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Jerb Tracey was born in New South Wales, Australia, attended primary school briefly in Tasmania, following which he moved with his family to the Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
A promising child athlete, Jerb was forced to give up running due to secular differences between the coach's training schedule and the Sabbath as respected by his parents. He subsequently took up cycling, with the vision of making it his career. He gave this prospective career second thoughts after having been hit twice by a car. Ever the dreamer, he sought a new passion to occupy himself. Jerb's family atmosphere was one of fundamental religious beliefs and wide musical tastes. His parents listened to a broad range of music, from classical to opera, from folk to country. Most importantly, singer/songwriters of the era such as Harry Chapin, Jim Croce, Cat Stevens, and Don McLean featured heavily. There was something about these 70's singer/songwriters that enthused Jerb. In his adolescent years Jerb begged his parents to buy him a guitar. Reluctantly a guitar was granted, and his nine years of piano lessons were quickly forgotten. After five or six guitar lessons, Tracey took up teaching himself from the sheet music of the above-mentioned songwriters.
Jerb began writing his own songs and performed as the lead singer of a couple of bands during his high school years. Selected for the lead role of 'SheerLuck Holmes' in the senior year school musical, alongside basking in the attention of the fairer sex whilst playing at parties, imbued him with an inherent love of performing. When he enlightened his parents of his prospective career as a music performer, they diplomatically suggested he get a haircut to match a 'real' job.
Less than a week after finishing school Jerb Tracey moved to Brisbane to form a band with his best friend. However the distraction of going to university, and trying to eke out a living caused a rift between Jerb and his songwriting. The guitar sat in its case for a few years, alone, cast aside, as he got himself a real job... and the obligatory haircut.
Having travelled to Mainland China, and twice to Europe, Tracey decided the new millennium was the time to see some of his own country. Joining up with a German and a Brit, he travelled from Brisbane (via Tasmania) to Perth. 'The Accidentals' performed at pubs along the way in exchange for free beer, food, and accommodation; with a bit of cash for petrol money. This tour rekindled Jerb's passion for performance and songwriting, and upon returning home he once again set in motion the dream of making music his life.
In 2002, Tracey wrote a collection of new material that he performed solo before forming 'Soul Estate Agent.' This band played and stayed together for most of 2003, when Jerb decided to change his approach. Disbanding and taking an artistic break until late 2004, he went back to the drawing board and penned a fresh set of songs.
Finally finding his long-sought niche, he performed regularly on the Queensland singer-songwriter circuit, including appearances at venues such as The Troubadour, The Rev, The Alley Bar, Verve Cafe (Metro Arts Centre), and Py Hy Bar/Espresso. Along the way he has gained major placings in singer/songwriter competitions.
The year 2005 saw Jerb move to the New England area of New South Wales to commence work on building a studio, and he is currently working on recording his first album. Tracey never fails to capture his audiences' attention with driven tales delivered effectively with only a bass/baritone voice, lyrical honesty, and his acoustic guitar. He weaves powerful parables and his narrative style has a candid appeal. Themes include: aspiration and desolation, domestic violence, adultery, bereavement and all-consuming love.
Jerb's stories inspire one's own thoughts and feelings. As his resonant voice fills the room with stories of humankind's virtues and shortcomings you will feel somehow assured that there is a more than a spark of hope in our sometimes lonely, chaotic world.
In a relatively short time Jerb Tracey has become a lauded addition to the new wave of intelligent acoustic music now proving so popular in Australia, and worldwide.
Please contact Jerb Tracey via email: jerb (AT) jerbtracey.com |
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