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Tracy Lawrence Talks First Time He Heard “Sticks And Stones” On The Radio

Author Lauren Hoffman
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 10: Tracy Lawrence performs on stage during day three of CMA Fest 2023 at Nissan Stadium on June 10, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Tracy Lawrence spent much of his early career traveling in his car. Whether it was driving to gigs or heading home to visit family, he says that he was constantly listening to music during his drives and it was his entire world at the time.

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There was one trip home that was “absolutely life-changing” for Lawrence. While stopping home in Arkansas, he paid a visit to a local radio station, and they had asked if they could play him something as he left the studio.

Lawrence had requested his song “Stick And Stones” as he had not had the chance to hear it on the radio from his car yet. The song, which is the lead single and title track of his debut studio album, was released in November of 1991 and was co-written by Elbert West and Roger Dillon.

“I remember hearing it come on. I literally had to pull over to the side of the road because I couldn’t contain myself. It was so overwhelming. I mean, just hearing myself come out of the speakers of my car was like, just like you dreamed about it your whole life. It’s happening. Here it is. It’s like right here on the station I grew up listening to,” Lawrence revealed on Shawn Parr’s Backstage Country.

Lawrence continued, “Every construction job I was ever working on, that was the radio station that we were playing. That was the radio station that we were playing on the job site. Everybody that I knew back home was listening to me at that moment.”

In recent weeks, Lawrence has spent some time in the studio and says he’s “excited about finishing up this record” that he’s currently working on. The 55-year-old revealed to Parr that the collection is “very country” and expects to release a new single in February.

Click here to listen to Tracy Lawrence’s “Sticks And Stones.”

 

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Author Lauren Hoffman
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