James Travis Tritt is an American
country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer from
Marietta, GeorgiaMarietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
. He signed to
Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released two albums on
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and one for the defunct
Category 5 RecordsCategory 5 Records was an independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 2006, the label included eight different country music artists in its roster. The label was owned by Raymond Termini, and was disestablished in 2007....
. Seven of his albums (counting the Greatest Hits) are
certified platinumMusic recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
or higher by the
Recording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA); the highest-certified is 1991's
It's All About to ChangeIt's All About To Change is the American artist Travis Tritt's second album, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1991. The tracks "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", "Nothing Short of Dying", "Anymore", and "Here's a Quarter " were released as singles; "Bible Belt" also charted from unsolicited airplay...
, which is certified triple-platinum. Tritt has also charted more than forty times on the
Hot Country SongsHot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts, including five number ones — "
Help Me Hold On"Help Me Hold On" is a song co-written and recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It is the second single released from his 1990 debut album Country Club. It reached #1 in both the United States and Canada, thus becoming Travis Tritt's first number-one hit.-Content:"Help Me Hold On" is a...
," "
Anymore"Anymore" is a song recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in September 1991 as the second single released from his 1991 album It's All About To Change...
," "
Can I Trust You with My Heart"Can I Trust You With My Heart" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released in November 1992 as the second single released from his CD, T-R-O-U-B-L-E...
," "
Foolish Pride"Foolish Pride" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It is the first single from his 1994 album Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof. The song peaked at Number One on the U.S...
" and "
Best of Intentions"Best of Intentions" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released in June 2000 as the first single from his album, Down the Road I Go. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 27...
" — and fifteen additional top ten singles. Tritt's musical style is defined by mainstream country and
Southern rockSouthern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
influences.
He has received two
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s, both for
Best Country Collaboration with VocalsThe Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to quality country music collaborations for artists who do not normally perform together...
: in 1992 for "
The Whiskey Ain't Workin'"The Whiskey Ain't Workin" is the title of a song recorded by country music artists Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart. It was released in November 1991 as the third single from Tritt's 1991 album, It's All About to Change...
," a duet with
Marty StuartJohn Martin "Marty" Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music...
, and again in 1998 for "Same Old Train", a collaboration with Stuart and nine other artists. In addition, he has received four awards from the
Country Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
, and has been a member of the
Grand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
since 1992.
Early life
James Travis Tritt was born in
Marietta, GeorgiaMarietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
on February 9, 1963 to James and Gwen Tritt. He first took interest in singing after his church's
Sunday schoolSunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
choir performed "
Everything Is Beautiful"Everything is Beautiful" is a song by Ray Stevens. It has appeared on many of Stevens' albums, including one named after the song, and has become a pop standard and common in religious performances. The children heard singing the chorus of the song, using the hymn, "Jesus Loves the Little...
." He received his first guitar at age eight and taught himself how to play it; in the fourth grade, he performed "
Annie's Song"Annie's Song" is a rock/country song recorded and written by singer-songwriter John Denver. It was his second number-one song in the United States, occupying that spot for two weeks in July 1974. "Annie's Song" also went to number one on the Easy Listening chart...
" and "
King of the Road"King of the Road" is a 1964 song written and originally recorded by country singer Roger Miller.The lyrics tell of a hobo who despite being poor revels in his freedom, describing himself humorously as the "king of the road"...
" for his class, and later got invited to play for other classrooms in his school. At age fourteen, his parents bought him another guitar, and he learned more songs from his uncle, Sam Lockhart. Later on, Tritt joined his church band, which occasionally performed at other churches nearby.
Tritt began writing music while he was attending
Sprayberry High SchoolSprayberry High School is a public high school located in eastern Cobb County in Georgia. Middle schools feeding upcoming students into Sprayberry are McCleskey, Daniell, and Simpson Middle School...
; his first song composition, entitled "Spend a Little Time", was written about a girlfriend whom he had broken up with. He performed this song for his friends, one of whom complimented him on his songwriting skills. He also founded a
bluegrassBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
music with some of his friends, and won second place in a local tournament for playing "
Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" is a country music song first recorded by Ed Bruce, written by him and wife Patsy Bruce. His version of the song appears on his 1976 self-titled album for United Artists Records. In late 1975–early 1976, Bruce's rendition of the song went to #15...
".
During his teenage years, Tritt worked at a furniture store, and later as a supermarket clerk. He lived with his mother after she and his father divorced; they re-married each other when he was eighteen. He worked at an air conditioning company while playing in clubs, but gave up the air conditioning job at the suggestion of one of his bandmates. Tritt's father thought that Tritt would not find success as a musician, while his mother thought that he should perform Christian music instead of country.
Through the assistance of
Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
executive Danny Davenport, Tritt began recording
demosA demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
. The two worked together for the next several years, eventually putting together a demo album called
Proud of the Country. Davenport sent the demo to Warner Bros. representatives in
Los AngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, who in turn sent the demo to Warner Bros.' Nashville division, which signed Tritt in 1987. Davenport also helped Tritt find a
talent managerA talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
, Ken Kragen. At first, Kragen was "not interested in taking an entry-level act," but he decided to sign on as Tritt's manager after Kragen's wife convinced him.
1989–1991: Country Club
Tritt's contract with Warner Bros. was a singles contract, meaning that he was signed to record six songs, and three of them would be released as singles. According to the contract, he would not be signed on for a full album unless one of the three singles became a hit. His first single was "
Country Club"Country Club" is a song written by Catesby Jones and Dennis Lord, and recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It is his debut single, and the lead-off single to his 1990 debut album of the same name...
." Recorded in late 1988 and released in September 1989, the song spent 26 weeks on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, peaking at number nine. It was the title track to his 1990 debut album
Country ClubCountry Club is the American artist Travis Tritt's debut album, released on Warner Bros. Records in February 1990. The tracks "Country Club", "I'm Gonna Be Somebody", "Help Me Hold On", "Drift Off to Dream", and "Put Some Drive in Your Country" were released as singles...
, produced by Gregg Brown. The month of its release, Tritt burst a blood vessel on his vocal cords, and had to take vocal rest for a month. Second single "
Help Me Hold On"Help Me Hold On" is a song co-written and recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It is the second single released from his 1990 debut album Country Club. It reached #1 in both the United States and Canada, thus becoming Travis Tritt's first number-one hit.-Content:"Help Me Hold On" is a...
" became his first number one single in 1990. The album's third and fifth singles, "
I'm Gonna Be Somebody"I'm Gonna Be Somebody" is a song written by Jill Colucci and Stewart Harris, and recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It is the third single released from his 1990 debut album Country Club. It reached #2 in the United States, while it became his second number-one hit in...
" and "
Drift Off to DreamDrift Off to Dream is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Travis Tritt, released as the fifth and final single from his 1990 debut album, Country Club. It peaked at #3 in the United States, while it became his third number-one hit in Canada.-Content:"Drift...
," respectively peaked at numbers two and three on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, and number one on the Canadian
RPMRPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
country charts; "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" also went to number one on the U.S. country singles charts published by
Radio & RecordsRadio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
. "Put Some Drive in Your Country," which was released fourth, peaked at 28 on Hot Country Songs.
Country Club was
certified platinumMusic recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the
Recording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) in July 1991 for shipments of one million copies, and double-platinum in 1996. In 1990, he won the Top New Male Artist award from
Billboard. The
Country Music AssociationThe Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
(CMA) also nominated him for the Horizon Award (now known as the New Artist Award), which is given to new artists who show have shown the most significant artistic and commercial development from a first or second album.
Brian MansfieldBrian Mansfield is an American writer and journalist. A longtime music writer and critic for USA Today, Mansfield is also the writer/producer of syndicated weekly radio program America's Opry Weekend for American radio network Dial Global Radio Networks and author and co-author of a number of books...
of Allmusic gave the album a positive review, saying that "Put Some Drive in Your Country" paid homage to Tritt's influences, but that the other singles were more radio-friendly. Giving the album a B-minus,
Alanna NashAlanna Nash is an American journalist and biographer.Nash holds a master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and is the author of several acclaimed books...
of
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
compared Tritt's music to that of
Hank Williams, Jr.Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
and
Joe StampleyJoe Stampley is an American country music singer.-Biography:He was born to R.C. Stampley, Jr. , and Mary E. Stampley...
.
1991–1992: It's All About to Change
In 1991, Tritt received a second Horizon Award nomination, which he won that year. He also released his second album,
It's All About to ChangeIt's All About To Change is the American artist Travis Tritt's second album, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1991. The tracks "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", "Nothing Short of Dying", "Anymore", and "Here's a Quarter " were released as singles; "Bible Belt" also charted from unsolicited airplay...
. The album went on to become his best-selling, with a triple-platinum certification from the RIAA for shipments of three million copies. All four of its singles reached the top five on the country music charts. "
Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)"Here's a Quarter " is the title of a song written and recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in May 1991 as the lead-off single to his 1991 album It's All About To Change. It peaked at #2 in both the United States and Canada. This is one of his most popular songs...
" and the
Marty StuartJohn Martin "Marty" Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music...
duet "
The Whiskey Ain't Workin'"The Whiskey Ain't Workin" is the title of a song recorded by country music artists Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart. It was released in November 1991 as the third single from Tritt's 1991 album, It's All About to Change...
