TrueHeart

Singer-songwriter Ross Vick may have been born and bred in Texas, but in many ways he's a throwback to the cool and soulful, lyrically incisive California rock vibe that gave rise to legendary artists like The Eagles and Jackson Browne. So it's not surprising that his own musical dreams were launched one night in 2003 at the famed Troubadour club in Los Angeles, when a concert by the band Great Big Sea inspired him to leave his successful 25-year career in the toy industry, follow his wife's advice (?Avoid the morgue. Find a new line of work?) and start his own band TrueHeart.

Vick's dynamic five year, four-album journey as the band's leader culminates along The Road, the band's most successful and critically acclaimed recording to date. Produced and co-written by famed producer and engineer Gary Leach?whose work on LeAnn Rimes' early recordings earned him and Tyler, Texas based Rosewood Studios three platinum records?The Road has spawned two major adult contemporary hits with the rockin' yet heartfelt, inspirational title track and the poignant acoustic ballad ?Plan For Peace.? ?The Road? reached #25 on the MediaBase AC chart, #27 on Billboard's AC chart and and #5 on the FMQB AC chart; it ranked #90 on the year end MediaBase chart for 2007. Originally released as a holiday single for 2007, ?Plan For Peace? became an airplay champion throughout the first months of 2008; it ranked in the Top 40 on the MediaBase and BDS AC charts.

Considering the leap of faith that Vick took just a few years ago, his success both with radio, consumers and on the live circuit has been nothing short of incredible. TrueHeart, whose releases include One By One (2003), the (Grammy winner) Phil York produced What Is Mine (2004) and a self titled album in 2005, has opened for The Beach Boys at the Make a Wish Foundation event in Dallas and performed at the International Pop Overthrow festival (IPO) at Liverpool's famed Cavern Club (where the Beatles launched their legendary career) and Lennon's. The band has also been a popular attraction in the U.S., performing everywhere from The Exit/In in Nashville, The Pontiac Grill in Philly and Poor David's Pub in Dallas; Vick's regular haunt at home in Dallas is Opening Bell Coffee, where he often gigs with TrueHeart Bassist James Driscoll.

Material success aside, there's also a deeper emotional current behind the songs on The Road. The title track is dedicated to Willie Tichenor, a close family friend (and best friend of Vick's son Ross Vick IV) who died of osteosarcoma (bone cancer) after a several year struggle in 2006. Vick wrote ?The Road? after watching his son deal with Tichenor's death, and as a reflection on the crossroads in his own life; though ?Plan For Peace? can be interpreted in a global/universal way about the problems in the world with the father mentioned being God, it was originally written for Tichenor's dad. TrueHeart is donating a portion of the sale of The Road to a local foundation dedicated to cancer research.

Vick explains: ?The WWWWFoundation (What Would Willie Want) was set up by Willie's parents as a tribute to his life and struggle which touched thousands of people. I want to honor his life by helping any way I can. The Road was part of my healing process. Just after Willie passed away, my parents got divorced, my brother Pat and sister Karen left TrueHeart and my father in law died. But Gary and I wrote ?Still Time' as if to say we still have a chance to change things and make a new plan. Some have called ?Lay Me Down,' a song about the human spirit carrying on, one of the happiest funeral songs they've ever heard!

?I just feel it's too easy to wallow in misery and hate everything,? Vick adds. ?And it's equally unchallenging to keep the blinders on and pretend there is no pain in the world. Keeping it real and telling stories about real people is what I find most compelling and, I think, what I do best. Trying to break through as an independent band in this business is a bumpy journey sometimes, but the important thing is to touch people's lives through my music. Whether I'm playing a little coffee shop or a large charity concert, there's nothing more fulfilling for me than to have people come up to me afterwards and say how much my songs meant to them. When they say, ?I needed to hear that song today,' I know I've made all the right choices in my life.?