Country singer Tracy Lawrence said he has stopped pursuing acting after recent trips to California left him “disheartening” about the state, he told the “Like a Farmer” podcast. The 58-year-old said he had worked with acting coaches over several years but decided to “pull the plug on all that stuff,” according to the podcast.
Lawrence said high costs played a major role in his decision. “Man, we’re looking at $10 a gallon just for gas,” he said on the podcast, adding that taxes and travel expenses make performing in California costly. He said he will be in the state in August and September for a series of shows but is not looking forward to the expense.
He also criticized the broader economy in the state. “They tax you to death,” Lawrence said. He called touring there “basically as difficult and as unprofitable as going into Canada right now,” according to the podcast.
In a March episode of his own podcast, “TL’s Road House,” Lawrence urged keeping politics out of music. “Music is supposed to be one of those things that brings us all together,” he said on that episode, adding that he wished for a return to music as a unifying force amid divisive politics.
Lawrence is set to star in the Netflix mystery thriller “Heartland,” which also features Jessica Chastain and country singer Carter Faith, according to Netflix. The film follows Chastain’s character, a former country singer searching for a niece missing in Nashville. His past acting credits include appearances in “Voices,” “Furious in Alabama” and the TV series “Walker, Texas Ranger.”
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
