We were lucky to catch up with Tracey Thomas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tracey, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I have had quite a few albums that I am proud of, over the years but I believe writing my memoir “Little Miss Akron” is what I am happy about, probably the most, because it took 4 years and I wanted to give up many times but I soldiered through. I released it the same day as it’s companion album “Words Can’t Save Us Now” and as a later in life release it has been the most fulfilling, proving that age is pretty irrelevant in the arts.

Tracey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a singer/songwriter, recording artist from Akron Ohio. I began working at the age of 16 and I am now 66 and still working. This year is my 50th year in the business. I have 12 albums (2 on vinyl) including my first recording “Scared Of The Dark” which was released by the band Unit 5 when I was in the punk scene. I released a memoir in 2025, as well as my first ever acoustic record “Words Can’t Save Us Now” as a duo release. I have worked with many interesting people through the years including, The Black Keys, Judy Collins, The Dead Boys, Melanie and more. I am the mother of 3 grown adults who are also songwriters and musicians. My daughter Emma’s band SUITOR, out of Cleveland is signed to Fee It Records. My Son Cory just finished his first album and my daughter Marisa is recording her own music as well. I currently have a band “The Crones” that plays in NE Ohio, we are a group of women over 50 and we put this together to just have fun, no pressure, live a little as opposed to retiring. We play only songs from 1980-1989 by female fronted bands such as The Go Go’s Bangles Pretenders Blondie and more.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

There definitely is now, as an aging female in the music industry. I want to prove that it’s not required of us to quit when we are considered less than marketable. The Crones pack clubs, we give woman of a certain age some inspiration to continue doing what they love regardless of age or people’s opinions. This band has some of the finest musicians I’ve ever worked with all women, all aging. I think it is vital for people to keep doing what they love, to have passion about their work and purpose, for as long as possible. Once I let go of any agenda to be anything or accomplish anything in particular, I started to have fun, loosen up and enjoy creating for the sake of creating alone. It’s very freeing.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn that success meant accomplishing something that made money, or gained notoriety on some level. I busted my arse to be this, or be that, do this, work with bla bla bla. The real success is in just creating something, working for the love of it and feeling joy because of it. Art for arts sake as they say. I had released many albums that were lovely but I felt as if I was very unsuccessful because I didn’t break into the music business on a larger scale. For years I felt like I had wasted my time and energy “trying” to be a musician. The truth all along is that I am a musician, always have been and I have a large body of work to be proud of. I was never in it for the money or the fame, I was in it for the love of creating. I just didn’t know it when I was younger. This is a life lesson that I learned later on. I think I create with more passion now that the expectations are no longer surrounding my vision.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://traceythomasmusic.com
• Instagram: Tracey Thomas Shepard@traceythomasmusic
• Facebook: Tracey Thomas@traceythomasmusic
• Youtube: Tracey Thomas