," respectively the first and third singles, both reached number two, with the number-one "
Anymore"Anymore" is a song recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in September 1991 as the second single released from his 1991 album It's All About To Change...
" in between. "
Nothing Short of Dying"Nothing Short of Dying" is the title of a song written and recorded by country music artists Travis Tritt. It was released in February 1992 as the final single released from Tritt's 1991 album, It's All About to Change...
" was the fourth single, with a peak at number four on
Billboard; both it and "The Whiskey Ain't Working" went to Number One on
Radio & Records. "Bible Belt," another cut from the album (recorded in collaboration with
Little FeatLittle Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
), appeared in the 1992 film
My Cousin VinnyMy Cousin Vinny is a 1992 American comedy film written and produced by Dale Launer, directed by Jonathan Lynn and starring Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill and Fred Gwynne...
. Although not released as a single, it peaked at number 72 country based on unsolicited airplay and was the b-side to "Nothing Short of Dying." "Bible Belt" was inspired by a youth pastor whom Tritt knew in his childhood.
Stuart offered "The Whiskey Ain't Workin' Anymore" to Tritt backstage at the CMA awards show, and they recorded it as a duet through the suggestion of Tritt's
record producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Gregg Brown. The duet won both artists the next year's
Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with VocalsThe Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to quality country music collaborations for artists who do not normally perform together...
. Tritt and Stuart charted a second duet, "
This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time)"This One's Gonna Hurt You " is a song recorded by country music artists Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt. It is the lead-off single released in June 1992 from Marty Stuart's 1992 album This One's Gonna Hurt You. It peaked at #7 in the United States, and #6 Canada.-Music video:The music video was...
," which went to number seven in mid-1992 and appeared on Stuart's album
This One's Gonna Hurt You-Album:-Singles:-References:*...
. This song won the 1992 CMA award for Vocal Event of the Year.
In June 1992, Tritt received media attention when he criticized
Billy Ray CyrusWilliam "Billy" Ray Cyrus is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist, who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon...
' "
Achy Breaky Heart"Achy Breaky Heart" is a hit country music song written by Don Von Tress. Originally titled "Don't Tell My Heart", its name was later changed to "Achy Breaky Heart" and was recorded by Billy Ray Cyrus on his 1992 album Some Gave All. As Cyrus' debut single and signature song, it made him famous and...
" at a Fan Fair interview, saying that he did not think that Cyrus' song made a "statement". The following January, Cyrus responded at the
American Music Awards-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
by making reference to Tritt's "Here's a Quarter". Tritt later apologized to Cyrus, but said that he defended his opinion on the song.
1992–1993: T-R-O-U-B-L-E and A Travis Tritt Christmas
Tritt and Stuart began a "No Hats Tour" in 1992. In August of that same year, Tritt released the album
T-R-O-U-B-L-E. Its first single was "
Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man"Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man" is the title of a song written by Kostas and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released in August 1992 as the first of five singles from his third studio album, T-R-O-U-B-L-E...
," a song written by
KostasKostas Lazarides is a Greek-born American country music songwriter, known professionally as Kostas. He has written for several country music artists, including Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, and Travis Tritt, and has won eleven awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated...
. This song, which featured backing vocals from
Brooks & DunnBrooks & Dunn was an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, who were both vocalists and songwriters. They were paired by record producer Tim DuBois in 1990. Before the duo's foundation, both members of the duo were solo recording artists...
,
T. Graham BrownAnthony "T." Graham Brown is an American country music artist. Active since 1986, Brown has recorded a total of thirteen studio albums, and has charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts...
,
George JonesGeorge Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
,
Little TexasLittle Texas is an American country music band founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1988 by Tim Rushlow , Brady Seals , Del Gray , Porter Howell , Dwayne O'Brien , and Duane Propes . Signed to Warner Bros...
,
Dana McVickerDana McVicker is an American country music artist. She recorded for Capitol Records Nashville in 1988, releasing a self-titled album and charting four singles on the U.S. country charts. McVicker was also nominated for Best New Female Artist at the 1988 Academy of Country Music awards, losing to...
(who also sang backup on Tritt's first two albums),
Tanya TuckerTanya Denise Tucker is a female American country music artist who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13...
and
Porter WagonerPorter Wayne Wagoner was a popular American country music singer known for his flashy Nudie and Manuel suits and blond pompadour. He introduced the young Dolly Parton near the beginning of her career on his long-running television show, and they were a well-known duet throughout the late 1960s and...
, peaked at number four. Its follow-up, "
Can I Trust You with My Heart"Can I Trust You With My Heart" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released in November 1992 as the second single released from his CD, T-R-O-U-B-L-E...
," became Tritt's third
Billboard number one in early 1993. The album's next three singles did not perform as well on the charts: the
title track"T-R-O-U-B-L-E" is the title of a song written by Jerry Chesnut and Steve Tyrell, and recorded by Elvis Presley in 1975. It is a different song than "Trouble", a song Presley first recorded in 1958.-Background and writing:...
