DATE: Sunday, April 6, 1997                 TAG: 9704050116

SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN             PAGE: 21   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: SUFFOLK'S SPECTACULAR SPRING FESTIVAL 

SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   54 lines

TRACY LAWRENCE HEADLINES SPECTACULAR ENTERTAINMENT

Tracy Lawrence is sandwiched between Pearl Jam and the Stone Temple Pilots.

Boy, does that beg explanation.

Lawrence got a 10 spot on the Airplay Monitor list for 1996, which lists the artists, in every category, who received the greatest amount of air time last year.

The country singer from Foreman, Ark., is also a Top 10 on the lists of Most Played Artists of the Mid-90s, and most Played Video Artists of 1996.

Another impressive figure: ``Time Marches On'' was the third most often played record last year, according to Billboard Magazine. Also on that most-played list are ``If You Loved Me,'' and ``Stars Over Texas.''

Lawrence, who will be the featured performer at Suffolk Spring Spectacular, is still going strong.

His current release, ``Better Man, Better Off,'' is better off than most other country records. It is on the Billboard Top 10 chart and still climbing and in the Top 12 Videos chart and still climbing.

You will hear those songs, and more, when Tracy Lawrence bounds on stage at 4:30 p.m., April 13 at the Spectacular.

It may not be too easy to recognize the singer these days. Off with the long locks, off with the mustache. Welcome to the land of clean cut.

His new bride, Stacie, may have had something to do with that. Lawrence recently married a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

Cheers to her husband who, in five short professional years, has managed to land 13 songs in the No. 1 position on the Billboard charts.

Lawrence is also working in the studio producing an album for Rich McCready.

When he is not working for himself and his fans, Lawrence is working for others.

He is involved in a number of charities, but the one closest to his heart is the American Cancer Society. That came about following the death of his friend, and mentor, Nashville drummer, Terry Buttram, who died last year.

The singer has also devoted time and concert proceeds to charities supporting literacy, hurricane relief, hunger causes, and AIDS.

The singer/songwriter, who has sold more than 5 million albums, has won several national awards including the 1993 Academy of Country Music's Top New Male Vocalist crown. MEMO: Tracy Lawrence will be on the Main Stage at Suffolk Spring

Spectacular at 4:30 p.m., Sunday. The opening act, Wildheart, performs

at 3 p.m. ILLUSTRATION: Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records

Tracy Lawrence, who recently married, will bring his new bride to

the Spring Spectacular.

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