Tricia Walker is a singer and songwriter whose songs are steeped in the passion, pain and grace of the American South. Born and raised in Mississippi, Tricia has become one of the clearest voices of her own time and place. Her music has been recorded by Faith Hill, Patty Loveless and Alison Krauss, whose performance of Tricia's “Looking in the Eyes of Love” earned a Grammy. A recording artist herself, Tricia's CD, The Heart of Dixie, thoughtfully captures the songwriter's view of the South with well-placed lyrics and music reflecting her folk, R & B and storytelling influences. "Culture is a precious, living thing," Tricia says. "It has to be nurtured if it's going to survive. Any artist or creative thinker has a responsibility to help chronicle his or her own time, place and people. That's the surest way to keep a culture from disappearing." Before moving to Nashville in the 1980s, Tricia earned a degree in Music Education, and a Masters degree in Music Theory and Composition. During her 26-year career in Nashville, Tricia served as a staff songwriter for Word Music and Polygram Music before starting her own publishing company, Crossfield Music, where she served as Creative Director for ten years. She currently operates Big Front Porch Music to handle the publishing of her song catalog. Tricia's instrumental skills earned her a spot backing Grand Ole Opry star Connie Smith, with whom she played for six years. She also toured extensively with Shania Twain and Paul Overstreet as a keyboard player and vocalist. Along with Pam Tillis, Karen Staley and Ashley Cleveland, Tricia was a founding member of "Women in the Round," one of the most celebrated foursomes at Nashville's prestigious Bluebird Café. She has performed multiple times at the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Tin Pan South Songwriting Festival in Nashville, was a New Folk Winner at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas and featured at Austin's South by Southwest Music Festival. Musical highlights have included singing at Robert Redford's Christmas Cantata at Sundance Resort in Utah as well as a live performance during a commissioned choreographed work for the Nashville Ballet entitled "All the Way Home," co-written by Tricia and Kate Campbell. In 2006, Tricia returned to her native Mississippi to serve as director of the Delta Music Institute, a recording arts and music business program at Delta State University, her alma mater. Tricia Walker offers an entertaining slice of her places and times, delivered with a beautiful voice, strong musicianship and the ease of a veteran entertainer. Southern style never had it so good. For more information, contact www.bigfrontporch.com