Tracie Spencer

Last updated

Tracie Spencer
Born
Tracie Monique Spencer [1]

(1976-07-12) July 12, 1976 (age 47)
Education Columbus High School
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Musical career
Genres
Instrument(s)Vocals
Years active1987–2006, 2023-present
Labels

Tracie Monique Spencer (born July 12, 1976) is an American singer-songwriter. Spencer first came to attention in 1987, when the then 11-year-old won the junior vocalist competition on the television show Star Search . Spencer soon signed a contract with Capitol Records, at the time the youngest female artist to do so. She went on to gain attention for her R&B and pop singles "Symptoms of True Love" (1988), "This House" (1990), "Tender Kisses" (1991) and "It's All About You (Not About Me)" (1999).

Contents

Biography

Early life and education

Born in Waterloo, Iowa, on July 12, 1976 [3] to Theresa (née Williams) and Marvin E. Spencer Sr. [4] Spencer's mother is of Creole and Native American descent; her father, a well-known musician, [5] is French Canadian and Panamanian. [6] Spencer has three siblings, Marvin Jr., Marty and Tricia.

Spencer began singing at the age of three and began modeling in pageant competitions at age five. In addition to singing, Spencer was an honor student who also played basketball in elementary and high school. [7] [8] Spencer attended Waterloo's Columbus High School, [9] graduating in 1994, having already released four Top-10 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs (see next section).

Career

1987–1992

Spencer performed, produced and directed her first music videos before she was ten years of age. This led to her competing on Star Search in 1987, where she won the $10,000 junior vocalist prize. Afterwards, Spencer became the youngest female artist to sign a record deal with a major label, Capitol Records, [10] and to release an album.

Her self-titled debut album, released on January 16, 1988, produced the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop-charting singles "Hide and Seek", "Symptoms of True Love" and her remake of John Lennon's "Imagine".

Spencer's second album, Make the Difference , was released on August 27, 1990. The first single, "Save Your Love", was her first to reach the Top-10 on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts, reaching No. 7. Her following single, "This House", became her biggest hit ever, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single "Tender Kisses" hit No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts and made her the youngest female artist to receive the ASCAP songwriter of the year award in 1992. [11] The other singles from this album, "This Time Make It Funky" and "Love Me", charted on both the Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts. In 1993, Spencer recorded the follow-up to Make the Difference and was going to release what was supposed to be her third studio album entitled Naturelle but for unknown reasons it was shelved by Capitol Records. The unreleased album was discovered in 2022 by a fan as a forgotten rare cassette only tape format with very few copies released for promotional use. The details of the album and two photos of it can be seen on Discogs.com. The album on that site is only titled as "Naturelle" with an early 1994 release date. The album never saw the light of day in full and the promotional sampler can be heard on Youtube.

1993–1999

Spencer served on the board of the Children's Defense Fund as a teen and was given the Martin Luther King Christian Leadership Award for being a positive role model to youth and traveling across the US and abroad as part of a "Stay in School" program. Spencer made a guest appearance on the hit ABC sitcom, Family Matters as well as commercials, in 1993 and recorded the song "I'll Be There for You" for the 1997 film, Good Burger , "The Rain" for Down in the Delta , "Don't Slip Away" for the Super Mario Bros. (film) and Girlfight , starring Michelle Rodriguez. Spencer also modeled for Tommy Hilfiger, Chanel, and Dollhouse, which led to her being a part of New York City and Los Angeles' fashion weeks during 1999 and 2000, being styled by Derek Khan, being signed to "NEXT" modeling agency and appearing in numerous magazines. On June 29, 1999, Spencer released Tracie , which featured the singles "It's All About You (Not About Me)" and "Still in My Heart".

2023-Present

After a hiatus, Spencer and fellow R&B singer Shanice appeared together on Sherri on September 29, 2023.

