Travis Tritt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Travis Tritt
Tritt performing in 2014
Background information
Birth name	James Travis Tritt
Born	(1963-02-09) February 9, 1963 (age 62) Marietta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Country country rock outlaw country southern rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1987–present
Labels	Warner Bros. Columbia Category 5 Post Oak Big Noise

James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American country singer and songwriter. He started his career with Warner Bros. Records in 1989. For this label, he released seven studio albums and a greatest hits collection by 1999. Later, in the 2000s, he released music with Columbia Records and Category 5 Records.

Seven of his albums have sold enough copies to be "certified platinum" or higher. This means they sold over one million copies! His 1991 album, It's All About to Change, is his most successful, selling over three million copies. Tritt has had more than 40 songs on the Hot Country Songs charts. Five of these songs reached number one: "Help Me Hold On", "Anymore", "Can I Trust You with My Heart", "Foolish Pride", and "Best of Intentions". He also had 15 other songs reach the top ten. Travis Tritt's music mixes mainstream country with Southern rock sounds.

He has won two Grammy Awards for "Best Country Collaboration with Vocals." The first was in 1992 for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", a duet with Marty Stuart. The second was in 1998 for "Same Old Train," which he sang with Stuart and nine other artists. He has also won four awards from the Country Music Association. Since 1992, he has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry, a famous country music show.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

James Travis Tritt was born on February 9, 1963, in Marietta, Georgia. His parents were James and Gwen Tritt. He first became interested in singing after hearing his church's Sunday school choir perform "Everything Is Beautiful".

Travis received his first guitar when he was 8 years old and taught himself how to play. In fourth grade, he performed "Annie's Song" and "King of the Road" for his class. He was even asked to play for other classes at his school. When he was 14, his parents bought him another guitar. His uncle, Sam Lockhart, taught him more songs. Later, Travis joined his church band, which sometimes played at other churches nearby.

Travis started writing music while attending Sprayberry High School. His first song, "Spend a Little Time," was about a girlfriend he had broken up with. He played it for his friends, and one of them told him he was a good songwriter. He also started a bluegrass group with friends. They won second place in a local competition playing "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys".

During his teenage years, Travis worked at a furniture store and then as a supermarket clerk. He lived with his mother after his parents divorced, but they remarried when he was 18. He also worked at an air conditioning company while playing music in clubs. One of his bandmates suggested he quit the air conditioning job to focus on music. His father didn't think he would succeed as a musician, while his mother wanted him to perform Christian music instead of country.

With help from Warner Bros. Records executive Danny Davenport, Travis began recording demo songs. They worked together for several years and created a demo album called Proud of the Country. Davenport sent the demo to Warner Bros. in Los Angeles, who then sent it to their Nashville office. Travis Tritt signed with them in 1987. Davenport also helped Travis find a talent manager, Ken Kragen. At first, Kragen wasn't interested in a new artist, but his wife convinced him to sign Travis.

Travis Tritt's Music Career

Early Success: Country Club Album

Travis Tritt's contract with Warner Bros. meant he would record six songs. Three of these would be released as singles. If one of them became a hit, he would get to record a full album. His first single was "Country Club". It was released on August 7, 1989, and stayed on the charts for 26 weeks, reaching number nine. This song was the title track of his 1990 debut album, Country Club, produced by Gregg Brown. The month the album came out, Travis burst a blood vessel on his vocal cords and had to rest his voice for a month.

His second single, "Help Me Hold On", became his first number one hit in 1990. The album's third and fifth singles, "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" and "Drift Off to Dream", reached numbers two and three on the charts. "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" also hit number one on the U.S. country singles charts by Radio & Records. "Put Some Drive in Your Country", released fourth, reached number 28. Country Club was certified platinum in July 1991, meaning it sold one million copies. In 1990, Travis won the Top New Male Artist award from Billboard magazine. The Country Music Association (CMA) also nominated him for the Horizon Award, which is for new artists who show great progress.

Big Changes with It's All About to Change

In 1991, Travis Tritt was nominated for the Horizon Award again, and this time he won! He also released his second album, It's All About to Change. This album became his best-seller, selling three million copies. All four of its singles reached the top five on the country charts. "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" and the Marty Stuart duet "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'" both reached number two. "Anymore" was a number one hit in between. "Nothing Short of Dying" was the fourth single, peaking at number four. Both "Nothing Short of Dying" and "The Whiskey Ain't Working" reached number one on Radio & Records.

Another song from the album, "Bible Belt" (with Little Feat), was featured in the 1992 movie My Cousin Vinny. The lyrics were changed for the movie to fit the story. Even though it wasn't a single, "Bible Belt" reached number 72 on the country charts from radio play. It was inspired by a youth pastor Travis knew as a child.

