Faith in mankind restored
Local player Kevin Tracey recovers from beating
The life of a musician can be unique, to say the least; rehearsal, gigging, recording, band personnel issues, drama, just to name a few.
This story is about a gentle musician who takes life in stride and lets his instrument speak his words. Hometown, Springfield, Ill., is where guitarist Kevin Tracey received his first guitar from his dad. A teenager with a guitar led to many jam sessions, performances and more practice. At the age of 18, Tracey joined the U.S. Air Force. Stationed in Japan, he continued to perform with a very dynamic group of other stationed musicians. His performances continued after relocating to Denver where original songs started to emerge onto the bandstand.
The Pacific Northwest was calling and Tracey arrived the day Mt. St. Helens erupted in 1980. His musical journey continued with a six-year stint, performing in cover bands on the Northwest Red Lion circuit.
Tracey's next decision took him to Portland State University to obtain a business degree. His music was developing into a personal, acoustic guitar style of performance. One of his first steady gigs at Andale Restaurant in Vancouver, Wash., lead to an expansion of his repertoire, as the owners provided Tracey with tapes of Mexican folk music. From the tapes, and four years performing at Andale's, he developed that style of guitar work.
Tracey moved back into the cover band scene with acts such as: Apex, Kevin Tracey Band and Double Shot, to name a few. He still performs from time to time with the bands, but also is continuing to hone his acoustic guitar skills in local shows. Tracey has released a beautiful instrumental CD he recorded in 2001 featuring all original songs. The title, Long Way Back, is somehow appropriate given the unforeseen events that recently transpired in Kevin Tracey's life.
On Feb. 9, 2009, Tracey had been cross-country skiing near Dougan Falls along the upper Washougal River and was viciously attacked by two men. Tracey, beaten senseless and choked with a rope, was dragged to a wooded area by the attackers and left to die. The men took Tracey's SUV, keys, wallet, checkbook, credit cards and ID and fled. By grace, Tracey was found by three Clark College students and has since made a miraculous recovery from the incident.
Less than a month after the attack, local musicians provided a benefit concert for Tracey at Cascade Bar & Grill in Vancouver, Wash., and raised over $10,000 for his medical expenses and replacement vehicle. The highlight of the event was Tracey on stage with guitar in hand, performing with friends. There are still medical issues Tracey must undergo before fully healing. To help with expenses, Bank of America is collecting donations on Tracey's behalf.
Kevin Tracey is a very gentle soul. On the description of his 2001 CD, he states that the songs were inspired by the great northwest. The softer tunes reflect his many wonderful trips backpacking and climbing around this area. He invites you to join him on an acoustic adventure and the feel good spirit within. You may purchase Tracey's CD at www.cdbaby.com. Tracey can be found performing around the area and is featured at the Parker House Restaurant in Washougal, Wash., every first Thursday of the month during wine tasting, at 7 p.m.
This experience has changed Kevin Tracey. From the man's own words, Tracey expressed heartfelt gratitude for the experience and the results. His humility shines through as he shares that this series of events have overwhelmingly restored his faith in mankind.