Press & Quotes 

[If you are looking for Tracy's press kit, CLICK HERE]   [CLICK HERE for full reviews/press archive]

Jan/Feb 2010: Article in Nashville, TN publication THE BRIDGE WORKS
Shifting Gears
Tracy Jane Comer has toured as a solo artist and small ensemble member out of Madison, Wisconsin, for a number of years, locating there from her native North Carolina. A strong vocalist and wonderful player on cello, piano, guitar, fiddle, and hammered dulcimer, she has primarily been involved in the  folk/singer-songwriter circles with strong classical leanings. As of January 16, "TJ" has joined Wild Heart, a Madison act ISTHMUS reporter Bob Koch calls "a top 40 country cover band..."   [more...]

3/5/2010: Article in Duluth News Tribune about 3 of Cups
"Fans of Two Harbors singer/songwriter Rachel Nelson will be in for a treat Sunday afternoon. While they’ll still hear some of her solo standouts, the songs’ll sound a little different. Why? Joining Nelson on the intimate Unitarian Universalist stage will be Madison singer/songwriter Tracy Jane Comer and Twin Cities percussionist Michael “Stix” Kiley. Otherwise known as 3 of Cups, this collaborative force has been around for a couple years now, but they’ve been on a bit of a hiatus due to illnesses in Comer’s family. “The idea of this collaboration is that [Tracy and I] can still do our originals — but we have this band context where we can use some of the other instruments we play to back each other up with,” Nelson told the Budgeteer..."
[read the full article]

3/1/2010: Article in Local Sounds magazine about Tracy & Wild Heart
(See http://www.wildheart.ws/  for more about the band)
"Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and recording artist Tracy Jane Comer recently joined popular Madison-area Top 40 Country group Wild Heart. Comer plays guitar, keys, and fiddle and sings (backup and some lead) in her new role with the band..."
[read the full article]

1/11/2010: Article about Tracy joining Wild Heart 
(See http://www.wildheart.ws/  for more about the band)
"...Madison Top 40 country cover band Wild Heart will take the stage with a new player on Saturday, Jan. 16, at Tricia's Country Corners -- local songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tracy Jane Comer...Wild Heart guitarist Preacher Man says "...Tracy provides us with some awesome opportunities and brings new aspects to the band that we are very excited about!"  
[read the full article]

8/21/2009: Review in THE ISTHMUS of
Likely Stories' self-titled CD  
(See www.likelystories.us for more about this side project)
"...the most creative concept album to come out of Madison so far this year...The album's execution ultimately fulfills the ambitious concept, making Likely Stories a local release to be reckoned with." [more...]
Rich Albertoni, The Isthmus - 8/21/2009

4/15/2009: Review in GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE, June 2009 issue
Tracy Jane Comer - "Inside Passage"
"Another excellent acoustic track...[Comer] dances all over the strings with shimmering note flurries and dynamic flair...." [more]

1/25/2009: Article/photo about Tracy in the Wisconsin State Journal  - Backstage column. Click here to read it!

8/14/2007: Review of August 11 show posted on www.wibands.com
"...Tracy played this show as a duo with her Sticky Fingers bandmate, Michael Bryant. Tracy really amazed me. What an incredible voice. Singing beautiful accoustic covers & originals, Tracy grabs your attention with her lovely folk vocal style that almost covers up the fact that she is playing so many different instruments. "Yawl" get ready for this list:  Tracy not only sings but plays guitar, cello, fiddle, keyboards, and of coarse the always popular hammered dulcimer!!..."Lucky" said that "Tracy is North Carolina's gift to Madison" and he is right. We are all lucky to have an artist so talented in our state like TRACY JANE COMER."  [full review/more...]

Review Sept. 2006: "Quietly There"  by Jim Bohn
"Classy, sophisticated, exceptional, and beautiful.
Tracy Jane fits in the class of exceptional artists like Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins and even Joan Baez. This is heartfelt poetry with all the soul, sweetness and pathos that only a true artist can bring. The combination of expert guitar work and vocals on "Yellow Bike" are nothing short of amazing (I've seen her do this song live, and it is a remarkable thing to watch.) Her haunting, beautiful voice leaves the impression that she has taken a long journey, and returned to tell wonderful tales. Tracy Jane Comer is a top shelf performer."

5/31/2006: Three songs received Honorable Mentions from the Peace Driven Songwriting Contest
Their comments on each song: "'Bring Me Your Peace' has a soothing melody that brings the listener to a calm state of mind.  Songs should move people, and this song has the gift to do just that.
There is a strong connection vocally and lyrically in 'This Losing Game (Goodnight Moon).'  The song has a nice melody with beautiful key changes and an intriguing story is told throughout.  Nice job!
'In This New Year (Instruments of Peace)' has a great message that challenges us to be the change we wish to see in the world.  It has honest lyrics and a powerful, yet graceful delivery."

