Turning Point Tracy Lawrence Is Back From A ‘Hiatus’ With A Hit Single From His New Album ‘Lessons Learned’
On the surface, Tracy Lawrence’s new single “Lessons Learned” seems to be just another in his 10-year string of hits. But, according to the country singer, nothing could be further from the truth.
“This single is a turning point in my career,” Lawrence says. “I haven’t had a studio album out with a hit single on it in over two years. So we really needed this single to do well.”
“Lessons Learned” is also the title of Lawrence’s new album, which is finally available after the singer’s self-described “hiatus” from country radio.
Prior to his semi-disappearance from the genre, the Arkansas native was one of the most prominent artists in country music. A series of hit singles throughout the ‘90s - including “Time Marches On,” “Sticks And Stones” and “If The World Had A Front Porch” - had established Lawrence as an artist who could reliably deliver popular songs. And his fan base was seen as one of the most loyal in country music.
But a series of high-profile incidents, along with two divorces, forced Lawrence’s once high-flying career into a tailspin in the latter half of the ‘90s. As he began to fade from the forefront of the country scene, Lawrence found that the supermarket tabloids were beginning to chronicle, at times inaccurately, the supposed “dark side” of his behavior. Looking back, it was a time in which he truly can say there were “lessons learned.”
“Not a lot of folks in (Nashville) were willing to give me the benefit of a doubt and stand by me,” Lawrence says. “At first I took it personal, then I realized that country music is a billion dollar corporate business. And it really didn’t matter who I was. I discovered there were a lot of people in this town attacking my credibility as an artist. Now I realize this was nothing personal. It was strictly business. Why? Because with things being so competitive these days in country music, they wanted me out of the way.”
When Lawrence began recording “Lessons Learned” last April, he refused to give in to any negativity or heed the whispers he heard along Music Row that he was over as a major player.
“For the most part,” he says, “I took my good ol’ time. I was very adamant about each phase of the songwriting and recording process. I didn’t let anybody interfere with the song selection. I wanted to make sure everything was right. I wanted on the album only the music that I felt passionate about. I’m very pleased with the way it all turned out.”
Lawrence doesn’t do well with what he calls the “ditties” or “positive” love ballads with which other artists have established their careers.
“What I’m best at singing about,” he says, “are what I’d call issue songs. Songs that are a little deeper in their lyrical content. More about the realities of the working class. I don’t do the sappy stuff very well. I don’t do the really commercial stuff all that well. That’s why most of my songs are modern, hard core country music.”
And, no matter what the current trends are in country music, Lawrence says he’ll keep his music traditional. “That’s the kind of country music that I grew up with and that I developed a passion for at a very young age,” he says. “And that, to me, is what country music is all about. I’ve always known that. It’s not something that I’ve ever really changed. It’s something that I think I’ve honed a little bit more over the past 10 years.”
Since he’s remained true to his country roots, which is becoming increasingly rare in today’s marketplace, Lawrence feels he has not alienated his fans.
“My fans have been hard core, right there for me,” he says. “And they’ve really been supportive of me while I’ve been working on the entire process. When times haven’t been all that good, they’ve gone to bat for me many times. They’ve written thousands of letters to the record company and to different people within the industry. They’ve fought battles for me on the Internet and everything else. I’m grateful to them. Lately, things have been just great.”