UB Black Music Month Spotlight: The Story of Tracie Spencer
Continuing on with our Black Music Month Spotlight, we selected to revisit one we first did in 2019. The feature went viral, as so many people are still wondering where is Tracie Spencer?
For this new feature, we’ve revamped the original with more information and added some more images.
UB UPDATE: This feature has been a Trending feature on and off since originally posted. From so many Google searches done on Tracie Spencer. Over the years, we’ve been asked the question, where is Tracie Spencer?
Well finally, she has returned and has Instagram, currently working on some special projects! Follow Tracie!
Tracie Spencer grew up in Waterloo, Iowa. She began singing at the age of three and inspiration came courtesy of her father, himself a singer with his own group (The Cavaliers) who opened for the legendary Jackie Wilson.
Preparing for a full-time career in music, she would spend hours listening to musical legends like Billie Holiday and making home videos of herself singing tunes made popular by Diana Ross and R&B songstress Meli’sa Morgan.
One such video led to Tracie‘s participation in Star Search in 1986. Where she sung Whitney Houston‘s “How Will I Know” and won the competition and within weeks, she was auditioning in front of Capitol Records‘ executives in Los Angeles. Tracie‘s auspicious self-titled debut album released in 1988. The album released three singles, Symptoms Of True Love, Hide And Seek and a show-stopping rendition of John Lennon‘s classic, Imagine.
In November of 1988, Tracie Spencer became the youngest solo artist to land a top 40 pop hit in more than 15 years with “Symptoms Of True Love.”
Tracie was nominated for Best New Artist of 1988, at the NAACP Image Awards.
In 1989, Tracie hit the road for the first time and a year later, she completed work on her sophomore Capitol set, Make The Difference, which yielded five hit singles including This House, a #3 Pop smash, the self-penned slow jam, Tender Kisses which gave Tracie her first R&B chart-topper and Love Me, another Top 5 R&B smash.
With “Make the Difference,” Tracie became the youngest recipient of the prestigious American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) songwriter of the year award for “Tender Kisses.”
It would be nine years before Tracie released her follow-up album release. In 1997, her single “I’ll Be There For You” was released on the “Good Burger” movie soundtrack. That year she also modeled for Tommy Hilfiger & Chanel to name a few. Which lead to her being a part of New York and L.A.‘s fashion weeks in 1999 and 2000.
At the time Tracie spoke on her hiatus. “Before settling in Los Angeles, I decided to take time out to finish school in Iowa, where I became involved with sports and began to have a life that was a little more normal! I wasn’t even a teenager when I started out and having a normal kind of childhood is difficult if you’re in this business. I wanted some time to experience life as a teenager…although I did keep writing through the years in preparation for when I would put out a new album.”
“This is my ‘coming of age’ album. It’s going to be surprising to some people when they first hear it but the music is very reflective of what I listen to when I’m hanging out with my friends at a club or I’m listening to the radio. I was being true to myself when I wrote songs for this record and I think it shows my growth from teenage girl to young woman.”
Tracie was released 22 years ago this month, in June of 1999. Tracie crafted an album filled with blazin’ jeep-styled jams and heartfelt ballads. From the hip hop flavor of the first single It’s All About You (Not About Me) to the late night feel of the sensual jam No Matter (one of the seven tunes Tracie co-wrote for the album), Tracie showcases the musical skills of this powerhouse vocalist in a truly contemporary setting.
“Still in My Heart,” the second & final single from the project. The song hit the Top 30 on the Hot Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. Released in March of 2000. The beautifully written ballad, was penned by Soulshock and Karlin, Ivan Matias and Andrea Monica Martin.
Fun Fact: Teena Marie, once told Tracie: “Always carry yourself like a lady, but don’t ever be afraid to fight like a man.”
Aware that there were new female singers who made their mark since her sophomore release, Tracie was mostly accurate when she said, “When I first started, I was out here with young artists like Shanice and in some ways, I feel like we were originators in paving the way for some of the female singers who are out here now…and we’re both still here and we’re not going anywhere!”
The unfortunate thing about that quote, is Tracie did go somewhere and stopped recording music.
Tracie did however sing background vocals on songs for Kanye West, 50 Cent and Eve. In 2004, she co-stared in the short film, “A Tale of Two Sisters” and in 2006, she performed in a play called “Choices” in Los Angeles.
In 2011 Tracie was a keynote speaker in her hometown of Waterloo for a Martin Luther King program.
At the time she stated she has never allowed the music industry, society or tabloids to influence how she should dress or record her songs. A role model is someone who strives for a positive self-image and self-respect. “Staying true to myself and not having regrets is my #1 goal,” she added.
Tracie created a Stay In School program in 50 states and served on the board of the Children’s Defense Fund with Hillary Clinton.
Go Down Memory Lane with Tracie Spencer!
