single "Holdin' Heaven." His self-titled debut album was certified gold, signifying sales of more than half a million albums. His next four albums achieved gold status, with "No Ordinary Man" being certified double-platinum and remaining in the top ten on the chart for over 30 weeks.
One listen to Byrd's smooth, rich baritone and it's easy to see why he's become one of country music's best-loved artists. With Tracy, what you see is what you get. He's a family man, an avid outdoorsman, and country music lover. Those things constantly infuse his life and are reflected in his art. "I think really the one thing that's kept us solid through all of this is just being myself," he says of his 15 years in the music business. "We never did go into any album saying 'You know what? We need to change.' We just kept cutting songs that turned us on, the kind of songs that were Tracy Byrd songs. That's one of the biggest things I've learned and would tell anybody if I was managing or producing an artist, I wouldn't try to make them anymore than they are or any less than they are."
I saw you at Bullnanza in Little Rock probably 10 years ago. Do you remember me? I was right in the front with an assh**e. (JK...I know you don't remember that. lol) I still love me some Tracy Byrd! :)
Great show last night. Little loud for a songwriters jam though. Guess that was because I was sitting with Gary Lee. Ha. Looking forward to the rest of the "Bash". Danny Z
Hey Dont you remember Tim Kish?? at MCA? I had him mix some tracks for me awhile back, he done a real good job!! best wishes too you and your Boys, and yall family, Jeff Craig
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