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Porch String Music (ASCAP)
News Item - 10/08/06

REGARDING PORCH STRING ARTIST: Tracy Jane Comer
CONTACT: info [AT] porchstringmusic.com

Porch String Artist Tracy Jane Comer re-releases popular 2004 EP with bonus tracks under new title, "Yellow Bike"

By popular request, Madison-based contemporary folk artist Tracy Jane Comer is re-releasing her 2004 EP this month under a new title, "Yellow Bike" (named for her award winning song), with two "bonus" tracks added for a total of eight songs. The new item will be available by late October.

The EP was formerly self-titled with the subtitle Solo Guitar and Vocals, and included six live-in-the-studio tracks performed solo by Tracy (guitar, vocals) and recorded by Randy Green of Randy's Recording (Madison, WI). Both of the added tracks follow the live-in-the-studio solo format, and were recorded as before by Randy Green.

The two bonus tracks are:

• "In This Near Year (Instruments of Peace)," a gentle message-oriented ballad. Finalist in VH1's Song of the Year International Songwriting Contest (Folk Category, 2005) and Honorable Mention in the Peacedriven Songwriting Contest (2006).
• "The Edge of Tedjhara," a guitar-driven tune rich with jazz and blues flavors. A favorite of live show attendees. With lyrics co-written by producer Randy Green, the song describes a dreamtime journey to a long-forgotten paradise.

The original six tracks are solo versions of material later produced and included on the highly-acclaimed 2004 Quietly There CD:

• "Yellow Bike, " an autobiographical childhood sketch about growing up poor but happy by the ocean in North Carolina. (First Place Winner, Folk Category, Songwriters of Wisconsin International, 2006)
• "My Own History," a blues-flavored tune with lighthearted word-play. A video of Tracy performing this song was featured by Sony in a DVD for its Vegas audio/video software program.
• "Quietly There," a moving ballad about the healing power of empathy and love (Second Place Winner, Adult Contemporary, Songwriters of Wisconsin International, 2006)
• "Drive for Miles," a country-folk ballad that takes a "not-lost-just-exploring" look at life.
• "Baggage," an edgy folk-rock tune, chosen for inclusion on a compilation of select Wisconsin singer-songwriters (Don Conoscenti, Ralston Bowles, others) by Spiritone Records called One on One. (Fourth Place Winner, Pop/Rock Category, Songwriters of Wisconsin International, 2006)
• "Rondo," a dynamic and moving guitar instrumental

A full-time musician and native of North Carolina, Tracy is now based from her current home of Madison WI. She tours mostly in the Midwest and southeast and also in some areas beyond. She opened several tour shows for Willy Porter in 2005-2006 and has also opened shows for notables such as The Wailin' Jennys, Peter Mulvey, LJ Booth, Cathy Barton, David LaMotte, Mary McCaslin and Ed Trickett, and is scheduled to open shows for Ellis Paul and for Holly Near in late October. Tracy is often for her instrumental skills and vocal versatility, and for the depth and variety of her music. Her songwriting has been said to be "reminiscent of classic balladeers like Joan Baez, complete with lyrics that combine social consciousness with personal issues." (The Onion, January 2006)  

For more about Tracy including upcoming tour dates, see www.tracyjanecomer.com.