(a cover of an
Elvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
song), peaked at 13, followed by "
Looking Out for Number One"Looking Out for Number One" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in July 1993 as the fourth single from the album T-R-O-U-B-L-E...
" at number 11 and "Worth Every Mile" at number 30.
T-R-O-U-B-L-E became the second album of his career to achieve double-platinum certification.
Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic thought that
T-R-O-U-B-L-E followed too closely the formula of
It's All About to Change, but said that the songs showed Tritt's personality. Nash gave the album a similar criticism, but praised the rock influences of "Looking Out for Number One" and the vocals on "Can I Trust You with My Heart."
One month after the release of
T-R-O-U-B-L-E, Tritt issued a Christmas album titled
A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the YearA Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year is the first Christmas music album by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released September 29, 1992 via Warner Bros. Records. The album includes a mix of traditional songs, cover songs and new material.-Content:This album includes...
, for which he wrote the title track. He also joined the
Grand Ole OpryThe Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
, a weekly stage show and radio broadcast specializing in country music performances, and filled in for
Garth BrooksTroyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
at a performance on the
American Music Awards-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
. By year's end, Tritt and several other artists appeared on
George JonesGeorge Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
's "I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair," which won all artists involved the next year's CMA Vocal Event of the Year award.
1994–1995: Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof and Greatest Hits
In early 1994, after "Worth Every Mile" fell from the charts, Tritt charted at number 21 with a cover of the Eagles' "
Take It Easy"Take It Easy" is the title of a song written by Jackson Browne and Glenn Frey, and most famously recorded by the Eagles . It was the band's first single, released on May 1, 1972. It also was the opening track on the band's debut album Eagles and it has become one of their signature songs, included...
". He recorded this song for the tribute album
Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles- "Take It Easy" :During the music video shoot for his rendition of "Take It Easy", Travis Tritt requested that the 1980 lineup of the Eagles - "Take It Easy" :During the music video shoot for his rendition of "Take It Easy", Travis Tritt requested that the 1980 lineup of the Eagles - "Take It...
(released through Warner Bros.' Giant Records division), which featured country music artists' renditions of Eagles songs. When filming the
music videoA music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for this song, Tritt requested that the band, which was on hiatus at the time, appear in it. This reunion inspired the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over Tour, which began that year.
His fourth album,
Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof, was released that May. Its lead-off single, "
Foolish Pride"Foolish Pride" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It is the first single from his 1994 album Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof. The song peaked at Number One on the U.S...
", went to number one, and the fourth single, "
Tell Me I Was Dreaming"Tell Me I Was Dreaming" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in April 1995 the fourth and final single released from his 1994 album Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof...
", reached number two. In between these songs were the title track at number 22 and "
Between an Old Memory and Me"Between an Old Memory and Me" is the title of a song written by Keith Stegall and Charlie Craig. It was originally recorded by American country music artist Keith Whitley for his 1989 album, I Wonder Do You Think of Me. It was then recorded by Travis Tritt and released in November 1994 as the...
" (originally recorded by
Keith WhitleyJackie Keith Whitley , known professionally as Keith Whitley, was an American country music singer. Whitley's brief career in mainstream country music lasted from 1984 until his death in 1989, but he continues to influence an entire generation of singers and songwriters...
) at number 11. The album included two co-writes with
Gary RossingtonGary Robert Rossington is a founding member of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He plays lead and rhythm guitar. He is also a founding member of The Rossington-Collins Band along with former Lynyrd Skynyrd bandmate, the late Allen Collins...
of
Lynyrd SkynyrdLynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
, and guest vocals from
Waylon JenningsWaylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
and Hank Williams, Jr. on the cut "Outlaws Like Us". The album achieved platinum certification in December of that year, and later became his third double-platinum album. Allmusic reviewer Brian Mansfield said that Tritt was "most comfortable with his Southern rock/outlaw mantle" on it, comparing "Foolish Pride" favorably to "Anymore" and the work of
Bob SegerRobert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
. Alanna Nash praised the title track and "Tell Me I Was Dreaming" in her review for
Entertainment Weekly, but thought that the other songs were still too similar in sound to his previous works.
1995's
Greatest Hits: From the BeginningGreatest Hits: From the Beginning is the title of the first greatest hits compilation issued by American country music singer Travis Tritt. Released in 1995 on Warner Bros...
included most of his singles to that point, as well as two new cuts: the
Steve EarleStephen Fain "Steve" Earle is an American singer-songwriter known for his rock and Texas Country as well as his political views. He is also a producer, author, a political activist, and an actor, and has written and directed a play....
composition "
Sometimes She Forgets"Sometimes She Forgets" is a song written by Steve Earle. Earle recorded it on his 1995 Train a Comin album.The highest charting version of the song was recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt, and was released in August 1995 as the lead-off single from his first greatest hits album Greatest...
