Traci Braxton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Traci Braxton
Braxton performing at Howard University in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Traci Renee Braxton
Born	(1971-04-02)April 2, 1971 Severn, Maryland, U.S
Died	March 12, 2022(2022-03-12) (aged 50)
Genres	R&B
Occupation(s)	Singer media personality
Years active	1989–2022
Labels	eOne Soul World
Associated acts	The Braxtons Toni Braxton Tamar Braxton Trina Braxton Raheem DeVaughn

Traci Renee Braxton (born April 2, 1971 – died March 12, 2022) was an American singer. She was also known for being a reality television star and a radio host.

Early Life and Family

Traci Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland. She was the third child in her family. Her father, Michael Conrad Braxton Sr., worked for a power company and was a Methodist minister. Her mother, Evelyn Jackson, was from South Carolina. She was a former opera singer, a cosmetologist, and also a pastor. Traci's grandfather on her mother's side was also a pastor.

Traci had an older brother, Michael Jr., and four sisters: Toni, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar. Traci and her siblings grew up in a very religious home. Her first time performing was singing in her church choir.

Music Career and TV Shows

Starting with The Braxtons

In 1989, Traci and her sisters Toni, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar signed their first music deal with Arista Records. They released their first song, "Good Life", in 1990. This was their only song as a group of five. "Good Life" did not become a big hit. The record company decided to drop The Braxtons because the sisters' ages were very different, which made it hard to market them.

In 1991, two music producers, Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, were starting a new record company called LaFace Records. They chose Toni Braxton to be their first solo female artist. The other sisters were told that LaFace Records was not looking for another girl group at that time.

Changes and New Paths

After Toni left the group in 1991, Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar became backup singers for Toni. They sang with her on her tours, in her music videos, and at her promotional events. The four sisters even appeared in Toni Braxton's music video for her song "Seven Whole Days".

Later, in 1993, the remaining Braxtons sisters signed with LaFace Records again. However, they never released any music with that label. When a record executive named Bryant Reid moved to Atlantic Records, he helped the group move there too.

In 1995, it was reported that Traci Braxton left the group to work as a youth counselor. However, it was later confirmed in 2004 that Traci could not sign with Atlantic Records because she was pregnant at the time.

Reality TV and Solo Music

In 2011, Traci reunited with her sisters for a WE tv reality show called Braxton Family Values. She also appeared as a backup singer for her sisters on some shows. In 2013, Traci and her husband, Kevin Surratt, joined a reality show called Marriage Boot Camp.

In 2013, Traci started her solo music career. She signed with a company called Entertainment One (eOne Music) and Soul World Entertainment. She also started her own radio show called "The Traci Braxton Show" on BLIS.F.M. radio.

Her first solo album, Crash & Burn, came out on October 7, 2014. The main song from the album, "Last Call," reached number 16 on the US R&B Adult chart. The album Crash & Burn also reached number 1 on the Heatseekers Albums chart. Another song, "Perfect Time," was released in 2015.

Later Years and Films

In 2015, Traci became a judge for the Mrs. DC America pageant. In October 2015, The Braxtons group released their second album together, called Braxton Family Christmas. This album did well on the holiday music charts.

In 2016, Traci announced she was releasing a new song called "Body Shots" for her second album. She also acted in a stage play called There's a Stranger in My House in 2017.

On April 20, 2018, she released the song "Broken Things" which featured her sisters Toni, Towanda, and Trina. Her second album, On Earth, was released on August 24, 2018.

Around the same time, Traci started acting in movies. She appeared in the film Sinners Wanted in 2018. In 2019, she acted in the movie All In. In 2020, she starred in the film The Christmas Lottery. In 2021, she was featured on a song called "Stay with Me" by Candiace.

Passing Away

Traci Braxton passed away on March 12, 2022, when she was 50 years old. She had been battling esophageal cancer for about a year before her death.

She is remembered by her parents, her sisters, her brother, her husband Kevin Surrat, their son Kevin Surrat Jr. and his wife Olivia, and her grandson Kevin Surrat, III.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Appearances

Film

• 2018: Sinners Wanted: Nana
• 2019: All In: Foster Mom
• 2020: The Christmas Lottery: Announcer

Television

• Braxton Family Values (as herself, 2011–2020)
• Marriage Boot Camp (as herself, 2014)

Radio

• The Traci Braxton Show

Theater

• There's a Stranger in My House (2017)