Tracy Byrd
Tracy Lynn Byrd (born December 17, 1966)[1] is an American country music artist. Signed to MCA Nashville Records in 1992, Byrd broke through on the country music scene that year with his 1993 single "Holdin' Heaven", which reached Number One on Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks. Although he did not land a second Number One until 2002's "Ten Rounds with Jose Cuervo", Byrd has charted more than thirty hit singles in his career, including eleven additional Top Ten hits. He has also released ten studio albums and two greatest-hits albums, with four gold certifications and one double-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. He was the on-air spokesman for the TNN Outdoors block from 1998 to 2000.
For the boxer, see Tracy Byrd (boxer).
Tracy Byrd
Tracy Lynn Byrd
December 17, 1966
Vidor, Texas, United States
Singer-songwriter
Vocals
1992–present
MCA Nashville, RCA Nashville, BNA, Blind Mule
Biography[edit]
Tracy Lynn Byrd was born December 17, 1966. He is the eldest child of Jerry Lynn and Brenda Vaughn Byrd. Tracy Byrd graduated from Vidor High School in May 1985. His first college experience was at Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas. He began studying business at Texas State University (then called Southwest Texas State). While studying he sang with a local band in Beaumont called Rimfire led by Jeffrey Adams and Dave Adams, a band that also featured acts such as Mark Chesnutt.
One of his friends coaxed him into singing a cover of Hank Williams' "Your Cheatin' Heart" at a local mall recording studio.[2] The owner of the studio was so impressed with his version that he entered Byrd into a local talent contest. Byrd signed with MCA Records in 1992.[3]
Charitable efforts[edit]
Byrd has been the National Spokesperson for Special Olympics International for the Country Music Association. He developed a crank bait fishing lure marketed by Norman Lures called The Lifestyles of the Not So Rich & Famous', named after his hit recording of the song written by Byron Hill and Wayne Tester. For every one of the lures sold Byrd donated ten cents to the Special Olympics.
For several years Byrd hosted an annual golfing/fishing/music event, "The Tracy Byrd Homecoming Weekend," later called "The Beaumont Boys Bash", in Southeast Texas to raise money for local charities, including the March of Dimes, the Children's Miracle Network, and culminating in the donation of money to fund the Tracy Byrd Hyperbaric Medicine and Wound Care Center at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Beaumont. Byrd also raised money by soliciting pledges for his attempt to complete the 2002 Houston Marathon. He finished the marathon, and donated all of his pledges to the Children's Miracle Network.[8]
In 2003 Byrd published Eat Like a Byrd: The Tracy Byrd Cookbook.[9] He also launched a line of spices, rubs, and marinades to go along with it, called "Tracy Byrd's Tiny Town Products"; a portion of these sales were donated to the Children's Miracle Network.
On December 28, 2012, he performed "Amazing Grace" at the memorial service for KFDM news anchor Bill Leger.[10]