" and a cover of the pop standard "
Only You (And You Alone)"Only You " is a pop song composed by Buck Ram. It was recorded most successfully by The Platters, with lead vocals by Tony Williams, in 1955....
". The former was a top ten hit at number seven, while the latter spent only eight weeks on the country charts and peaked at number 51.
Greatest Hits was certified platinum.
1996–1997: The Restless Kind
In April 1996, Tritt and Stuart charted a third duet, "
Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best"Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best" is the title of a song written by Marty Stuart and recorded by American country music artists Stuart and Travis Tritt. It was released in April 1996 as the first single and title track from the album Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best...
," which appeared on Stuart's
album of the same name-Album:-Singles:-References:*...
and peaked at 23 on the country charts. The song won both artists that year's Country Music Association award for Vocal Event, Tritt's third win in this category. The two began a second tour, the Double Trouble Tour, that year.
Tritt charted at number three in mid-1996 with "
More Than You'll Ever Know"More Than You'll Ever Know" is the title of a song written and recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in July 1996 as the lead-off single released from his 1996 album The Restless Kind...
," the first single from his fifth album,
The Restless KindThe Restless Kind is the American artist Travis Tritt's fifth album, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1996. The tracks "More Than You'll Ever Know", "Helping Me Get over You" , "She's Going Home with Me", and "Where Corn Don't Grow" were released as singles, all peaking in the Top 40 on the...
. The album accounted for one more top ten hit, a cover of Waylon Jennings's "
Where Corn Don't Grow"Where Corn Don't Grow" is a song written by Roger Murrah and Mark Alan Springer. It was first recorded by Waylon Jennings on his 1990 album The Eagle, peaking at #67 on the country singles charts that year. Six years later, Travis Tritt covered it on his 1996 album The Restless Kind...
," which Tritt took to number six in late 1996. This song's chart run overlapped with that of "Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)," a novelty release combining snippets of comedian
Bill EngvallWilliam Ray "Bill" Engvall, Jr. is an American comedian and actor best known for his work as a stand-up comic and as a member of the Blue Collar Comedy group.-Early life:Bill Engvall was born in Galveston, Texas...
's "Here's Your Sign" routines with a chorus sung by Tritt. "Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)" peaked at 29 on the country charts and 43 on the
Billboard Hot 100The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, accounting for Tritt's first entry on the latter chart. The other singles from
The Restless Kind all failed to make Top Ten upon their 1997 release. "She's Going Home with Me" and "Still in Love with You" (previously the respective b-sides to "Where Corn Don't Grow" and "More Than You'll Ever Know") were the third and fifth releases, peaking at 24 and 23 on Hot Country Singles & Tracks. In between was the number eighteen "Helping Me Get Over You," a duet with
Lari WhiteLari Michele White is an American country music artist and actress. She first gained national attention in 1992 as a winner on You Can Be a Star, a talent competition which aired on The Nashville Network...
.
Unlike his previous albums, all of which were produced by Gregg Brown, Tritt produced
The Restless Kind with
Don WasDon Was is an American musician, bassist and record producer.-Life and career:Was was born in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Oak Park High School in the Detroit suburb of Oak Park, then attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor but dropped out after the first year...
. It received positive reviews from Thom Owens of Allmusic, who said that it was the most country-sounding album of his career. Don Yates of
Country Standard TimeCountry Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
also praised it for having a more "organic" sound than Tritt's other albums.
1998–1999: No More Looking over My Shoulder
In 1998, he and several other artists contributed to Stuart's "Same Old Train," a cut from the collaborative album
Tribute to Tradition; this song charted at number 59 on Hot Country Songs and won Tritt his second Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. He also performed on
Frank Wildhorn'sFrank Wildhorn is an American composer known for both his musicals and popular songs. He is most known for his musical Jekyll & Hyde, which ran four years on Broadway, and for writing the #1 International Hit song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?" for Whitney Houston.-Early years:Wildhorn was born in...
concept album of the musical
The Civil WarThe Civil War is a musical written by Gregory Boyd and Frank Wildhorn, with lyrics by Jack Murphy and music by Wildhorn. The musical centers on the American Civil War, with the musical numbers portraying the war through Union, Confederate, and slave viewpoints. The musical was nominated for a Tony...
, singing the song "The Day the Sun Stood Still". By year's end, Tritt also released his final Warner Bros. album,
No More Looking over My Shoulder. It was led off by the ballad "If I Lost You," which peaked at number 29 on the country charts and number 86 on the Hot 100.
