Country music singer-songwriter Tracy Lawrence celebrated his 53rd birthday on Wednesday. He’s put up quite a library of hit songs.
Lawrence, who was born in Atlanta, Texas, eventually found his way to Nashville. He starts his country music career in 1990. He signed with Atlantic Records on May 21, 1991, and released his debut album “Sticks and Stones” later that year on Oct. 28.
He has a number of memorable songs to his credit throughout his career. Let’s take a look at five of them.
Tracy Lawrence Hit No. 1: Time Marches On
“Time Marches On” is the title track of Lawrence’s album of the same name. It is released on Jan. 23, 1996.
It was his fourth studio album and “Time Marches On” spent three weeks at the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart. That song was his biggest hit up to that time.
The album was produced by Lawrence, Don Cook, and Cleo Anderson.
Firstly, the song talks about parents who have young children. Secondly, they see the children through their adolescence. Thirdly, they move away. Finally, the mother is older and the father has passed away.
It’s a tapestry of family life that almost follows a birth-life-death arc in it. Tracy Lawrence sings it with depth and passion.
Take a listen to Lawrence singing “Time Marches On” and see what memories stir up for you.
Lawrence Hit No. 2: Find Out Who Your Friends Are
This single appears on Lawrence’s “For the Love” album. The single is released on Aug. 21, 2006, ahead of the album’s official release in January 2007. Now this song has an interesting trajectory to the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart.
Even with its early release, the song didn’t hit the Billboard charts until January 2007.
The album’s release coincided with an alternate version of “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” featuring Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney on guest vocals. In other words, when that version receives airplay then it finds its way going up the charts.
It reached the No. 1 spot in June 2007, becoming the slowest-climbing No. 1 hit in the history of the Billboard country singles chart. “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” is Lawrence’s first top hit in a decade.
The song talks about situations where a person needs a friend’s help. It’s through these events that a person will find out who his or her true friends in life really are at the toughest time.
Well, let’s let Tracy Lawrence sing the song in his great country music style.
Lawrence Hit No. 3: Paint Me a Birmingham
Now this song, written by Buck Moore and and Gary Duffy, appears on Lawrence’s 2003 album “Strong.”
It reached as high as No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart in May 2004. “Paint Me a Birmingham” was his first Top 5 single since “Lessons Learned” in 2000.
The song’s details focus upon a man talking with an artist and painting a picture. The man talks about life with a woman who’s split. He pictures life with her, though, including a Birmingham-style home and a time where they come back together again.
Tracy Lawrence knows how to make a connection with his audience. Here is Lawrence singing “Paint Me a Birmingham” live from the Grand Ole Opry.
Lawrence Hit No. 4: Alibis
This is another title track off of a Lawrence album called “Alibis.” Also, it was released on Feb. 11, 1993.
It became his second No. 1 hit of 1993 alone on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart.
Meanwhile, this song is pretty straight forward, talking about a woman who has had to put with too many alibis when her man hasn’t been around. It was written by Randy Boudreaux.
Take a few minutes and listen to Tracy Lawrence put his country music spin on this classic song.
Lawrence Hit No. 5: Texas Tornado
Well, we wrap up looking at five of the best hits from Tracy Lawrence with “Texas Tornado.”
This is another song from the pen of Bobby Braddock and ends up being Lawrence’s sixth No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Additionally, “Texas Tornado” appears on the album “I See It Now.” The lyrics come from a messy relationship Braddock was involved in with a woman. She actually considered being a storm chaser, someone who gets in cars and goes out right in the middle of a tornado.
Braddock felt the imagery fit into the song’s lyrics quite well. Thus, you have “Texas Tornado.”
Lawrence delivers the goods with this country classic. Again, let’s sit back and listen to the Texas native sing this No. 1 hit.
These songs are just a few of those that make up the Tracy Lawrence library of country music offerings.
Obviously, Lawrence has earned his spot among those country music artists that leave people wanting a little more. Here’s to 53 more years of great music, Tracy.
H/T: Tracy Lawrence
