Traces of $C^*$-algebras of connected solvable groups

We give an explicit description of the tracial state simplex of the $C^*$-algebra $C^*(G)$ of an arbitrary connected, second countable, locally compact, solvable group $G$. We show that every tracial state of $C^*(G)$ lifts from a tracial state of the $C^*$-algebra of the abelianized group, and the intersection of the kernels of all the tracial states of $C^*(G)$ is a proper ideal unless $G$ is abelian. As a consequence, the $C^*$-algebra of a connected solvable nonabelian Lie group cannot embed into a simple unital AF-algebra.