Gene Tracy was born Ivan Eugene Morris on April 8, 1927 in Anadarko, Oklahoma. A comic legend, Gene Tracy was born with not only a funny gene, but also a sincerity and gentleness that didn't go unnoticed by his audience. With his terrific sense of humor and knack of telling funny party jokes, his millions of fans soon dubbed him "Mr. Truck Stop" and "Ol Red Eyes". Whether stand-up comedian, after dinner speaker, evening entertainer, emcee, actor, or carnival promoter, Gene Tracy became the consummate entertainers' entertainer. In the beginning, Ivan Morris (Gene) was a front man for the Paul Miller Carnival called "The Greatest Free Show On Earth". Escaping a tragic relationship with his abusive father, he ran off and joined the circus at an early age. Ivan (Gene) would travel ahead of the caravan, promoting the event by putting radio and newspaper ads on power poles in any given town. One such event changed the direction of his life forever. Following a snowstorm at a fraternal event, the scheduled keynote speaker for the night was forced to cancel at the last minute. Since Ivan (Gene) was already in town, he filled in with some of the stories and "party jokes" that he picked up from drivers at the truck stops he frequented in his travels. In the audience was a radio station owner who booked Ivan (Gene) in a club outside Charlotte, NC. From there he was discovered by a record company executive, signed to a recording contract and given the name Gene Tracy. Today, more than four decades later, Gene's hilarious stories and jokes have sold more than 20 million recordings and his comedic legacy is firmly cemented. Throughout the years, Gene appeared in several movies, including "Movin On". In addition, he found work on radio and television shows such as "Rin-Tin-Tin" and worked many great entertainers like Jackie Cooper, Ann Margaret, Claude Akins, Rex Allen, Pat Buttram, Archie Campbell, Carol Channing, Peggy Lee and many others. Gene Tracy passed away in El Paso, TX in 1979 of a heart attack at just 52 years of age. He is buried in Tampa, Florida in Sunset Memory Gardens (a cemetery for carnival people). He is survived by his only daughter, Michelle, a granddaughter, Tracy Lynn and a grandson, Bobby. GoodTime Productions and www.genetracy.com are located at 1900 Elm Hil Pike, Nashville, TN 37210. Phone 615-889-8000. Fax is 615-871-4817.