Tracy Lawrence was born in Atlanta, Texas and raised in Foreman, Arkansas. Lawrence played in his first band at the age of 16. He attended Southern Arkansas State University in Magnolia, AR where he was a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity. In 1990 Lawrence left Arkansas and went to Nashville, Tennessee.

Lawrence took jobs as an ironworker and in phone sales while he tried to break into the Nashville music scene. He began participating in talent shows and earned enough money to live on. In 1991 he had a gig at the Bluebird Cafe and met Wayne Edwards who became his manager.

With Edwards assistance Lawrence signed with Atlantic Records and released his first album Sticks and Stones. On 31 May 1991 Lawrence walked his former girlfriend to the door of her hotel room and was confronted by three armed men. The men robbed them and attempted to force Lawrence and his friend into her motel room. Lawrence resisted and was shot four times, allowing his friend to escape. Two of the wounds were major and necessitated surgery. One of the bullets remains imbedded in Lawrence's pelvis.

Lawrence's album shot up the charts to number one on the back of publicity from the shooting and spawned several Top 10 singles. Lawrence's second album Alibis went Platinum and generated three straight Number One singles.

Lawrence was Billboard's Top New Male Vocalist in 1992 and received the Academy of Country Music's Best New Artist and Top New Male Vocalist in 1993.

In 1994 Lawrence released his third album, I See It Now was also a Platinum album. Lawrence released a Live album in 1995 and another studio album entitled Time Marches On in 1996. In 1997 Lawrence released another album entitled Coast is Clear which he co-produced. All told, Lawrence generated 7 Number One singles by this time and every one of his albums at this point in his career had gone Platinum.

In 2005, he released the album "Then & Now: The Hits Collection" that had him singing new vocals on the majority of his hit songs, as well as two new songs, "Used to the Pain" and "If I Don't Make it Back." both of which charted on the Billboard Country Charts. The new recordings sounded very similar to the previous ones, although on some tracks, such as "I See It Now" and "If The World Had a Front Porch" Lawrence's maturity may have improved the vocals, giving them a little more depth. The main reason for re-recording the songs instead of just making a run of the mill greatest hits collection was that Lawrence had switched record labels and Universal Music Group, who he currently records for, does not hold the rights to the old recordings. The new album was very well received and is leaving fans wanting even more out of the unique country star.

Lawrence is know to have a wide range with sounds ranging from neotraditional country to songs with a definite southern rock feel.

Lawrence has visited US troops involved in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and annually participates in a golf tournament to raise funds for cystic fibrosis research. Lawrence has also purchased equipment for his hometown high school in Arkansas.

Lawrence has been inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame.