Michael Tracy delivers good time rock ‘n’ roll

To call Michael Tracy – live Friday with his full band at Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte – determined might just be an understatement. It’s more like he’s dedicated, even soulfully devoted in his steadfast “all in” angle on delivering good time rock ‘n’ roll.

Based in the Charlotte area, Tracy adheres to a singer-songwriter standard that washes across all genres, rock, blues, country, folk, pop, Americana, whatever.

It’s songwriting that some have called world class but I’d say more classic with back-to-basics vitality. That vitality also relates to Tracy’s overall tenure in the music business, which might best be described as “screaming out of the gate” in 2011.

Songwriting, performing, recording, releasing albums (two so far) and all the other genuine facets of a well-rounded sound and style are in play here, plus one essential element: unleashing his inner poet. How else to explain his overall sense of life, love, hope and happiness that’s deeply seated in his songs and lyrics?

That’s the gist of the Tracy’s grand music plan and helping him get it across is his band which features Boo English, lead guitar; Shawn Love, bass; Brock Whitfield, drums; Jeremy Adams, sax; Scott Sanders, keyboards and, of course Tracy himself, vocals/guitar.

This talented combination works well, delivering lively, driving concerts to boost their popularity and reputation. In fact, this process has been so successful that honors have begun to pile up.

After Friday’s concert in Charlotte, Tracy and company travel to Raleigh for Saturday’s 2015 Carolina Music Awards ceremony where he has been nominated in the Rock/Male category.

But first, there’ll be some rocking Friday night with Michael Tracy live at Tremont Music Hall, 400 W. Tremont Avenue in Charlotte.

Opening guest for the event is the band Halden Vang, fronted by another area resident, guitar wunderkind Jake Haldenwang, who incidentally is also nominated for a 2015 Carolina Music Award in the Rock/Male category.

For more concert information, call the venue at 704-343-9494 and visit tremontmusichall.com. For more on the music check michael-tracy.com.

Elsewhere

How many times have you found yourself thinking, “all we need is a horn section”? Well, wish granted, thanks to SuttleBand live Saturday at The Long Branch in Rock Hill.

Joining this Rock Hill-based bunch find the Pimp Daddy Horns which bandleader Bryman Suttle defines as “an eight-piece group for big, big sound.” Expect music that’s “a fusion of rock, soul and groove with a funky twist,” Suttle says.

Funky fun coming at you with SuttleBand plus The Pimp Daddy Horns live Saturday at The Long Branch, 761 Riverview Road, Rock Hill. For more show info, call 327-3338.

Upcoming

Friday: Queen City Dub at The End Zone, Rock Hill; The Well-Known Strangers at Sandbar Grill, Rock Hill; Weekends at Empire Pizza & Bar-Newport, Rock Hill; Carolina Rhythm Band, Downtown Live, York; Ashley Chambliss at Sylvia Theater, York; Chris Cook at Youngun’s, King’s Mountain; Red White & Crue, Poison’d at Lake Wylie Bowl & Bounce, Lake Wylie; Summer Soiree at Aloft Hotel, Ballantyne; Outlaw Crow at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; Blue Tulips at Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte; Dreiberg, Balloon Assembly Line, Van Huskins at Tommy’s Pub, Charlotte; Marcus Kind Band at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Landless, Lakes & Woods, more at Snug Harbor, Chrlotte; Crane at RiRa, Charlotte; Ryan Hanseler with Music of Thelonious Monk at Stage Door Theater, Charlotte; Justin Aswell, StereoLoud, more at Milestone, Charlotte; Mike Ryan, CJ Solar at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Morgan Heritage at Chop Shop, Charlotte; Jennifer Daniels, Em Young; Edward David Anderson; at Evening Muse, Charlotte; Tim Elliott at Bootlegger’s Saloon & Dance Hall, Charlotte; Swim in the Wild at Jack Beagles, Charlotte; Dierks Bentley, Kip Moore, Maddie & Tae, more at PNC Pavilion, Charlotte; Little Johnny Trailer Trash at Big Al’s Pub, Mooresville.

Saturday: The Oneppo Brothers Band at John’s Place, Fort Mill; Analog Daze at Beef-O-Brady’s, Baxter Village; Charlotte Battle of the Bands at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Sam Smith at Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte; South End Jazz with Marcus Jones & MNT at Charlotte Trolley Powerhouse Museum, Charlotte; This Mountain at US National Whitewater Center, Charlotte; LJTT Acoustic Duo at PJ O’Reilly’s, Charlotte Sicman of Virginia, Late Bloomer at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; The Get Right Band, The Freeway Revival at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Bless These Sounds, The Dinner Rabbits, Scowl Brow, Jaggermouth at Snug Harbor, Charlotte; Gene Gene & the Blues Machine at Sullivan’s Steakhouse, Charlotte; Little District at Comet Grill, Charlotte; Kirstie Lovelady, Beau James at Tin Roof, Charlotte; U-Phonik at RiRa, Charlotte; Installation at Milestone, Charlotte; Stewart Mauldwin & Friends at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Summer Carnival & Ballyhoo with Dr. Cirkustein, The Waves, Eliot Bronson, Carl Anderson at Evening Muse, Charlotte; First Annual Carnival with The Waves, Sysirpia, Chapel Grove, Funkey Geezer more at Chop Shop, Charlotte; James Radford Band at Bootlegger’s Saloon & Dance Hall, Charlotte; Songs of Water, Jude Moses, Glassea at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; The Fritz, Simplified, more at Barnstock, Huntersville.

Sunday: Haymaker, Regions, Vices & Vessels, Muscleshark, Blackleaf at Tremont Music Hall, Charlotte; Shania Twain, Gavin DeGraw at Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte; New Kingston, Sun-Dried Vibes, Of Good Nature at Visulite Theater, Charlotte; Blinddog Smokin at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Deniro Farrar at Chop Shop, Charlotte; Fall Out Boy, Wiz Khalifa, Hoodie Allen at PNC Pavilion, Charlotte.

Monday: Country Blues Workshop with Sidewalk at Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library-Plaza Midwood, Charlotte; Open Mic with 3 Piece Buckett at Puckett’s Farm Equipment, Charlotte; Bob Primus, Dinosaur Jr. at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Open Mic with Ross Adams at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Tuesday: Todd Murray at Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte; Ariana Grande, Prince Royce at Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte; Matt Huff at Tin Roof, Charlotte; Iron and Wine, Ben Bridwell, Susto at The Fillmore, Charlotte; Robert Earl Keen, Ruston Kelly at Neighborhood Theater, Charlotte; Return of Round Eye, Wizardskin, Funky Geezer at Cube Noda, Charlotte.

Wednesday: Chris Cook at Titan’s, Monroe; Jake Miller, Jasmine V. Alex Angelo at Amos’ Southend, Charlotte; The Holiday Band at Romare Bearden Park, Charlotte; The Shadowboxers at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Modern Primitives, Aqualads, more at Snug Harbor; Dischordia, Avalon Steel, Illusions, October at Milestone, Charlotte; BJ Barham, Bret Harris at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

Thursday: Chris Cook at Cross Rhodes Tavern, Dallas; Mitch Hayes at Comet Grill, Charlotte; Pravada at Double Door Inn, Charlotte; Desert Dwellers, Living Light, BomBassic, Shanti Love at Chop Shop, Charlotte; Grace Askew at Evening Muse, Charlotte.

“And that was all she wrote.”

This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 3:46 PM with the headline "Michael Tracy delivers good time rock ‘n’ roll."