Michael PetersonMichael James Peterson is an American country music artist. He made his debut on the country music scene in 1997 with his self-titled debut album, which produced five Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, including the Number One hit "From Here to Eternity"...
(who recorded for Warner Bros.'
RepriseReprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
label at the time) co-wrote and sang backing vocals on the title track, which went to number 38 country in early 1999. The album's third and final single was a cover of
Jude ColeJude Cole is a manager, record producer and singer/songwriter/guitarist.-Career:Cole's solo records, "Jude Cole", "A View from 3rd Street" and "Start the Car" were released on Warner Bros./Reprise Records, and contained the singles "Baby, It's Tonight", "Time for Letting Go" and "Start the Car"...
's "Start the Car" (previously the b-side to "If I Lost You"), which peaked at number 52.
Late in 1999, Tritt recorded a cover of Hank Williams's "Move It On Over" with
George ThorogoodGeorge Thorogood is an American blues rock vocalist/guitarist from Wilmington, Delaware, United States, known for his hit song "Bad to the Bone" as well as for covers of blues standards such as Hank Williams' "Move It On Over" and John Lee Hooker's "House Rent Boogie/One Bourbon, One Scotch, One...
for the
soundtrackKing of the Hill: Original Soundtrack is a soundtrack album to the animated Fox sitcom King of the Hill. It was released in 1999 via Asylum Records. The album includes covers of southern rock songs and original songs, performed by country and rock artists...
to the cartoon
King of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
. This cut peaked at number 66 country.
2000–2002: Down the Road I Go
Soon after leaving Warner Bros. Records, Tritt signed to
Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and released the album
Down the Road I Go in 2000. He produced the album with Billy Joe Walker, Jr. The album's first release was "
Best of Intentions"Best of Intentions" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released in June 2000 as the first single from his album, Down the Road I Go. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 27...
," his fifth and final number one hit on
Billboard. It was also his most successful entry on the Hot 100, where it reached number 27. The next two singles, "
It's a Great Day to Be Alive"It's a Great Day to Be Alive" is the title of a song written by Darrell Scott. It was originally recorded by country music artist Jon Randall. It was to have been included on an album titled Great Day to Be Alive, which would have been released in the late 1990s via BNA Records...
" and "
Love of a Woman"Love of a Woman" is a song recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in June 2001 as the third single from his 2000 album Down the Road I Go. It peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks, as did Travis Tritt's previous single "It's a Great Day to Be...
," both peaked at number two on the country charts in 2001, followed by "
Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde"Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde" is a song written by Walt Aldridge and James LeBlanc, and recorded by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in January 2002 as the fourth and final single from his 2000 album Down the Road I Go...
" at number eight. All three songs also crossed over to the Hot 100, respectively reaching peaks of 33, 39 and 55. Tritt wrote or co-wrote seven of the album's songs, including "Best of Intentions," and collaborated with
Charlie DanielsCharles Edward "Charlie" Daniels is an American musician known for his contributions to country and southern rock music. He is known primarily for his number one country hit "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and multiple other songs he has performed and written. Daniels has been active as a singer...
on two of them. "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" was originally recorded by
Jon RandallJon Randall Stewart is an American country music artist. Signed to RCA Records in 1995, he debuted that year with the album What You Don't Know. A second album for RCA, 1996's Great Day to Be Alive, was recorded but never released...
, whose version was to have been included on an unreleased album for
BNA RecordsBNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
in the late 1990s.
Maria Konicki Dinoia gave the album a positive review on Allmusic, saying that Tritt "hasn't lost his touch."
Country Standard Time also gave a positive review, saying that it showed Tritt's balance of country and rock influences. An uncredited review in
Billboard magazine called "Best of Intentions" a "gorgeous ballad," comparing it favorably to his early Warner Bros. releases.
2002–2005: Strong Enough and My Honky Tonk History
In September 2002, Tritt released his second album on Columbia Records,
Strong Enough. Its first single was "Strong Enough to Be Your Man" (an
answer songAn answer song is, as the name suggests, a song made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. It is also known as a response song. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s through 1950s...
to
Sheryl CrowSheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
's 1993 single "
Strong Enough"Strong Enough" is a song by Sheryl Crow from the album Tuesday Night Music Club. The song reached #5 on the March 25, 1995 Billboard Hot 100 chart. Crow performed the song on her live album Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park alongside the Dixie Chicks.-The song:"Strong Enough" is a...
") which reached number 13. The only other release was "Country Ain't Country," which peaked at 26 on the country charts. William Ruhlmann gave the album a generally positive review on Allmusic, saying that he considered its sound closer to mainstream country than Tritt's previous albums.
Also in 2002, Tritt performed on an episode of
CrossroadsCMT Crossroads is a television show broadcast on Country Music Television and Palladia that pairs country music artists with musicians from other music genres. Each episode of CMT Crossroads features a different set of stars playing together....
