- Title: USA: COUNTRY SUPERSTAR TRACY LAWRENCE RELEASES HIS LATEST ALBUM "LESSONS LEARNED"
- Date: 25th April 2000
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAWRENCE SPEAKING ABOUT HIS LIFE NOW AFTER TURMOIL OF REDISCOVERING HIMSELF AS AN ARTIST, SAYING: "I just want to be happy and I want the people around me to be happy. I don't want a lot of negativity, I don't want the people around me to carry all that stuff around on their shoul
- Embargoed: 10th May 2000 13:00
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- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES / VARIOUS LOCATIONS
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVAAOK424NV9GPUC4S15IS9NZ1LR
- Story Text: Borne out of reflection on his own career and personal challenges, "Lessons Learned", finds country superstar Tracy Lawrence reaching out to his fans with his special brand of hard core country music.
As some chart-topping country superstars mix their down home sounds with slick pop licks, Tracy Lawrence has gone back to his roots with his seventh Atlantic Records release.
"Lessons Learned", the latest offering from the superstar singer-songwriter-producer, is the result of many evenings spent thinking about his own life's experiences and how he could share them with his fans.
After selling more than seven million records and hitting the country singles charts 16 times with such classics as "Time Marches On" and "Sticks and Stones", Lawrence is recognized worldwide as an artist who has a near-magical ability to translate the innermost thoughts and feelings of his fans into unforgettable songs.
"Real music is about relating to people's everyday problems and the things that they go through," he explains.
"As much as I believe in love and love great relationships, I just don't believe that 90 percent of the world lives like we're in a bed of roses...it's not peaches and cream everyday."
He tells several stories through the albums tracks, some personal others universal, but all set to pure country beats and rhythms that are preferable, says Lawrence, to the contemporary pop-driven sounds of his peers.
"The overall message is obviously about lessons learned.
When you put this album in from the start of it and you listen to "The Holes He Dug", it's talking about not judging other people because you don't understand them or just because they dress different from you or believe different than you whether it's race or religion or whatever it is, I've learned not to judge people because when people judge you and they don't understand you, it'll open your eyes."
Lawrence has had his share of being judged based on a few unfortunate incidents spread out over his stellar career.
Celebrating the success of his first album brought the pain of an attempted robbery and shooting, then Lawrence himself was involved in a "road rage" incident in 1994 which probably led up to his divorce from his second wife she claimed he was abusive.
Though he doesn't think music will save the world, he is convinced the writing and recording of "Lessons Learned" has brought him strength and motivation to continue through the next phase of his career, rejuvenated and ready to live a happier life crafting his art.
"I just want to be happy and I want the people around me to be happy.I don't want a lot of negativity," says Lawrence.
"My God-given gift that the Lord gave me when I was born, if I don't appreciate it and treasure it then He's gonna take it away from me and He almost did before. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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