Tracy Rice: Press

With an Out of This World Sound, Tracy Rice is on the Launch Pad to Major Music Industry Success.

Article by Laura Jenney & Jennifer Chmielewski Of Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions 12-31-07





Every professional, both on the performing end, and on the executive end, in the music industry knows that EVERY artist's success is hinged and pivoted on the amount of press and media exposure that artist receives, both to gain and maintain success in the music industry. When it comes to promoting and writing about artists in the music industry, from the up and coming to legendary performers, I am proud to say that we at Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions are downright persnickety about only promoting THE BEST performers in the biz.

Every once in a blue moon, we run across an artist or band that is so Mindsweeping that we know beyond a doubt that this artist, has everything it takes to be the next major artist to rocket to major stardom in the music industry. And it doesn't take 'rocket surgery' to figure out why they are not already there...simply from the lack of quality press and media coverage they deserve as the great performers they are.

Such is the case with the absolutely prolific singer/songwriter Tracy Rice, from Ontario, Canada, (by way of Nashville, Tennessee), which is why Tracy Rice has not already risen to superstar status within the music industry thus far. (Though Tracy is well known to many fans worldwide who already acknowledge her talent an amazing star.)

Within the first ten minutes of listening to her music, which completely hooked and captivated me immediately, (and has kept me hooked ever since...and I am a very hard sell), with her extremely skillful mastery of songwriting, and amazingly strong yet seamlessly smooth vocal capabilities, (I am talking about the kind that makes your hair stand up, and gives you chills), I knew this lady was IT, a true class act with everything it takes and more to become the next major artist to reach super stardom status on the music industry's horizon. No kidding, no PR hype. And with a little help from our great friends in the press and media such as the truly amazing peeps at Mi2N, EIN News, Music Industry Today, Independent Film and Music, Billboard, Top 40 Charts, and so many others, in which we will be pitching this article to, (as these are the folks that truly make and shape music industry history, let's give a little well deserved credit where credit is truly due), we at Mindsweep are proud and pleased to give outstanding performer, Tracy Rice the press she honestly deserves as an outstanding singer, songwriter, musician and performer, and keep her already large, worldwide fan base informed, turn on new fans to her music, and of course, inform all of the 'powers that be' and executive friends in the music industry about the endless reservoir of talent Tracy Rice possesses, and of course, help to put Tracy's career in the music industry on the launch pad to the highest reaches of success in the music industry, as Tracy Rice is truly something to write about. ... (So much so, she had several of the writers here at Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions vying to write about her, so both myself, (Executive Vice President, Laura Jenney), and our newest addition to the writing team at Mindsweep, Jennifer Chmielewski are both writing this article about her, which will give the reader the honest professional perspective of both a forty something year old connoisseur of excellent music and music industry exec, and also the perspective of the younger, hip, twenty something year old personal and professional opinion.) And we know, as soon as 'the right exec friends' are turned on to her, the sky is the limit for this outstanding performer! (And we are turning them on to her right now, so competition beware!) ..."Houston, were ready for take off"...

The marketability of Tracy's musical product is absolutely endless, as her prowess as a singer/songwriter ranges with immense expertise in the genres of rock, folk, country, Americana, adult contemporary and beyond, with a talent level comparable to, and in the caliber of such greats as Tracy Chapman, Melissa Etheridge, The Indigo Girls, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, The Cranberries, Natalie Merchant and others, (all of whom all of us at Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions totally respect and admire,) yet Tracy maintains her own distinct signature style and presence as a musician, (as does the great artists mentioned above). Just ask the fans that attended a recent performance at esteemed concert venue, AJ's in Jacksonville, Florida, (in the hometown of Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions), while on tour to promote her latest, independently produced CD, "Truth", which was released in February 2006; where Tracy delivered to fans a riveting and dynamic performance to a very enthusiastic audience, and brought the house down, leaving the crowd both satisfied and thoroughly well rocked. Anyone attending that concert would attest and agree with a quickness to the caliber of her musicianship and the dynamics of her 'larger than life' stage presence. To put it simply, Tracy Rice, as a professional performer is 'out of this world!' (It also doesn't hurt a bit that Tracy delivers 'the total package' as an artist, for as just as talented as she is as a performer, both on stage and in the studio, she is also quite stunning, with an infectious smile, a very likeable and magnetic personality.)