, a program on
Country Music TelevisionCountry Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
which pairs country acts with musicians from other genres for collaborative performances. He performed with
Ray CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
. Tritt contributed guest vocals to Charlie Daniels' 2003 single "Southern Boy", and recorded a cover of Waylon Jennings' "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean" to the
RCA RecordsRCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
tribute album
I've Always Been Crazy. Respectively, these songs reached 51 and 50 on the country charts.
Tritt's tenth studio album,
My Honky Tonk History, was released in 2004. This album included three charting singles: "The Girl's Gone Wild" at 28, followed by the
John MellencampJohn Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
duet "What Say You" at number 21 and "I See Me" at number 32. Other songs on the album included a cover of
Philip ClaypoolPhilip Claypool is an American country music artist. Between 1995 and 1999, he recorded two studio albums for the Curb Records label , in addition to charting four singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
's "Circus Leaving Town" and songs written by
Gretchen WilsonGretchen Frances Wilson is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman," a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party...
,
Benmont TenchBenjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
and
Delbert McClintonDelbert McClinton is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist....
. Thom Jurek rated this album favorably, saying that it was a "solid, sure-voiced outing"; he also thought that "What Say You" was the best song on it.
2007–2010: The Storm and beyond
Tritt exited Columbia in July 2005, citing creative differences over
My Honky Tonk History. signed to the independent
Category 5 RecordsCategory 5 Records was an independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 2006, the label included eight different country music artists in its roster. The label was owned by Raymond Termini, and was disestablished in 2007....
in February 2006, and served as the label's flagship artist. In March 2007, a concert promoter in the Pittsburgh area sued Tritt, claiming he had committed to play a show, but then backed out and signed to play a competing venue. Tritt's manager denied he had ever signed a contract with the promoter. Tritt released his first single for Category 5 in May 2007: a cover of the
Richard MarxRichard Noel Marx is an American adult contemporary and pop/rock singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He had a string of hit singles in the late 1980s and 1990s, including "Endless Summer Nights", "Right Here Waiting", "Now and Forever", and "Hazard"...
song "You Never Take Me Dancing." It was included on his only album for Category 5,
The StormThe Storm is the tenth studio album released by country music artist Travis Tritt. It is also his debut album for the Category 5 Records label....
, which
American IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
judge
Randy JacksonRandall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
produced. The album featured a more
rhythm and bluesRhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
influence than Tritt's previous works. "You Never Take Me Dancing" peaked at number 27 on the country charts; a second single, "Something Stronger Than Me," was released in October, but it did not chart.
Category 5 closed in November 2007 after allegations that the label's
chief executive officerA chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, Raymond Termini, had illegally used
Medicaid Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
funds to finance it. A month later, Tritt filed a $10 million lawsuit against Category 5, because the label had failed to pay royalties on the album, and failed to give him creative control on
The Storm.
In October 2008, Tritt began an 11-date tour with Marty Stuart. On this tour, they performed acoustic renditions of their duets; Tritt also performed five solo shows. Tritt signed a management deal with Parallel Entertainment in December 2010.
Acting career
Tritt's first acting roles that would lead to feature-film work was a role in the 1993 made-for-television movie,
Rio Diablo. In 1994 Travis made a special appearance as a bull rider in the movie
The Cowboy Way, which starred
Woody HarrelsonWoodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd...
and
Kiefer SutherlandKiefer Sutherland is an English-born Canadian actor, producer and director, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24 for which he has won an Emmy Award , a Golden Globe award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Satellite...
. Two years later, Tritt appeared as himself in
Sgt. BilkoSgt. Bilko is a 1996 comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn and written by Andy Breckman. It is an adaptation of the 1950s television series The Phil Silvers Show .-Plot:...
, which starred
Steve MartinStephen Glenn "Steve" Martin is an American actor, comedian, writer, playwright, producer, musician and composer....
,
Dan AykroydDaniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
and
Phil HartmanPhilip Edward "Phil" Hartman was a Canadian-American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and graphic artist. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman and his family moved to the United States when he was 10...
; Tritt's cover of "Only You (And You Alone)" appeared in the film's soundtrack. He also made an appearance in the 1997 film
Fire Down Below, starring
Steven SeagalSteven Frederic Seagal is an American action film star, producer, writer, martial artist, guitarist and reserve deputy sheriff. A 7th-dan black belt in Aikido, Seagal began his adult life as an Aikido instructor in Japan...
and
Kris KristoffersonKristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
. In September 2010, filming began on a movie called
Fishers of Men, a Christian film in which Tritt will star.
