Ark-La-Tex legend Tracy Lawrence returns to play the Front Street Plaza
By Brandon Shoemaker

When news broke that Tracy Lawrence would headline a show at Front Street Plaza, it sparked a wave of excitement around Texarkana. The concert, organized as the capstone event of the 2025 Veterans Day celebration, quickly became one of the region’s most anticipated fall events.

When Tracy steps onto the stage downtown on November 8th, it won’t just be another stop on the tour. For the multi-platinum country artist, who was born in Atlanta, Texas, and raised just across the line in Foreman, Arkansas, it will feel like a homecoming.

“We’re excited about getting to spend a little time with my mom,” he said, “and seeing my siblings and cousins and whatnot, and all the folks there. It should be a fun night. This is going to be ‘home week.’”

That spirit of homecoming runs through everything about Lawrence’s life and career. Though he’s played on the biggest stages in country music, racked up chart-topping hits, and built a brand that spans music, business, and philanthropy, his heart never left the red-clay soil of the four states area. “My mother keeps me grounded,” he said, and spoke of lasting connections that indelibly link him to the area, including those made in high school (in Foreman) and college (at Southern Arkansas University). “You know, you get to this place in life [when] you realize you’re never going to make those long friendships again,” he reflected. “I treasure them.”

Tracy laughed when asked about how the show came together and responded with the routine nature of the process. “I say [it’s] ‘just another show,’ but [this one] is a little bit different.”

Different because it’s home. Different because he’ll be performing for the community that helped shape him—the family, teachers, and friends who watched a young man with a guitar chase a dream that once seemed far-fetched.

Evolving with the Industry

When Tracy released his debut album Sticks and Stones in 1991, country music was entering a golden era. He quickly solidified his stance as one of the greats of the genre, alongside the likes of Reba McEntire, George Strait, and Garth Brooks, by following his debut with a run of chart-toppers that defined ’90s country: “Alibis,” “If the Good Die Young,” “Texas Tornado,” “Time Marches On,” and others. Yet, the golden era was only the beginning of Lawrence’s career.

As the decade ended, the trends in country music began to shift, and likewise, Tracy never stopped evolving—a process that would lead to new business ventures and new media. He remarked on the advantages technology and social media have offered artists in recent years. “The gatekeepers don’t have complete control like they used to,” he said, referring to record-industry executives. “You’ve got kids playing songs in their bedrooms on TikTok, recording on GarageBand, and suddenly they’re having success. It’s completely different – but the love of the music is still the common ground we all share.”

The Business of Being Tracy Lawrence

Tracy has navigated industry changes with an unflinching mix of courage and savvy. In the mid-2000s, long before the term “independent artist” became fashionable, he launched his own label. “It was terrifying,” he admitted, “but I really believed I had the skill set and the music, and I understood how the game was played enough that I wanted to take a stab at it.”

That gamble paid off when the album Find Out Who Your Friends Are—released independently—shot to number one on the charts. “To pull that off was probably the highlight of the business side of my career,” he said. “ I pulled a number-one record out like that, right out of the box.” At that time, such a feat was unheard of.

And today, he’s still chasing new frontiers. From creating his podcast, TL’s Road House, to developing his own line of turkey injections and seasonings, Lawrence has built a portfolio that feels equal parts entrepreneurial and deeply personal.

“I love to cook,” he said. “It’s something I’m passionate about. I’ve got a lot of my mother’s old recipes—everything from casseroles to ribs on the smoker.” However, it wasn’t his love for cooking that led to this latest business venture; it was his love for his fellow man.

A large portion of the proceeds from his seasoning sales goes directly to his nonprofit, Mission:Possible, which has been “fighting homelessness and bringing hope to Middle Tennessee and beyond” for 20 years. “We started cooking turkeys in the parking lot of the Nashville Rescue Mission,” Tracy said. “I think the first year we cooked 200. It was just an awareness campaign.” That small-scale event to raise awareness of the unhoused population and their many needs took on a life of its own and grew into the two-decades-strong organization that it is today.

“This year, we will be cooking 2,000 turkeys and serving an estimated 32,000 plates around the Middle Tennessee area. So the turkey injection line and the spice line were just a natural progression,” he said. This new extension of his philanthropic pursuit stands to bolster the organization’s fundraising goals significantly in the coming years, as he seeks to broaden the injection and seasoning line’s inclusion in more stores around the country. (Currently, the products can be purchased directly from the musician’s website.)

Mentoring New Generations

While his passion for his philanthropy is strong, Tracy hasn’t stepped away from music; if anything, he’s expanded his role in it. His podcast allows him to sit down with both longtime peers and younger artists navigating the new landscape of country music.

“I fell in love with the interview process,” he said. “It has given me the ability to make relationships with a lot of these younger kids that I wouldn’t have [otherwise]. We might pass each other at festivals, but you don’t really get to know each other.” Through his podcast, he now has that chance to connect with younger artists on a meaningful level.

He approaches those conversations with the curiosity of a professional journalist and the passion of a lifelong musician. “For all the differences we have—backgrounds, influences, how we got here—the commonality that we share is passion for the music,” he said. “That’s what connects all of us.”

Strong Roots

Despite the accolades, the chart toppers, and the decades in Nashville, Tracy still carries the sensibilities of the small-town boy who once played smoky bars and county fairs. His humor is easy, his words are thoughtful, and his gratitude is abundant. “My wife keeps me grounded,” he said. “My mother keeps me grounded. I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by prayer warriors in my life.”

When asked what milestone still feels unreal after all these years, Tracy didn’t hesitate. “That number-one record with Find Out Who Your Friends Are,” he said. “But lately, I’ve also had a massive resurgence since we came out of COVID. My team and I worked really hard at managing my brand value, and it’s been amazing to watch that happen. It might look like it just happened on its own, but there’s a lot of work and strategy behind it.” He said that their diligence, combined with taking advantage of modern outlets like social media, has enabled his career to thrive in the ever-changing tide of the industry.

Tracy Lawrence may be a household name, but he speaks like a neighbor sharing a cup of coffee on your front porch. He talks as easily about his love for George Jones as he does about Lady Gaga and Frank Sinatra, and the common thread is clear: great music transcends genre. “I just love good music,” he said simply. “It inspires me.”

On November 8th, fans can expect a mix of classics and crowd favorites, delivered with the same sincerity that has carried Tracy’s career from honkytonks to arenas. For Texarkana, it’s a homecoming for a beloved family member—a reunion. For Tracy Lawrence, it’s a reminder that, no matter how far the journey takes you, the road always finds a way to lead back home.

Tickets are available at tracylawrence.com.

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