Tracy Newman is a television writer and producer. Her first writing job, along with her partner Jonathan Stark, was on staff at Cheers. From there they wrote on a number of other sitcoms, including Bob, The Nanny, Hiller and Diller, and The Drew Carey Show. In 1997, they won the Emmy and the prestigious Peabody Award for co-writing the “coming out” episode of Ellen. In 2001, they created the ABC comedy, According to Jim, starring Jim Belushi, which is now entering its seventh season of production. Tracy has been a songwriter throughout her television career and recently released her first CD, “A Place in the Sun.” (www.cdbaby.com/cd/tracynewman.) She works with two other singers – Gene Lippmann and Lorie Doswell, (www.loriedoswell.com.)

Tracy is also a founding member of the very successful Los Angeles improvisation group, The Groundlings. (www.groundlings.com.) She performed, taught and often directed shows there for the first 15 years of its existence. The Groundlings have spawned many of the gifted players on Saturday Night Live, starting with Tracy’s sister, Laraine Newman. Some of the other comedy talents who came up through The Groundlings are Paul “Pee Wee Herman” Reubens, Jon Lovitz, Kathy Griffin, Julia Sweeney, Lisa Kudrow, Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Will Forte and the late, great Phil Hartmann.

Click “new songs” on the menu to the left, and watch Tracy and her group, The Reinforcements playing the song “Laraine” live at Kulak’s Woodshed! (www.kulakswoodshed.com.)