The Current-Feb. 2008 Feature Story 2

Tracy Lawrence Finds His Friends at Whiskey Jim’s

By Regan Henson

There’s a new venue for seeing live music opening up in the heart of Currentland this February, and they’re getting things off on the right foot by bringing one of the biggest stars in country music for their grand opening party. Tracy Lawrence, fresh off his first ever CMA win for Musical Event of the Year for his collaboration with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney on the number one hit, “Find Out Who Your Friends Are,” will be playing the grand opening of Whiskey Jim’s Saloon in Tahlequah on February 15.

Best known for his early 90s hits like “Sticks and Stones” and “Alibis,” Lawrence saw his popularity wane toward the end of the decade, but he has recently enjoyed a career resurgence of sorts with the 2007 release of For the Love, his ninth album of original songs, and the first on his own record label, Rocky Comfort Records. The album peaked at number six on Billboard Magazine’s Country Charts and yielded the aforementioned CMA winning hit, and a second single, “Til I Was a Daddy Too,” is currently working its way up the charts.

Lawrence’s career started on this latest upswing after he left Mercury Records, his fourth different record label, following the release of his 2005 compilation, Then and Now: The Hits Collection. Fed up with the power labels, Lawrence teamed up with his brother Laney and founded Rocky Comfort Records in 2006, and For the Love is the first release from the label.
In an obvious effort to exploit some of the momentum he has gained from his newly rediscovered fame, Lawrence also made time in 2007 to release the Christmas album, All Wrapped Up in Christmas, in addition to his third greatest hits compilation, The Very Best of Tracy Lawrence, which includes an astonishing 21 tracks, six of which list the multi-talented Lawrence as co-writer. Now the former Academy of Country Music award winner for Best New Artist and Top New Male Vocalist is bringing his acclaimed live show to Tahlequah.

The Arkansas native will be playing live and loud at Whiskey Jim’s Saloon starting at 8pm on Friday, Feb.15. The show is 21-and-over and general admission tickets are $26.50 and can be purchased at the door or by or by going online at www.gettix.net or calling 1.866.443.8849. Whiskey Jim’s Saloon is located at 109 W. Willis Road in Tahlequah. Make sure you get down there and show Tracy how we do it in Currentland. Check him out at www.tracylawrence.musiccitynetworks.com.