4/19/2006: New Review of Quietly There CD by SongsAlive!  "What a delight to kick back and listen to these 14 beautifully produced and compelling tracks, that ebb and flow from fast to slow...Tracy Jane's voice is as diverse on each track as the story told....The title track, "Quietly There", is "so ready for radio" with a dynamic yet emotional vocal and full production to enhance the lyrics that sent chills up my spine....This 3rd cd release from Tracy Jane Comer is all about her talent and songwriting artistry - the ability to tell a story and sing it with conviction and love. Quietly There might be the title, but Tracy Jane Comer is due to make some very loud noise once these songs are heard and be "Internationally Here." [full review/more...]

4/6/2006: Click here to read a recent inteview with Tracy by SongsAlive!

3/20/2006: Newspaper coverage of the Madison Area Music Awards in the Wisconsin State Journal had this to say: "The live performances of the evening went a long way to show that Madison does indeed deserve an awards show....The organizers' idea to mix groups of past MAMA winners together for the live performances was a gamble that paid off well with stand-out performances by Tracy Jane Comer backed up by Subvocal..."

3/20/2006: The Isthmus posted a play-by-play narrative of the MAMAs event and included this picture of Tracy performing with Subvocal:

(click to see larger version...that's Tracy shown on the big screen!) 

From the article:
"With the clock at 8:40 pm, Subvocal and Tracy Jane Comer take to the stage for the second performance of the night. The first song is low-key but intense, with the two female vocalists filling the theater. The second song, featuring a pair of cellists, is a torchy number with dueling male and female vocals. They end ten minutes later to a big round of applause."  

1/18/2006:  Maximum Ink (Madison, WI) - Review of  "Quietly There"
"...Possessing an intensity of feeling fused to a sophisticated mix of musical styles, both Pinetop Seven’s cinematic the night’s bloom and multi-instrumentalist Tracy Jane Comer’s sterling, Quietly There display [Jimmie] Spheeris' compassionate grandeur...Tracy yields a strong voice reminiscent of Joan Baez to create heartfelt jazz-folk journeys that soar soulfully. "  [more...]

1/12/2006: The Onion
"Tracy Jane Comer's sparkling acoustic folk is reminiscent of classic balladeers like Joan Baez, complete with lyrics that combines social consciousness with personal issues. But Comer's willingness to expland her sound with such elements as harp, dulcimer, and percussion gives her songs a depth that many folkies lack..."  [more...]

1/9/2006: "...Tracy is a rare talent with touches of Kate Rusby, Gillian Welch and Joan Baez...There is something about Tracy's music that really sticks in my mind. Perhaps it's because she actually has something to say. "
-Paul Pinfield, CalmCast Podcast

6/23/2005: Music Maker Magazine (UK)
Review of  "Quietly There"
"..Quietly There is certainly a musically mature product. She has absorbed influences from across the musical spectrum - folk, country, pop, jazz, classical...She plays guitar, keyboard, violin and cello (all excellently) and uses her voice as another instrument in the texture, double tracking very effectively in places.... Tracy’s lyric writing is very clever - she paints with words using light and shade most effectively...An excellent musician and writer - it would be good if she could climb aboard a jumbo and visit these shores sometime!"  [more...]

5/3/2005: Music Shopper Forum (UK)
Review of  "Quietly There"
Our Rating: 90 out of 100
"...A multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter, Tracy Jane is a long way from the manufactured unit-shifters we are all so sick of - a serious and talented performer, she has put this together with the help of producer Randy Green, a couple of decent session musicians, and almost nobody else. On this basis alone, this album is an impressive achievement. But it does more than just take an independent stand against the major labels...A well-judged blend of ballads, instrumentals and harder-edged moments, featuring some genuinely first-rate writing and production...it is exceptionally well done...I can honestly say that this will be getting a healthy number of repeat plays..."  [more...]

4/1/2005: GoGirlsMusic.com
Review of  "Quietly There"
"...With such an intense talent, this folk singer is destined for great things! Her passion, pure emotion and mellifluous flowing voice blend this work of art for pure pop/folk music. Tracy is not keeping a muted silence in her release, "Quietly there"; instead she’s pulling all the stops in this toe-tapping delight! She’s creating her own "herstory" in this CD, so all we can do is sit back, relax and let her overcome us with her talent!" [more...] 