Marty Stuart offered "The Whiskey Ain't Workin' Anymore" to Travis backstage at the CMA awards. They recorded it as a duet, and it won them a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals the next year. Travis and Marty had another duet, "This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time)", which reached number seven in 1992. This song won the 1992 CMA award for Vocal Event of the Year.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E and a Christmas Album

In 1992, Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart started a "No Hats Tour." In August of that year, Travis released his album T-R-O-U-B-L-E. The first single was "Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man", written by Kostas. This song featured many other country stars singing backup, and it reached number five. His next song, "Can I Trust You with My Heart", became Travis's third number one hit in early 1993. The album's next singles didn't do as well: the title track (an Elvis Presley cover) reached number 13, followed by "Looking Out for Number One" at number 11, and "Worth Every Mile" at number 30. T-R-O-U-B-L-E sold over two million copies.

One month after T-R-O-U-B-L-E came out, Travis released a Christmas album called A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year. He wrote the title song himself. He also became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and filled in for Garth Brooks at the American Music Awards. By the end of the year, Travis and other artists appeared on George Jones's song "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair". This song won all the artists involved the CMA Vocal Event of the Year award.

Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof and Greatest Hits

In early 1994, Travis Tritt covered the Eagles' song "Take It Easy", which reached number 21. He recorded it for a tribute album called Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles. When making the music video, Travis asked the Eagles, who hadn't played together in over 13 years, to appear in it. This reunion inspired the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over Tour.

His fourth album, Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof, was released in May 1994. Its first single, "Foolish Pride", became a number one hit. The fourth single, "Tell Me I Was Dreaming", reached number two. The album also included two songs co-written with Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr. sang guest vocals on "Outlaws Like Us". The album sold over two million copies.

In 1995, Greatest Hits: From the Beginning was released. It included most of his singles and two new songs: "Sometimes She Forgets" by Steve Earle (a top ten hit at number seven) and a cover of "Only You (And You Alone)". Greatest Hits sold over one million copies.

Later Albums and Collaborations

In April 1996, Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart had another duet, "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best", which reached number 23. This song won them the Country Music Association award for Vocal Event. They also started a second tour called the Double Trouble Tour.

Travis's fifth album, The Restless Kind, was released in mid-1996. Its first single, "More Than You'll Ever Know", reached number three. Another top ten hit from the album was a cover of Waylon Jennings's "Where Corn Don't Grow", which reached number six. This album was different because Travis co-produced it with Don Was. Travis said he was more involved in this album, singing most of the harmonies himself and even playing guitar on one song.

In 1998, Travis and other artists sang on Marty Stuart's "Same Old Train". This song won Travis his second Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. Travis also released his last Warner Bros. album, No More Looking over My Shoulder. This album was produced by Billy Joe Walker, Jr.. The first song, "If I Lost You", reached number 29 on the country charts.

After leaving Warner Bros. Records, Travis Tritt signed with Columbia Records and released Down the Road I Go in 2000. The first song from this album was "Best of Intentions", his fifth and final number one hit. It was also his most successful song on the Hot 100 chart, reaching number 27. The next two singles, "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" and "Love of a Woman", both reached number two on the country charts in 2001. "Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde" followed at number eight. Travis wrote or co-wrote seven songs on the album, including "Best of Intentions". He also worked with Charlie Daniels on two songs.

In September 2002, Travis released his second Columbia Records album, Strong Enough. Its first single, "Strong Enough to Be Your Man" (an answer song to Sheryl Crow's "Strong Enough"), reached number 13. The only other single, "Country Ain't Country", reached number 26.

Travis's tenth studio album, My Honky Tonk History, came out in 2004. This album had three singles: "The Girl's Gone Wild" at 28, "What Say You" (a duet with John Mellencamp) at number 21, and "I See Me" at number 32.

Tritt performing in 2009

Travis left Columbia Records in 2005 and signed with Category 5 Records in 2006. He released his first single for Category 5 in May 2007: a cover of the Richard Marx song "You Never Take Me Dancing". It was on his only album for Category 5, The Storm, produced by American Idol judge Randy Jackson. "You Never Take Me Dancing" reached number 27. Category 5 closed in November 2007.

In October 2008, Travis Tritt started a tour with Marty Stuart. They performed acoustic versions of their duets. Travis continued to tour, often doing solo acoustic shows. In July 2013, he re-released The Storm under his own label, Post Oak, calling it The Calm After.... This re-release included two covers: "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" (a duet with his daughter Tyler Reese) and Faces' "Stay with Me".

In 2019, Travis Tritt was featured on the country rock song "Outlaws & Outsiders" by Cory Marks. His album "Set in Stone" was released in 2021. In 2024, he was featured on another Cory Marks song called "(Make My) Country Rock".