From the perspective of our newest member of the Mindsweep writing team, and twenty something year old opinion, ...Take it away Jennifer... ... Man..It's overloading the honor that I feel to be able to begin my employment with Mindsweep writing about this woman. Tracy Rice not only swept me off my feet from the moment I pressed "play" on my stereo, but her harmonizing voice just put me in a "lets fall in love with somebody" state of mind. Not only did her brilliance on the guitar and phenomenal voice catch my full attention from start to finish, but the material is certainly designed for any day to day person to relate to.

I have always believed that good music doesn't just come from being able to play a guitar or sounding good on a microphone.. good music comes from within; a spark of energy that rests in your soul that can only be expressed and released through the lyrics and rhythm in your songs. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where I believe that Tracy Rice gets that magic and peace that you feel when you hear her music. Her soul.





Tracy has in the planning and works a brand new live CD, (which will be her fourth, titled "Live at Yadda" ) This live recording will be taking place in the Cincinnati, Ohio/Covington, Kentucky area. It is expected to be, once again, without question, a smokin' hot star-quality hit. For breaking information on the 'Live at Yadda' album presales and March 22 concert ticket availability, (when the shows for the album will be recorded), one can visit Tracy's official website at www.TracyRice.com or at Tracy's My Space site at http://www.myspace.com/tracyrice.

And of course an upcoming tour to promote that CD will ensue. Tracy would especially like to focus on another US tour, as well as touring and expanding her concerts' reach to fans in Europe, Belgium, Germany, France, England, as well as in Japan, and the great "Down Under" (Australia).

Tracy has worked with, opened for, and/or performed with such greats as: the well known Terry Clark, Australian finger-style guitar phenom Tommy Emmanuel, and Canada's Jason McCoy. And at the promising uprising rate that Tracy is traveling, there will be many more artists and entertainers to add to that list in the very near future.

Tracy's earlier influences that helped light the fire inside this most talented musician, were Heart, the world famous Fleetwood Mac, the Beatles (but of course), Paul McCartney & Wings, and last but certainly not least, the Eagles. Later down the line, Tracy also picked up more influence and inspiration from other artists throughout the years, such as, the well known Melissa Etheridge, Keith Urban, Terry Clark, and Vince Gill. (Tracy is admittedly a bit of a sucker for great guitarists.)

Tracy had been performing in bands since she was 15 years old, back in her high school days. It was in 1996 that Tracy got the ball rolling by performing in a number of bands, then venturing out on her own as an artist, and recording her first solo CD. It was also then that Tracy decided to stay solo and continue her work as a musician independently.

Tracy's big break came when opening for Terry Clark in 2002, ironically on the first anniversary of September 11th attacks on the US. An event I'm sure that touched the lives and hearts of all those in attendance and was branded in their memories forever.

You can listen to Tracys' music for yourself by visiting: (My Space and other websites) such as: http://www.myspace.com/tracyrice and her official web site at http://www.tracyrice.com. One can also purchase Tracys' CDs at Tracy's web sites, CD Baby, and also at her live shows.

Tracks from her CDs are also in digital distribution on all the major sites such as: iTunes,
Snocap, Facebook, amongst others.

For booking, contact Booking Agent and Manager, Micah Sheppard at Thekla Entertainment at tracyriceinfo@gmail.com.

Also, if you are a record label exec interested in signing Tracy, I would also recommend you not ponder it too long, as we at Mindsweep will be turning this press release, (with the publishing results), and Tracy's music on to many of our record label exec friends in the very near future as well. (Other record label and music industry execs can consider yourself informed and turned on to Tracy's stellar songwriting and performing talent via this article, with a strong recommendation for signing from us at Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions. You sign her, we will be more than glad to help promote her and give this truly outstanding artist the press and media attention and recognition she truly deserves.

