A guitar player since his childhood, Jacques Tranoy aka "Country Jack" has been influenced at an early age by Country Music. Among his favorites are Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris, Randy Travis, Rodney Crowell, Alan Jackson or Garth Brooks. He comes from the town of Reims, situated in the legendary french Champagne area, not far from Paris.
Back in 1994, he released a first studio cassette with both Country classics and songs of his own : "Chevaux libres" (Fresh horses)14 tracks all sung in French. He 's playing rythm & lead guitar, pedal steel guitar, banjo and harmonica.
He started apearing in small cafes on the " French Riviera", then in his own area and Paris outskirts previous to major shows at big Forbach, Niederbronn and Besançon Country festivals.
He self produced a new Cd album entitled "La vie c'est une danse" (Life is a dance),another product sung in French with both originals songs and covers by the likes of Doc Watson, John Michael Montgomery. Still quite unknown, Country Jack has done a lot of radio shows recently to promote his album and started getting press reviews including France's Country Music Attitude and Italy's Jamboree. On stage he is supported by a bunch of three musicains or in solo.
Review by Jean Charles Smaine