Acting Roles

Travis Tritt has also had an acting career. His first role was with fellow country singer Kenny Rogers in the 1993 TV movie Rio Diablo. In 1994, Travis appeared as a bull rider in the movie The Cowboy Way. In 1995, he was in an episode of the horror series Tales from the Crypt. He also had guest roles on TV shows like Yes, Dear, Diagnosis Murder, and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

In 1996, Travis appeared as himself in Sgt. Bilko. His cover of "Only You (And You Alone)" was in the movie's soundtrack. He also appeared as himself in the 1997 film Fire Down Below. In 1999, Travis was in Outlaw Justice with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson. He also appeared in the movie Blues Brothers 2000 as one of the Louisiana Gator Boys, performing with B. B. King, Eric Clapton, and Bo Diddley. In 2001, he guest-starred in Elmo's World The Wild Wild West. In 2010, he began filming a Christian movie called Fishers of Men.

Musical Style and Influences

Travis Tritt says he started putting "a little more soul" into his voice after his church band played at an African-American church. He liked how African-American singers added "bends and sweeps and curls" to their voices and started trying to sound like that. While performing at these churches, he also became interested in gospel singers like Andraé Crouch. Later, he started listening to Southern rock bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the bluegrass music his uncle introduced him to.

Travis says his songwriting developed when he wrote "Gambler's Blues" for his demo tape. He felt it was "a lot more connected to Southern rock" than his earlier songs. He says his music is influenced by country, rock, and folk. Music experts say Travis Tritt is different from other country singers of his time because he didn't wear a cowboy hat and mixed in bluesy Southern rock. This gave him a tough, "outlaw" image that made him stand out.

Travis says he writes "strictly from personal experiences" and doesn't follow a set formula. He described "Here's a Quarter" as a very simple song. He also mentioned that record executives were unsure about releasing "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" because it didn't rhyme, and he initially didn't think "Country Club" fit his style. He believes that his more rock-influenced songs, like "Put Some Drive in Your Country" and "T-R-O-U-B-L-E", helped sell their albums even if they didn't reach the very top of the charts.

Personal Life

Travis Tritt married Theresa Nelson on April 12, 1997. They have one daughter and two sons.

In May 2019, his tour bus was involved in a traffic accident that caused two deaths.

Interests and Views

Travis Tritt is a member of the Republican Party. He supported George W. Bush for president in 2000. They met in 1996 at the Republican National Convention, where Travis sang the national anthem. Travis supports Second Amendment rights, which protect the right to own guns. He believes that making punishments tougher for criminals is a better way to prevent crime than taking away guns. He has also stated that he supports the death penalty.

In September 2020, Travis Tritt joined James Woods in blocking some Twitter users who used certain political hashtags. In April 2023, Travis announced he would remove all Bud Light products from his tour after the company supported a transgender influencer.

Stories of the Unexplained

In October 2015, Travis Tritt appeared on a TV show called The Haunting of... to talk about strange experiences he had. Travis said that starting in 1993, he would often wake up to voices in a vacation cabin he owned. The voices spoke in a language he didn't know. His wife, Theresa, eventually heard them too. Travis said, "Over the years, these voices started happening on such a frequent basis that we were afraid to come up here." He also said that footprints appeared in the carpet and imprints on the bedspread that didn't belong to him or his wife.

The show's host, Kim Russo, suggested that an African-American medicine man had been killed on the property long ago. She believed the voices Travis heard were the angry spirits of the murderers. The show noted that "On August 14, 1875, a group of men killed a 'hoodoo doctor' close to the land where Travis' cabin was built." Russo thought the medicine man's spirit also stayed on the property because it felt a connection with Travis.

Discography

Studio albums

• Proud of the Country (1987)
• Country Club (1990)
• It's All About to Change (1991)
• T-R-O-U-B-L-E (1992)
• Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof (1994)
• The Restless Kind (1996)
• No More Looking over My Shoulder (1998)
• Down the Road I Go (2000)
• Strong Enough (2002)
• My Honky Tonk History (2004)
• The Storm (2007)
• The Calm After... (2013)
• Set in Stone (2021)

Billboard number-one singles

• "Help Me Hold On" (1990)
• "Anymore" (1991)
• "Can I Trust You with My Heart" (1992 – 1993)
• "Foolish Pride" (1994)
• "Best of Intentions" (2000)

Awards and Nominations

Travis Tritt has received many awards and nominations throughout his career for his music.

Grammy Awards

American Music Awards

TNN/Music City News Country Awards

Academy of Country Music Awards

Country Music Association Awards

Filmography