..."Counting down for take off... 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...blast off!" THE END.

...A special note about our newest writer Jennifer Chmielewski. Great performers in the music industry not only perform on stage and in the studio, but there are countless number of talented 'artists' working steady gigs, 12 or more hours per day, 6 or more days per week on 'keyboards' and other instruments, behind the scenes within the music industry. These great artists are the magic makers behind the music makers.

We welcome to the office and family a new member of Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions' team of professionals, a brand new artist, with plenty of promise and talents unlimited, Ms "Jenny C".

Jenny C, attended high school and graduated from Deltona High School, attended Daytona Beach Community College for a year and a half majoring in journalism. Jennifer, recently moved from Deltona, Florida to Jacksonville, and looking forward to starting her career, while making plans to go back to school to continue her degree very soon. Her contribution to this article is her debut as a professional writer, and we at Mindsweep are proud to say that she is embarking on that exciting career and very promising future with us.

If you enjoyed this article, please be looking for more upcoming articles from Jenny C, as we at Mindsweep see Jennifer's promise and potential as a journalist, and are willing to give her a fair shot on her journey to becoming a professional journalist, and hopefully launch the career of yet another star in the music industry.



Best regards,

Laura Jenney
Executive Vice President, PR, Press & Media Relations Specialist
Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions
Booking Agent, PR, Press & Media Relations Representative
T&T Management and Booking Agency
904-777-6057
VPofMindsweep@aol.com
Laura@tntbooking.com
Jcongalady@aol.com


Publications that featured this article...

Mi2N - Music Industry News Network~Tracy Rice's Article Billboard News - Music Industry Today Sheryl Crow News - Music Industry Today Europe Music News - Music Industry Today Keyboard News - Music Industry Today Belgium Education News - Media Monitoring Service by EIN New... Benelux Arts & Entertainment News - Media Monitoring Service... Benelux Media News - Media Industry Today Benelux History News - Media Monitoring Service by EIN News Benelux Unemployment News - Media Monitoring Service by EIN News 10

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Canadian Songsmith Tracy Rice Brings Truth to Nashville, Sept 2006

One of the most recent additions to Nashville's Women's Music scene is the delightful Canadian transplant Tracy Rice. Rice's intelligently crafted work resonates with sonic references to sources as diverse as Heart, Melissa Etheridge and Stevie Nicks alongside a certain flare for truthful and compassionate storytelling that resonates easily with the power of such performers as Rosanne Cash and Janis Ian. Her original songs are full of equal parts happiness and loneliness; celebration and regret, but above all truth and a compassion for humanity that sees right to the heart of the matter with pitch perfect clarity.

CD Review: Truth, May 2006

Canadian Rice has been hitting the clubs in Twang Town for the last year or so as she has been working on this five-song offering. Judging by the recording credits alone, this woman means business. For her studio tracks she enlisted an A-list cast of players including Tommy Emmanuel, Alison Prestwood, John Gardner, Katherine Styron, Wanda Vick, Andrea Zonn, and Mark Casstevens among others. Kim Person and Mary ann Kennedy (of 80's pop duo Kennedy-Rose) serve as co-producers. These players have been responsible for some of the biggest hits, both pop and country, to ever come out of Nashville. All this combined experience in hit-making adds up to a slick package of radio-friendly contemporary country with a dash of pop in all the right places. Rice has a strong alto that fits nicely in the pocket created by the songs and arrangements here. The standout track is "I've Been There Before," a meditation in both faith and detachment in the face of a loved one's struggle with addiction. What could have been treacly fluff is instead a shot of encouragement and hope to both the addict and others who care about him or her. Rice has said that she's moving toward a more rock sound with her music and this project clearly shows the transition in progress. As Rice gains momentum in forging her musical identity, expect even bigger results. She already has the rest of the package firmly in place.

