Tracy McNeil & The Goodlife
Biography Tracy McNeil & The Goodlife
Tracy McNeil
Canadian born McNeil has been releasing albums in Australia to the adulation of critics and aficionados since her arrival on our shores in 2007. Described as ‘fully realized, world-class country rock’ (Rhythms Magazine), her latest release Thieves (winner Best Country Album at The Age Music Victoria Awards), brings a healthy dose of Californian shimmer, harking back to the halcyon days of late 1970’s L.A. country rock with Laurel Canyon-esque harmonies hung from pop hooks.
As a singer/songwriter, Tracy McNeil delivers classic Americana sounds with a healthy dose of shimmer, harking back to the halcyon days of late 70s L.A country rock harmonies hung on pop-hooks. With her band The GoodLife, they coast a musical landscape infusing her Canadian roots with the heart and grit of Australia’s alt-country music scene.
Winning Best Country Album for her last release, Thieves (The Age Music Victoria Awards 2016), she was featured in Rolling Stone’s coveted Future Is Now segment, stating Thieves as “a dazzling LP…A technicolour West Coast dreamscape: the sound of sunrise over cedars and noonday Joshua Trees and high desert dusk…”
After sell-out album launches in Melbourne, she has embarked on national tours and has appeared at many major festivals around the country including: Out On the Weekend (VIC), Port Fairy Folk Festival (VIC), Dashville Skyline (NSW), Riverboats (VIC), Bigsound (QLD), Welcome To Morrisonville (QLD), Nannup (WA) as well as performing at AmericanaFest in Nashville (US) as part of Sounds Australia. She has support visiting international artists such as Mary Gauthier (US), Tony Joe White (US), Dawes (US), Deer Tick (US) and Walter Trout (US) and local luminaries Weddings Parties Anything and The Audreys.
After sold-out shows in Melbourne, she has toured the country and appeared at many major festivals including Out On The Weekend (VIC), Port Fairy Folk Festival (VIC), Dashville Skyline (NSW), Bigsound (QLD) and AmericanaFest (Nashville, USA). Throughout her musical career, McNeil has supported international artists Dawes (USA), Old Crow Medicine Show (USA), Eilen Jewell (USA), Mary Gauthier (USA), Tony Joe White, (USA) Great Big Sea (CAN), Lindi Ortega (CAN) and local luminaries, Liz Stringer, The Audreys, Jeff Lang and Weddings Parties Anything.
Featured in Rolling Stone’s coveted ‘Future is Now’ segment, they highlighted Thieves as “dazzing fourth LP…a technicolour West Coast dreamscape: the sound of sunrise over cedars and noonday Joshua Trees and high desert dusk…” (4 stars).
“Tracy’s band The GoodLife are a true-super group made up of stellar musicians in the tradition of mid-period Fleetwood Mac.” – Basement Discs
Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife currently features multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Dan Parsons on lead guitar, Brendan McMahon on keys, Bree Hartley on drums, Craig Kelly on bass and Tracy McNeil on guitar and lead vocals.