Discography

Studio albums

YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positions
US
[12]
US R&B
[12]
GER
[13]
1988 Tracie Spencer
  • First studio album
  • Release date: January 16, 1988
  • Label: Capitol
1465746
1990 Make the Difference
  • Second studio album
  • Release date: August 27, 1990
  • Label: Capitol
10738
1999 Tracie
  • Third studio album
  • Release date: June 29, 1999
  • Label: Capitol
11419
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

YearSinglePeak chart positionsAlbum
US
[12]
US
R&B

[12]
US
Dan

[12]
AUS
[14] [15]
GER
[13]
NZ
[16]
UK
[17]
1988"Hide and Seek"32 Tracie Spencer
"Symptoms of True Love"38111424100
1989"Imagine"8531
1990"Save Your Love"720 Make the Difference
"This House"377872665
1991"This Time Make It Funky"54311316348
"Tender Kisses"421
1992"Love Me"482
1999"It's All About You (Not About Me)"18665 Tracie
2000"Still in My Heart"883639
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hide and Seek (Tracie Spencer song)</span> 1988 single by Tracie Spencer

"Hide and Seek" is the first single from Tracie Spencer's self-titled debut album. The single was released in December 1987 and was written by Lynn Davis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This House (Tracie Spencer song)</span> 1990 single by Tracie Spencer

"This House" is a song by American singer–songwriter Tracie Spencer. This song was the second single released from Spencer's second album, Make the Difference (1990). Issued via the Capitol Records label, the single was released on November 7, 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Time Make It Funky</span> 1991 single by Tracie Spencer

"This Time Make It Funky" is a 1991 song by American singer–songwriter Tracie Spencer. This song is the third single from Spencer's second album, Make the Difference which was released in August of the previous year. The single was released on May 1, 1991. As stated in the title, the track samples many different hip-hop beats and rhythms as Spencer tells the DJ to "drop the bass...and make it funky".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's All About You (Not About Me)</span> 1999 single by Tracie Spencer

"It's All About You (Not About Me)" is the first single from Tracie Spencer's third album, Tracie. The single was released on May 25, 1999. It was written by Heavynn, Karlin, and Schack. This was Spencer's first single since "Love Me" in 1992. A remix version features Black Thought from The Roots.

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"Missing You" is a song performed by American singer Diana Ross, recorded for her 1984 album Swept Away. The song was written, composed, and produced by Lionel Richie as a tribute to Marvin Gaye, who was murdered by his father earlier that year. The memorial song was released as the album's fourth single on November 13, 1984, by RCA. Richie also provided background vocals on the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Still in My Heart</span> 1999 single by Tracie Spencer

"Still in My Heart" is the second single from Tracie Spencer's third album, Tracie. It was sent to urban contemporary radio on October 19, 1999. It failed to make much of an impression and peaked at #88 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #36 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks chart in 2000.

<i>Make the Difference</i> 1990 studio album by Tracie Spencer

Make the Difference is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Tracie Spencer. It was released on August 27, 1990, by Capitol Records.

<i>Tracie Spencer</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Tracie Spencer

Tracie Spencer is the debut album of American singer Tracie Spencer, released on June 25, 1988 on Capitol Records.

<i>Tracie</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Tracie Spencer

Tracie is the third and final studio album by R&B singer Tracie Spencer released on June 29, 1999. Two singles were released from the album in 1999 with "It's All About You " and "Still in My Heart", aided by music videos directed by Francis Lawrence and Kevin Bray, respectively. Tracie went to #114 on the Billboard 200 and #19 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart becoming her highest charting album on that chart.

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References

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  5. john.molseed@wcfcourier.com, JOHN MOLSEED. "Marvin Spencer had golden voice, personality". Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier.
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  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "US Charts > Tracie Spencer". Billboard . Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  13. 1 2 "GER Charts > Tracie Spencer". Media Control Charts . Retrieved June 13, 2013.[ dead link ]
  14. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 263.
  15. "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing September 16, 1991" . Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  16. "NZ Charts > Tracie Spencer". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand . Retrieved June 13, 2013.
  17. "UK Charts > Tracie Spencer". Official Charts Company . Retrieved January 27, 2020.