CD Release: Canadian Finds Musical Home in Nashville, May 2006

"I have a hard time characterizing my sound," says Tracy Rice, before she laughs. "Generally when people see me live they think I'm a rocker," she said. "Others think my music is on the New Country side. Whatever. I like to leave the door open."

Tracy is preparing for the inaugural performance this week at the new Church Street Cafe. "I normally play alone, but on Thursday I'll be performing with a full band. I think it's gonna rock," she says with a grin that is, at the same time, sly and humble: fully Canadian.

Tracy built her career in Southwestern Ontario before moving to Nashville about a year ago. She toured the Canadian bookstore chain, Chapters, always testing new material and building a fan base with her acoustic performances. In 2002 she opened for country singer Terri Clark at a major fair and in 2004 won in a songwriting competition. That song, "Won't Leave You Behind," is included in her new CD, Truth. The 5-song CD will be officially released on Thursday. "I've been coming down here for over two years and I've lived here for about a year," she says. "When I first came down here I immersed myself in the writer's night scene. I played a lot of them. Now I generally play shows where I can showcase my work as an artist."

In advertisements and flyers promoting the show, Tracy's heritage as a Canadian is well noted. I wonder if the Canadian history has influenced the artist at all. "While I don't think there is a big difference between Canada and the US," she said, continuing without hesitation, "obviously politically there are some differences, and yes, that did weigh heavily on me when I decided to move here. But people seem to bring that up [her nationality] a lot. They feel that there are big differences, perhaps because they haven't spent much time in my country, so to them perhaps there is a difference and maybe my music does have a different sound."

This is music that highlights the lyrics, the message, with at times infectious melodies, especially on the up-tempo "Don't Want To Say Goodbye," and a voice that is powerful but (delightfully) cannot hide the hint of vulnerability.

"Music," she says, "is something we all connect with, and when you hear your story, what you perceive to be your story, in a song you feel like you're being heard, and you're being understood. You feel that you're not alone. Even if it's just for four minutes."

The Australian duo, bluehouse, will be opening Tracy Rice for the 'sneak peek' at Church Street Cafe this Thursday evening.

Music Dish Interview, July 2005

Tracy Rice is a Canadian artist and songwriter. She was a winner in the 2003 Songwriting Contest for Nashville Song Search for the Crisis Intervention Center in Nashville. There were over 2,000 entries, Tracy was the only foreign winner. She is currently working on her first Nashville CD project.

Doak - Tracy, tell me about your songwriting and artist journey and how you became involved in Nashville.

Tracy - It has been a plan for several years to take my work to Nashville. I entered a songwriting competition at a friends urging a year and a half ago and won one of the categories, which was "Perfect for Terri Clark". I had actually opened for Terri about a year and a half earlier in Canada. The contest gave me my first trip to Nashville and an introduction to the music scene.

Doak - I remember you and I were in a car driving back from the contest and some fans that saw you open for Terri in Canada recognized you for your autograph, and I also saw other fans at Terri's concert in Nashville at the Wildhorse Saloon also asking you for your autograph. How did that make you feel?

Tracy - that tripped me out - I did not expect it! I was in Nashville where no one knows who I am, to accept an award for the songwriting contest and to be picked out of a crowd of people around Terri and asked for my autograph - yeah, it was a mind-blowing experience.

Doak - That impressed me, especially since you did not play at the event in Nashville, the fact they remembered you from over a year earlier! That was pretty incredible that someone that has not played in Nashville, already has fans in this town. From that contest - what happened?

Tracy - I got really motivated and focused on getting back to Nashville as frequently as possible. I started coming to Nashville about a week every month, as that is what I needed to do to get immersed in the songwriter scene. I would play at songwriter rounds at least four nights a week, meeting other songwriters.

Doak - How did you get to play songwriter nights in Nashville?

