|
"When I grow up, I wanna play guitar,
sing my songs and go real far!
I wanna be a COUNTRY ROCK STAR!"
Tracy Stefans is rockin' the Midwest with his debut solo CD aptly titled COUNTRY ROCK STAR.
After spending the last 10 years as Wisconsin's hard hittin', award winning GREAT GUNS front man, Tracy Stefans has embarked on his new adventure as a solo artist. Having won WISCONSIN COUNTRY GROUP OF THE YEAR honors from the Wisconsin Area Music Industry for 6 years, and being nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year 5 times, Tracy brings a wealth of experience to his record.
Great Guns was a regional favorite, frequently opening for National acts like Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland, Brooks and Dunn, Alan Jackson, Blackhawk,Terri Clark, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts at major festivals such as Milwaukee's Summerfest, Country Thunder, Country USA, WE Fest and other venues.
Tracy knows how to rock the stage, whip up an audience and get them excited!
Great Guns also became an excellent club band... getting the dance floor full, keeping the bartenders hopping and the club owners happy with their mix of hard rockin country covers and original songs.
After years of working with the band, getting very positive encouragement from music insiders and the national acts that he was opening for, Tracy ventured into the Nashville Scene to record his solo CD.
Armed with a handful of songs written by some of Nashville's best song writers (Billy Austin, Dillon Dixon, Kevin Savigar, Sherrie Austin and Dave Robbins just to name a few) and the desire to live out his dream, Tracy worked with friend Henry Paul (BLACKHAWK, THE OUTLAWS, THE HENRY PAUL BAND) to record "County Rock Star".
This 12 song CD, produced by Henry Paul and engineered by Michael Bush at Bayou Studios and Henry Paul Studios, features a great mix of contemporary country songs.
Tracy's unique voice and energy combined with the musical talent of BLACKHAWK's own Dave Robbins (Keyboard), Kirk Eberhard (Bass), Michael Bailey (Drums), and Jamie LaRitz (Lead, Mandolin, Banjo), and with help from Michael Bush (guitar, percussion) and Cowboy Crush's Renae Truex (Fiddle) makes for an exciting mix! The lush harmonies supplied by Michael Randall (Blackhawk, The Randall Brothers) and Matthew Randall (The Randall Brothers) give the songs a sound at once reminiscent of Blackhawk, Diamond Rio and Restless Heart that only twin brothers who have sang together forever can produce.
With songs ranging from the fast paced title song COUNTRY ROCK STAR (which explores a singers hopes dreams and influences), the rockin road song MY WAY IS THE HIGHWAY, and future summer time anthem PROMISED LAND to the heartfelt love songs IF I CANT HAVE YOUR HEART and ALWAYS HAVE ALWAYS WILL, this CD has a little bit of everything. COUNTRY AT HEART explores what it means to be "Country" while IT HAPPENS is a whimsical pun on words exploring Murphy's Law ("whatever can go wrong will go wrong"). The most "Old Country" sounding song of the record, has one of the most contemporary subjects: trying to understand why a relationship ended from the male's point of view and is aptly titled BLAH BLAH BLAH.
A full band romp called ITS A LONG WAY BACK TO CAROLINA and a stripped down un-plugged type version of Blackhawk's ALWAYS HAVE ALWAYS WILL with writer Dave Robins on grand piano and Tracy's vocals shows some of the diversity of this artist.
Currently touring and booking in the Midwest to support the new CD, Tracy loves to get up in front the audience and have a great time.
Alternative Links
|
