Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, July 30, 1993 TAG: 9307290008
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS-BANKS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
Don't mention the H-word around Tracy Lawrence.
He'll probably laugh.
He may blush.
"The hunk thing?" he chortles. "I don't know how to take it. A lot of other people take that stuff way too seriously."
Still, the 25-year-old Arkansas Adonis is scoring perfect 10s on the squeal meter. His female fans adore him.
It must be the Stetson.
In January, Stetson launched its Tracy Lawrence Signature Collection, featuring four felt hats endorsed by the singer, who was named country music's best new male artist by Billboard magazine.
"Tracy is one of the hottest new stars on the country music scene," said Stetson's owner, Irving Joel.
Joel and other wheels at Stetson are betting that Lawrence will be to country and western wear what Michael Jordan is to sneakers.
Nevertheless, fame came rather unexpectedly to this grits-and-gravy guy.
In 1991, Lawrence was a promising young singer in Nashville when he made front-page headlines for the first time. He received four gunshot wounds in a robbery attempt outside a Nashville motel.
He had just finished his first album, but its release was postponed while he recovered from his injuries. Lawrence's debut album, "Sticks and Stones," hit the music stores later that year.
The album sold 800,000 copies and produced three hit songs: "Runnin' Behind," "Today's Lonely Fool" and the title cut, "Sticks and Stones."
His vocal work on this first album calls to mind Lawrence's own favorites, George Jones and Keith Whitley. A second album, "Alibis," was released this year and has a surprisingly different sound.
"Compared with the first album, `Alibis' is a little more progressive. Young country, I guess they call it," Lawrence noted in his recording biography. "I had the opportunity to be a little more daring this time around. It's still very honky-tonk country, but it's much younger sounding. It's just where I'm at right now."
In addition to the title track, "Alibis" features "The Good Die Young" (pure rockabilly), "We Don't Love Here Anymore" (a slow ballad) and several tunes co-written by Lawrence: "Break It to My Heart," "It Only Takes One Bar (to Make a Prison)," "Back to Back" and "My Second Home."
Both albums are on the Atlantic Records label.
Lawrence's success on the charts has earned him top billing at several state fairs around the country, including the New River Valley Fair.
He's convinced, however, that his success isn't a result of either his good looks or what he calls his "fluke accident."
"I knew what I wanted and worked very hard to get where I am right now. The problem I have at this point is trying to overcome being known as the kid who got shot on Music Row and have people know me because of my music. I want to be remembered for why I came here and not for some fluke accident."
Lawrence says he continues to feel the effects of the bullets he took: "I still have complications. There's stiffness in the leg and I may have to have another knee operation."
He's determined, however, to focus his attention on his music.
"That's what got me here and I want that to be the backbone of everything," he said. "That makes all the difference for a long-term career."
by CNB