3/22/2005: MidwestBands.com
Review of  "Quietly There"
Excerpts: "The musicianship on Quietly There is near perfection...Tracy’s biggest talent, however, lies in her incredible songwriting...From complex melodies and lyrics to simpler 'catchy’ tunes, her versatility is endless...Intelligent, interesting and moving are words that come to mind.  Overall Rating: 10+ out of 10...Tracy Jane Comer’s compositions are poetic, melodic, moving, thought provoking and soothing to the spirit...She seems to possess all qualities she needs to achieve great success in her chosen profession..." [more...]

3/21/2005: B-Section, Newsletter of the Madison Songwriters Group: Review of  "Quietly There"
"...Tracy Jane Comer has more than a beautiful voice; she’s also a great instrumentalist. She plays the guitar, cello and piano with great skill. This record successfully showcases her musical touch, with a lineup of great backing instrumentalists...This is a most excellent album, a job well done..." [more...] 
- B Section (newsletter of the Madison Songwriters Group), March 2005

 3/2/2005: Kweevak.com
Review of  "Quietly There"
"...Comer has been compared to Joni Mitchell, Dar Williams and other well-known talents. The comparisons are well deserved as Tracy is a versatile vocalist who writes compelling, visual songs. Although her music is acoustic based the arrangements go much deeper, culling from classical, folk, jazz, pop and rock...Comer's work is diverse and dynamic. Upon each listen more subtle sounds and styles unfold...Tracy Jane Comer is a musical force..."  [more...] 

2/5/2005: Indie-Music.com
Review of  "Quietly There"
FEATURED ARTIST, Feb. 2005 -- "This woman never does anything halfway...A song may start quietly, and you may think you know where it's going, but then it rises and fills the air with added notes from a cello or sax and wraps itself around you...Comer can belt out anthems of independence and quietly croon songs of reflection and philosophy...Each song has its own subtle majesty...unforgettable." [more...] 

 1/22/2005: MusicPlaces.com:  "Tracy Jane Comer's music can be described as acoustically superb. Her mesmerizing vocals, poetic lyrics, along with her skills on piano and guitar yield an extremely enjoyable mix."

1/10/2005: International Acoustic Music Awards
Song Review, Featured Artist
"Tracy Jane Comer’s song 'This Losing Game' is a thoughtful, well-produced and haunting anti-war song, worthy of the great Joan Baez or Joni Mitchell. Come to think of it, Tracy Jane’s voice is just as powerful and clear as those ladies as well...." [more]

12/1/2004: FEATURE ARTICLE on Tracy published in MIDWEST FOLK MAGAZINE -
A quarterly publication with performer interviews and article about venues, plus other insights into today's folk music.   [Click here to see the editor's introduction to the article.]

11/28/2004: Smother.Net Ezine
Review of  "Quietly There"
EDITOR'S PICK  "Well it’s not going to be 'quietly there' for much longer for Tracy Jane Comer. This singer/songwriter is key to moving the whole darn genre forward. Her sound is mature and soaked with talent throughout this dynamic take of contemporary acoustic rock that’s not afraid to plug things in on occasion...Superb."   [more...] 

12/11/2004: E.O.M. (Evolution of Media)
Review of  "Quietly There"
"...In the tradition of people like Joni Mitchell, Suzanne Vega, Rickie Lee Jones and the Indigo Girls, Tracy Jane Comer writes songs of different shades and colors: a hybrid I've dubbed 'chamber folk' as in her fine cover of the Beatles' 'Eleanor Rigby' and orginials 'Take Me To The Mountain' and 'Quietly There'; and a kind of folky jazz that shines through in 'My Own History' and 'Just One Person.' Tracy has a clear, highly emotional voice that brings out the best in her words and gives one a feeling of emotional uplift that epitomises only the greatest music..."   [more...] 

12/10/2004:  Rick's Cafe (Madison news publication)
Review of  "Quietly There"
 “...A stunning showcase of both her lovely voice and her impressive skill on a variety of instruments. Comparisons to other adult contemporary artists such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, and Dar Williams are inevitable, though she displays more range of style than any of them...."  [more...]

April 2003: B Section (newsletter of the Madison Songwriters Group
REVIEW of "Second Wind"
EXCERPTS: “...Second Wind is an impressive achievement…Tracy uses her clear, pure vocals and fine guitar work to good effect on these thirteen tracks contemporary folk…Tracy shows off a deft touch on the guitar and good use of cello, hammered dulcimer and various percussion instruments. Her voice may be the best instrument though, always well-toned and showing a nice melisma that isn't overused..."  [more...] 

“…[Second Wind is] soothing and expertly produced, without a wrong note in the thing...”
- Matt Pierce, from review of Second Wind in Splendid E-zine March 2004

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