Album Notes

A native of Eugene, Oregon, Tracy Bonham feels fortunate to have grown up in such a culturally rich environment. Daughter of a music teacher, she began singing at age 5, studying classical violin at age 9, and studiying classical piano at age 15. She credits her parents and her teachers in Eugene for her success.

Bonham transfered from the University of Southern California, where she studied classical violin performance, to Berklee College of Music in Boston where she studied vocal and violin performance for one year. In 1994 she began writing her own music and soon started her own band. It was not long after this that she was thrust into the spotlight with a local hit on Boston?s WFNX called "The One"; recorded as a demo and appearing on a compilation of local female artists called "Girl". In 1995 she released an EP entitled "The Liverpool Sessions" on Boston?s indie label Cherrydisc Records which helped her win honors as Best New Artist, Best Female Vocalist, and Best Indie Single at the Boston Music Awards. A two-night stint playing violin on the Hartford/Boston stop of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant?s "No Quarter" tour further raised Bonham?s profile and she quickly found herself in the middle of a major label bidding war.

In 1996 Bonham?s major label debut "The Burdens of Being Upright" (Island Records) achieved gold status in the United States, Canada, and Australia, and her hit single "Mother Mother" stayed at #1 on the rock charts for four weeks. In 1997 Bonham was nominated for two Grammy awards for Best Alternative Performance for "The Burdens Of Being Upright" and Best Female Vocal for her performance on the single "Mother Mother".

Her sophmore record "Down Here" was released four years later, delayed due to record industry shake-ups. Produced by Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake, her music became more introspective and texturally rich. Unfortunately it was not the right time for female artists and her label did not support the record.

She has since become an independent artist playing her music around the country with her acoustic trio. Finding it necessary to reinvent herself, her new music is melodically richer, lyrically laid bare, and more hopeful. The changes in her music reflect the changes in her life.

In the spring of 2003, Tracy appeared with Blue Man Group on their promotional tour for their rock album "The Complex". Tracy joined them on stage as featured vocalist and violinist in addition to opening the show with her acoustic trio. Before going out on the road, Bonham went into various home studios to produce a homemade EP with her new music (plus a few goodies). The result is her EP entitled "Bee" available only for fans at her live performances. "I wanted to give people a souvenir when they came out to the shows. It?s something special that they can?t get anywhere else" Bonham said.

Tracy will be touring the U.S. with Blue Man Group throughout the summer, and between gigs will be recording with Aerosmith on their new record due in stores later this year. In the fall of 2003, Bonham will go into the studio, with her new songs to record her third full length album.