Transcript from an Interview with Tracy Jane Comer.
A lifelong musician, Tracy has experience with many types of music including years of classical study, plus involvement with choral and theater music plus folk, pop/rock, and more. She began focusing on her guitar and songwriting in about 2000 and has been a full-time musician since 2004, making her living from performing and CD sales. Tracy performs as soloist or as duo with supporting artist Randy Green, or on occasion with full band. As a side project she is also part of a Madison-based folk trio called Sticky Fingers.
Tracy Jane Comer, based in Verona, WI, USA, is one to watch in contemporary acoustic music. Hailed as "a versatile vocalist who writes compelling, visual songs" (Kweevak’s Tracks), Tracy is also a standout guitarist, pianist, and cellist with a rare blend of talent and personality that has gained her sustained media attention as an intelligent and loveable entertainer. Her music is often lauded for its depth and variety, stemming from an extensive musical background that includes undergraduate and graduate study in classical piano, cello and musicology, plus involvement with folk, pop/rock, choral and theater music and many things in between…even a touch of blues and jazz.
"Although her music is acoustic based, the arrangements go much deeper, culling from classical, folk, jazz, pop and rock...Comer's work is diverse and dynamic. Upon each listen more subtle sounds and styles unfold...Tracy Jane Comer is a musical force..." (Kweevak’s Tracks, 2004)
Tracy’s music includes both vocal and instrumental works. Her lyrics cover a variety of topics ranging from personal to universal, often poignant, with memorable melodies and well-crafted accompaniments. She has been likened to guitar mavens Patty Larkin, Emily Saliers, and Alex DeGrassi, folk legends Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins and Joan Baez, pop artists Shawn Colvin and Sarah MacLachlan, as well as modern troubadours Dar Williams and Patty Griffin.
From her current base in Madison, WI, Tracy tours in the Midwest and is beginning to tour nationally with emphasis around her home state of NC. She has opened several tour shows for Willy Porter and has also appeared with national acts including Peter Mulvey, The Wailin' Jennys, LJ Booth, among others. She has appeared as cellist with Warner Brothers artist Holly Brook and others. Tracy also records and performs on cello, vocals, guitar, fiddle, and hammered dulcimer as part of local Madison-based folk trio Sticky Fingers and as a freelance musician.
Tracy has earned four nominations by the Madison Area Music Awards (MAMAs), two each for BEST ACOUSTIC ALBUM and BEST ACOUSTIC ARTIST (2004, 2005), and she performed at the 2006 MAMAs. She has been honored several times by VH1’s Song of the Year International Songwriting Contest and by the Peacedriven Songwriting Contest, and is a two-time recipient of the ASCAP Plus Award. Her latest release, Quietly There, continues to receive rave reviews in the U.S. and abroad.
Tracy’s music has been heard on MTV's reality show MADE and is being heard on all forms of radio on four continents. A frequent invited guest on local media, she has performed several full television concerts (solo and with band) in addition to making numerous guest appearances on both radio and television. She has released three CDs and two live concert DVDs, plus a CD with side project Sticky Fingers. Her music was also selected for inclusion on two compilations published by Spiritone Records.
See Tracy Jane Comer's official Web site for more information.
Why this name?
I use my middle name, Jane, in my music career to honor my Aunt Jane, who was the main supporter of my musical endeavors throughout my youth (and remains very supportive now!).
Do you play live?
At present I perform mostly in the midwest (Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota), though I am starting to tour nationally. Thus far I've performed in 10 states and in Canada. I have played in a variety of types of venues ranging from concert settings to festivals to coffee houses to restaurants. I have also done several full TV concerts, two of which are available on video. I've also done a good bit of live radio, on the Ideas Network of Wisconsin Public Radio and on our local independent station, WORT-FM. I love connecting with live audiences. Career highlights for me so far have been opening several tour shows for Willy Porter in 2005/2006 and for Peter Mulvey in 2003.
How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music industry?
It opens up the doors for more types of music to be heard and enjoyed by listeners. With commercial radio being so narrow in terms of styles, it's nice to have the Internet and MP3s available to serve other markets than just those represented by commerical radio.
Would you sign a record contract with a major label?
Hard to say. I like the artistic freedom of being an independent. However it is a ton of work!!! And it is hard to get any kind of storefront distribution (beyond my own town) without a label. Whether I would sign would depend on the label and how much of freedom I would be expected to give up.
Your influences?
My influences are varied...I grew up listening to a lot of Elton John (the vintage early stuff, through about 1975), Carole King, plus rock groups of the 70s such as Styx, Kansas, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, Supertramp. I also loved acoustic sounds such as James Taylor and Simon and Garfunkel, Jim Croce, and The Eagles. Later on I was thrilled to hear the great acoustic sound and harmonies of Indigo Girls, and have sought out singer/songwriters such as Dar Williams, Cheryl Wheeler, Brooks Williams, Diane Zeigler, David Wilcox, plus those who have a great way of mixing in pop/rock styles as Shawn Colvin and Sarah MacLachlan. Willy Porter is at the top of my list now, and Peter Mulvey is also one of my all-time favorites now -- both have a brilliant way of incorporating all kinds of styles into their music. I'm often compared to Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, and Judy Collins but in truth I am less familiar with their music.
Favorite spot?
I guess I'd have to say my current home, Madison, WI. It's a great place to live.
Equipment used:
I'm primarily an acoustic act, playing mostly guitar and piano. Sometimes I perform with a supporting musician, my producer/manager, Randy Green, and on occasion I perform with a full band. For solo shows, I now use the Bose Personal Amplification System. For duo or band shows, I use a Behringer mixer with onboard effects and 18 channels, plus a pair of JBL EON10 powered speakers for mains and another pair for monitors. I play a Yamaha P120 digital piano and my main guitar is a Taylor 714 with cedar top, but I also use a Sigma dreadnought guitar. I sometimes use a little chorus pedal on the guitars. I use a great little Kustom amp for monitoring the piano and a Roland KC150 amp for the guitar. Randy plays a custom/handmade arch top guitar with an electric pickup and uses a multi-effects pedal.
Anything else...?
See my Web site, www.tracyjanecomer.com, for more info or to purchase recordings.
"Comparisons to other adult contemporary artists such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, and Dar Williams are inevitable, though she displays more range of style than any of them...."
- Rick’s Café, Madison, WI
"...Tracy Jane Comer has more than a beautiful voice; she’s also a great instrumentalist. She plays the guitar, cello and piano with great skill..."
- B-Section, Newsletter of the Madison Songwriters Group
"This singer/songwriter is key to moving the whole darn genre forward. Her sound is mature and soaked with talent throughout…"
- Smother.Net Ezine
Official Website: http://www.tracyjanecomer.com/
MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/tracyjanecomer