Tracy - I met Davidlee Slate, who was hosting songwriter rounds at The All Good Cafe and he later started doing the nights at the Hall of Fame Lounge on Music Row. After my first trip to Nashville, Davidlee called to let me know I had a place to play anytime I was in town. I started playing rounds in Debi Champion's nights at The Commodore Sports Bar, Lee Rascone's rounds at Crossroads and Jack Scott's nights at the French Quarter. I contacted them before coming to Nashville and also made myself available to play when people in town needed someone else needed a filler. I also decided to try working with co-writers, and some good songs have come out of those sessions.

Doak - Now you are working on a project in Nashville, tell me about it.

Tracy - My songwriting is pretty much self-taught. I had never done a seminar, but a couple people contacted me to attend a seminar in Nashville with Mary Ann Kennedy, Pat Bunch and Pam Rose at Mary Ann's ranch outside of Nashville. It wasn't something I had travelled to do in the past and I was leery to attend the seminar. I contacted Mary Ann directly, told her where I was at in my career and asked her why I should attend the seminar.
She said it sounded like a no brainer for me to attend. I took that leap of faith and trusted that the people I knew in Nashville were telling me the right things to do. I attended the seminar and was very comfortable - a cool vibe and I related to what they were saying about their experiences. I did a one-on-one session with Mary Ann and Pam and I felt extremely validated after that session. I hadn't wasted years on a career, after chasing the dream for many years.

Doak - What did they tell you in that session.

Tracy - It was very positive feedback and to tell me to keep doing what I am doing on the journey. That may sound like a minor thing but it really has an effect when it comes from the right people. Mary Ann got my music, and she most definately earned my respect that weekend. I was extremely impressed with the achievements of all three of those women. They really inspire me. I went back to Canada with a lot to think about. I decided the next thing was a CD project to continue a fulfillment of mine. I contacted Mary Ann to make sure the project would be constructed properly. She was willing to help as a song coach and help me narrow what we select for the project. We started going through songs and ended up co-writing a song for the project. In working with Mary Ann, my writing was feeling much stronger. Her suggestions and mentoring had such a positive influence. Three of those songs ended up on the project, which was really fulfilling. The project is still going through the mixing stages and ended up being co-produced by Mary Ann and Kim Person. The project was recorded at Azalea Studios. Owner Fett, engineered.

Doak - The project is going to be a five song project, what are you planning on doing with the project?

Tracy - I will do some shows and try to start building a fan base in Nashville and beyond to see how things go. I have a lot of faith in this project with these songs that come from an honest place.

Doak - What kind of timeline are you looking at for the CD Project and does it have a name yet?

Tracy - No name as of yet. I have to think long and hard about the title of the CD, couple things in my head, but still undecided. I'm trying to have it ready by late September of 2005.

Doak - Is there a difference in working with Nashville studios verses Canadian studios?

Tracy - This studio for me had more of a family atmosphere, a sense of belonging. Kim did a great job of organizing the players and Mary Ann made sure the vibe was right by choosing Kim and Fett to work with. It was a collaborative effort and that felt good. Everyone respected the process and I felt very fortunate to be part of such a team.

Doak - I've seen you perform several times in the past year and heard one of your song demos the other night sitting in the songwriter's car - both are totally awesome and you perform with such passion. Where did you learn to perform like you do?

Tracy - I don't know any other way - it is like breathing. Music is a passion in my life and performing it the way I do is just the way I get it across. It's not something I really control or even think about.

Doak - Where is Tracy going to be in three years - what is your goal?

Tracy - My goal is to be happy and love what I do in this business. I have been striving for fulfillment in this business and I think I'll find it here. I've done big shows and smaller venues. I want to take the journey a step at a time. Being a superstar was never my goal - it's just to write and play my music. Hopefully some folks will like what I'm doing along the way.

Doak - Tracy - it is a pleasure talking to you, to see the passion for your music and to watch you progress in Nashville. You are taking great steps on your journey!