We stand here ready to close the chapter on this year and look forward to all of the possibilities of not only a new year, but a new decade. It’s the perfect time to take a look back at 2019. It truly was an exciting year for John Tracy Music!
January
We started the year off with a bang, releasing the “Love True Just For You” single and music video. The video, set in New York City, was one of those milestone moments for me. From the time my eldest first moved to the city, I wanted to make a music video there. Something about the energy of this city really speaks to me. And the more we thought about music video concepts, we realized this city was the perfect backdrop for the song’s story. With the vision and help of Hoopla Media, we saw this dream become reality.
The single, written for my youngest to encourage her in her search for true love, struck a chord with so many people. It has become my most played song to date. And, under the direction of Kevin McNoldy and Cphonic Mastering, we continue to refine and redefine my sound. All of which brings a new excitement to creating music.
April
At the suggestion of Hip Video Productions, we filmed a full-length live concert that allowed me the opportunity to show the more intimate side of my songs. Throughout the show, I shared the back stories and gave the audience a closer look into the heart and soul behind the music.
With multiple camera angles and over an hour of footage, it took almost six months to edit. But in late November, we were thrilled to release “An Evening of Story and Song” on DVD. This is our first DVD project and the early feedback has been incredible.
Because of how magical this evening was, this concert format is also how I will be structuring all future live performances. Whether in a house concert setting, a listening room environment or a filmed concert event, audiences will be able to have an intimate experience with the songs, to soak in the messages and connect with the sentiments. I want you to walk away from a live show event with something that makes your journey just a little bit better.
July
As the year continued, we released the “I Pledge My Love” single and lyric video. This is a very personal song for me. It was written for my eldest and her fiancé. He asked me for her hand in marriage a year ago and I couldn’t be happier. He’s the perfect match for her and a fantastic addition to our family.
We decided to release a lyric video to accompany this song, which was also very personal. All of the images we used for were taken by my youngest who is an amazing photographer. It was incredible how beautifully we were able to match the words to the images captured by Alexa Ann Photography. You could say this release was a family affair!
Looking Ahead
We end our look back at 2019 with some new things up our sleeve! We have two new singles in the works for release in early 2020. And we are contemplating several new projects – an idea for a second DVD release, concepts for a new music video and new ways to share the growing library of video content we’re creating. In addition, we are talking about new directions for bringing the music to you in 2020.
The Most Important Thing
Most importantly, as I look back at 2019, really on this whole past decade, I think the biggest accomplishment, and the one thing I value most, is the relationships I have been able to forge because of the music. I look at the people who have come into my life over the past ten years only because the music first connected us and I realize how much richer my life is.
I realize that these are some of the deepest and most meaningful relationships I have made throughout my life. Because of following this passion over the past decade, I have been able to truly be the person I was created to be. It has allowed me to become a more authentic version of me. And I think this has opened the door to forging more meaningful connections.
I am grateful to all of you who follow me on this journey, who support this passion and encourage me to carry on in spite of the obstacles.
I don’t really know what next year holds. But if you want more music, more stories and more inspiration, then I’m ready to bring it!
Wishing you a coming year of happiness, health and cherished memories to last a lifetime!