Being in the enviable position of meeting and talking to lots of guitar players, in an effort to help share an Artist news, we decided to create a bit of a guitar players community. So don’t be shy and send us through what you want to say at admin@fibonacci-guitars.com and we will make every effort to share it out on our News Blog to the music loving community.
This month we would like to introduce you to Tracy Badger. Tracy is obviously a very talented songwriter and passionate about her music. But we will let Tracy tell you in her own words.
Tracy Badger
Guitarist, Vocalist, Songwriter
At age 11 Tracy acquired her first guitar and after only three lessons - was hooked! The musical influence on her was powerful. Tracy’s father, a college professor at Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI, was a published author, accomplished pianist and organist; the music flowed constantly within their household which Tracy absorbed throughout her childhood.
Tracy’s parents both instilled into their offspring an understanding and appreciation for the cultural arts. The vast music library in their home consisted of: Puccini, Beethoven, Segovia and Rachmaninoff. From her older siblings she was exposed to The Beatles, Crosby Stills and Nash, Miles Davis, Laura Nyro and Burt Bacharach. And it all paid off. Tracy chose the guitar - or rather, it chose her!
At age 14, Tracy had already written over 40 songs and performed her first gigs at a steak house in Big Rapids where her parents had to chaperone. In addition to her own music, Tracy was learning the likes of Peter, Paul & Mary, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, James Taylor, and others. She had also been introduced to the jazz world of Errol Garner’s “Misty”, George Gershwin’s “Someone To Watch Over Me” and “Summertime”, etc. She knew at that point what she was going to do with her life.
During her last 2 years of high school, Tracy attended the summer sessions at Interlochen National Music Camp outside of Traverse City, MI. College time rolled around and a degree in Vocal Performance suited her just fine. Her last college stint was at Northwestern University (1979) in Evanston, IL. A decision had to be made…go into the world of classical music or stay with what she knew best, pop and jazz. The answer was obvious.
For years Tracy played & performed in various venues like hotels, restaurants, bars and private events both as solo and with various bands. She has captivated audiences with her extraordinary talent in Lansing, Detroit, Dallas, Denver and now Paducah, KY.
In Paducah, she was the “house band” at a local restaurant while producing her last 3 albums: Gotta Let The Girls Play 2014, Searching For Real, 2015, and Just Me, 2018.
Tracy has an enviable collection of guitars, but recently has discovered the Fibonacci Chiquita archtop through her affiliation with virtuoso jazz guitarist Martin Taylor. This is the ONE guitar she has not been able to put down!
Gigging only by invitation, Tracy continues to write and record in her home studio with her husband Kirk, their collie Cassie and 4 cats looking on.
