Sticks And Stones
At 23 years old, Tracy Lawrence helped usher in the "hat act" era in country music with this highly successful 1991 debut. Using traditional country instruments to create a polished modern sound, Lawrence and producer James Stroud concocted tasty, accessible radio fare with the upbeat "Runnin' Behind" and the midtempo ballad "Today's Lonely Fool." The album set the tone for a series of successful albums by Lawrence that balance fun country romps with romantic balladry. Oddly, the turmoil of Lawrence's private life--which includes parking lot shootings, highway chases, and brief and stormy marriages--never seeped into his music. On record, Lawrence maintains a mature, happy-go-lucky persona, no matter what goes on behind the scenes.--Michael McCall