About Trace Walton | If there ever was a man more determined to make it in the music business, Trace Walton deserves some of the highest credit. He has brushed against some of the best through the years, starting out as a pimple faced teenager, with a large binder full of hand written songs, poems, thoughts and dreams like none other. He spent his nights lugging band equipment around and tuning up guitars for those who were a little older and a lot more fortunate than he was, often dodging cops at the door or anyone else that enquired about his age. 14 years old was far too young to be where he was, but he survived, he listened and he learned. He lived on the streets and used his wits to get by, but he knew what he wanted, even back then. “It was great for awhile” he’ll say, but then the military called him and for the next five years of his life, his musical dreams were squashed. He travelled the world with the green machine and then afterwards he never really stopped. He went on to LA, Vegas, Nashville, New York, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver following his dreams, but reality was harsh, he was usually too busy learning a trade and working hard to pay his bills, so eventually his dreams of being a star went on the back burner once again, this time for another twenty odd years. Sure, he took a shot at it occasionally, several times in the early 80s and then again in the mid 90s, but he just couldn’t quite make it work and sadly he had to let it all go again. After that Trace came back home to England for good and eventually settled back down into yet another monotonous day job. Then about eight years ago, he decided to try it all again. This time he wanted to record an album, full of his own original material that he had recently written, along with one special cover track that he had always loved and so he approach his dreams one more time. Obviously being a star was no longer important to him, but showing his true talent as a songwriter was now his main objective. So, asking the help of many musicians that he has known over the years, along with a few major labels that he had dealt with in the past, he approached them all with his new ideas. Most of them just laughed and said that he was simply too damn crazy for wanting to do such a thing. Of course he didn’t listen, instead he persevered on his own and with a few chosen friends that are musicians in their own rights. He hit the studio and finally came out with an extraordinary album called “Native Son.” He recorded it in the “Americana” vein, with roots of blues, country and rock, filled with great lyrics and Trace’s deep, dark, succulent voice, accompanied by some great guitar licks, bass lines and lighter voices in the background as well. The production was low key and many steps were skipped or even missed out altogether during the process, primarily due to a complete lack of personal finances. The main one being the final vocal sessions over each song that never happened, but in the end, the result was much more than anyone could have hoped for. It turned out to be a great debut album. It was finally finished in 2009 and since then (Native Son) has been played in over 17 different countries around the world, to an audience of hundreds of thousands of people and has sold literally thousands of copies through ITunes on the internet. So what was a joke to many in the beginning has become one of the best selling independent records to date and now there’s a follow up album in the making. Unfortunately, a year after this album was completed, in September of 2010; Trace was involved in a major accident that almost ended his life. Broken and twisted, he has struggled to get back to where he once was and he has also had to re-learn how to play his guitar all over again, while trying hard to concentrate on writing new material and even working on a book or two. This has not been an easy task, especially considering the horrendous injuries that he has had to overcome. Still, Trace is hoping to get out and about and start playing live again. He also wants to get back in the studio as soon as possible to record his next album. There’s so much more that this man wants to achieve in every aspect of his life and there’s no doubt about it, after what he’s been through, he really does deserve it. His tenacity and determination alone, has taken him this far. Who knows how far he can actually go. Please share his music with your friends and Thank-you........ |
Return to profile |