Southern Country magazine said of Tracy Elsdon in February 1990, “Tracy Elsdon is without doubt a natural entertainer with a love of country music that makes her one of the most exciting new talents to grace the British country music scene.” Although driven by a strong desire and determination to succeed in the business, Tracy was a down to earth, genuine young lady. When it was suggested she chose a more glamorous name for the stage, retorted “I’m not in it for the glamour, my name is me”. With this refreshing attitude, Tracy could only blush at the many accolades that were afforded her by some of the most respected names in country music “The most talented entertainer I’ve seen in many years” (Joe Butler of the Hillsiders on Radio City, Liverpool) “An English rose with a unique image and sincerity” (Tony Best) “A breath of fresh air, a great future” (Neil Coppendale) “This girl is something special” (Dave Street – Southern Country) “A truly refreshing act, sets her apart” (John Nelmes) “Must surely go straight to the top without passing Go” (Vic Woodhouse). Praise indeed for ex-Pontin’s Bluecoat Tracy who had always sung country throughout her short but varied career that led her to fulfil her ambition of fronting her own excellent country band, Ashanti who I saw a number of times on the club circuit.
Tracy Elsdon was ‘discovered’ by Wes Cardy while on a family holiday at Pontins at Barton Hall, Torquay in Devon c1987. She was working as a Bluecoat. She was a great John Denver fan and did an acoustic spot one afternoon. Wes and Jan Mellon spoke to her and on finding out she lived locally to them in East Anglia, Wes invited her to sing with him a couple of times at his solo pub gigs. This quickly launched her onto the country circuit after giving up her job at Pontins after only one year. She formed a band with a few local musicians and was inevitably soon ‘discovered’ by Country promoter Vic Woodhouse who quickly put together a bunch of better musicians and the band Ashanti was formed. Vic Woodhouse also invited Tracy to co-host his weekly Essex Country radio show on BBC Essex which she did using the pseudonym Albert.
The original line up of Ashanti was Tracy Elsdon (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Robbie Bearns (lead guitar), Jim Martin (pedal steel guitar and lead guitar), Darren Juniper (bass) and Ray Hailey (drums). Like many country bands, the line up was somewhat fluid with Gary Barton later coming in on lead guitar along with another drummer. Ashanti disbanded in the early 90s and Tracy formed a new 5-piece band which included some former members of Ashanti. The line up was Tracy Elsdon (lead vocals and rhythm guitar). Jim Weaver (lead guitar), Scott Newstead (keys), Darren Juniper (bass) and Ray Hailey (drums).
In early 1993 Tracy was signed to Mick Clerkin’s recently launched Ritz Records and in October that year she released her first (and only) 14-track CD album ‘Relatively Speaking’. The album also included, I’ll Walk Beside You, a duet with Dominic Kirwan which was also released as a CD single. In 1993 Tracy and her band toured extensively with Dominic Kirwan.
Tracy Elsdon’s career as a country singer was relatively short lived. By 1994 she had given up singing to get married and start a family. She trained as a registered counsellor with the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists and is now working in East Anglia away from the limelight. She never returned to the stage and having brought up her family she prefers to remain anonymous and forget about her short country career.
Research by Nick Catford.
Here is a video of Tracy Elsdon at the Redbridge Festival on 20th June 1993.