Disco de Tracy Lawrence: “Then and Now: The Hits Collection”

Then and Now?

Country, true country, at it's best.

This is the ulitimate celebration of love, life, and loss, brought to us by one of the few True Country voices on radio today. This C.D. contains old and new; however the stories of love, loss, friendship, turning points, Lessons Learned, and Time Marching On, are timeless classics. It is back to back stories from a young excitable boy in If the Good Die Young, to the different man he is today in Used to the Pain. A voice so real, and honest only he can sing these songs. You will feel lonely and strong at the same time while feeling the worst of loss and the best of love. The new track if I Don't Make It Back will ring true to many, many generations and perhaps bring them together in a way never dreamt of. And who among us have never felt the loss in Used To The Pain? Tracys voice lets you know love may be lost but life does go on and it doesn't have to be so hard. In the end it screams "think of me" for all people in the world. Think of all you may have loved and lost, embrace the pain with him, and remember them with your own Birmingham. He encourages you to celebrate that you loved once, and will again. This one of a kind voice will have you pushing the repeat button over and over. Once again, true country at its most honest. TLIFC

If you are not a big Tracy Lawrence fan and you just "like his singing," don't waste your money on this CD. The CD for you is, "The Very Best of Tracy Lawrence." If you ARE a big fan like me, you have to have both!! True, this "Then and Now" Collection is deceiving and should be clearer about all the re-recordings on the cover, I didn't realize they were re-recordings till I was several songs into the disc. They are so close to the original recordings that I feel the record label wasted their money in the studio because of the exact licks recorded several years ago. Don't get me wrong, there are some differences, but only noticeable to hard core fans with an ear for music and musicians familiar with the originals. I think it's cool to hear the new takes on the songs and Tracy's voice is noticeably different if you are listening for it. "Can't Break it to my Heart" has a cool dirty guitar outro you won't hear on the original but it's reminiscent if you've heard this song performed live. The guitar sound in "If the Good Die Young" is a little edgier than the original.

If you love Tracy Lawrence you need "Then & Now: The Hits Collection" and if you want to hear even more hits with their original recordings remastered in 2007, you also need "The Very Best of Tracy Lawrence."

I will have to say tracy lawrence has never made a bad cd and this just goes to prove it again way to go tracy ! I have not yet stopped listening to then and now . it is totaly awesome ! Tracy has one of the best voices in country music today and he always has that traditional country sound that i just love . I would recommend this cd to every country fan out there young and old . darlena mcauley TLIFC MEMBER

The first album of Tracy Lawrence I bought was 'I See It Now'. After that I've searched my record store high and low for his previous records as well as the ones after that. Although I own all of his works now, I still can't resist myself from getting this one. A great single effort to admire almost all of his big hits. Can't wait for his next album :-)

Sure, you haven't heard much on the charts from Tracy Lawrence for a few years ("Paint Me a Birmingham" almost seemed like a fluke). But just listen to the tracklist on this album; are there any songs on here you've never heard? Aside from the 2 new tracks, probably not. That's because many of these songs have become a mainstay on radio playlists--even a decade after they were released.

Tracy Lawrence has one of the most unique, most touching voices in country music. A bit twangy at times, he still manages to convey so much emotion into a lyric that you can't help but swoon. And he sure knows how to choose songs (he even co-wrote a few of these classics); tunesmiths such as Bobby Braddock, Mark Nesler, Kenny Beard, and Paul Nelson (among many others) are all featured in the writing credits. He's even picked songs by lesser known writers, such as alternative singer Elbert West, or up-and-comer Bobby Pinson (who's touching "If I Don't Make It Back" will leave you breathless). The other new song, "Used to the Pain," is solid country gold (as Shooter Jennings recently sang). The point is, Lawrence knows a good song when he hears one, and has a voice made to sing pure country music.

THEN & NOW is a stellar collection by a guy who's becoming a country legend. Not a current hit-maker (although, with the surprise success of "Birmingham," he may become one again), he has established himself as one of the most played, most recognized artists in country music. With a repetoire full of country hits, a voice made to croon, and even a true honky-tonk lifestyle (but that's another story), Tracy Lawrence is pure country music. This album is all the proof you need.