Musical styles
Although he had been singing since childhood, Tritt said that he began to put "a little more soul" in his voice after his church band performed at an African-American church. He said that he took interest in how African-American singers put "all these bends and sweeps and curls" in their voices, and began emulating that sound. While performing at these churches, he also took interest in gospel singers such as
Andraé CrouchAndraé Crouch is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, record producer, and pastor.-Early years:Born Andraé Edward Crouch in San Francisco, California....
. Later on, he began listening to
Southern rockSouthern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
acts such as the
The Allman Brothers BandThe Allman Brothers Band is an American rock/blues band once based in Macon, Georgia. The band was formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman and Gregg Allman , who were supported by Dickey Betts , Berry Oakley , Butch Trucks , and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe"...
through the recommendation of a friend, as well as the bluegrass music that his uncle exposed him to. Tritt said that he found his songwriting began to develop during the creation of his demo tape, when he had written a song called "Gambler's Blues" that "felt a lot more connected to Southern rock" than his previous writings. He cites country, rock and
folkFolk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
as his influences. Stephen Thomas Erlewine contrasts him with contemporaries
Clint BlackClint Patrick Black is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor. Signed to RCA Records in 1989, Black made his debut with his Killin' Time album, which produced four straight Number One singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
and
Garth BrooksTroyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
, saying that Tritt was "the only one not to wear a [cowboy] hat and the only one to dip into bluesy Southern rock. Consequently, he developed a gutsy, outlaw image that distinguished him from the pack." Zell Miller, in the book
They Heard Georgia Singing, said that Tritt has an "unerring ability to walk the narrow path between his country heritage and his rock leanings to the acclaim of the devotees of both."
Regarding his songwriting style and single choices, Tritt said that he writes "strictly from personal experiences" and does not follow a particular formula. He described "Here's a Quarter" as "one of the simplest three-chord
waltzThe waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
es I've ever written," and said that label executives were reluctant to release it because they thought that it was a
novelty songA novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
. Also, he was told that "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" would not be a hit because it did not contain any rhymes, and fought the release of the song "Country Club" because he did not think that it fit his style. He also said that, despite their low peaks, the more rock-influenced "Put Some Drive in Your Country" and "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" helped generate sales for their respective albums moreso than the top ten hits from those albums.
Personal life
Tritt married his high school sweetheart, Karen Ryon, in September 1983, and moved into an apartment with her. They stayed together for six months, while Tritt worked at an air conditioning company and Karen at a
Burger KingBurger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, and divorced six months later. After going to court, Tritt was ordered to pay
alimonyAlimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
to Karen for six months. When he was 21, he married a woman named Jodi Barnett, who was 33 at the time. He divorced her shortly after signing with Warner Bros. in 1989; the divorce finalized one month before "Country Club" was released. Tritt wrote the song "Here's a Quarter" the night he received his divorce papers.
He married Theresa Nelson on April 12, 1997. They have two sons: Tristan James (born June 16, 1999) and Tarian Nathaniel (born November 25, 2003), and one daughter, Tyler Reese (born February 18, 1998).
Political views and advocacy
Tritt is a member of the
Republican PartyThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and supported
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for President in 2000. The two met in 1996 at the
Republican National ConventionThe Republican National Convention is the presidential nominating convention of the Republican Party of the United States. Convened by the Republican National Committee, the stated purpose of the convocation is to nominate an official candidate in an upcoming U.S...
in San Diego,
CaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where Tritt sang the national anthem. Tritt told Insight on the News, that he is a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights and believes the answer to crime is not gun control but criminal control. "I'm a pro-gun guy. I'm an NRA
National Rifle AssociationThe National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
member, a life member as a matter of fact. I'm more for the belief of making the punishment tougher for the criminals to start with. I think that sends much more of an incentive for people to not commit crimes of any type than taking away guns. Because you take away guns, and the next thing you know, stabbing murders are going to increase." He adds that he is "definitely pro-death penalty."
Discography
Studio albums
- Country Club
Country Club is the American artist Travis Tritt's debut album, released on Warner Bros. Records in February 1990. The tracks "Country Club", "I'm Gonna Be Somebody", "Help Me Hold On", "Drift Off to Dream", and "Put Some Drive in Your Country" were released as singles...
(1990)
- It's All About to Change
It's All About To Change is the American artist Travis Tritt's second album, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1991. The tracks "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", "Nothing Short of Dying", "Anymore", and "Here's a Quarter " were released as singles; "Bible Belt" also charted from unsolicited airplay...
(1991)
- T-R-O-U-B-L-E (1992)
- A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year
A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year is the first Christmas music album by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released September 29, 1992 via Warner Bros. Records. The album includes a mix of traditional songs, cover songs and new material.-Content:This album includes...
(1992)
- Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof (1994)
- The Restless Kind
The Restless Kind is the American artist Travis Tritt's fifth album, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1996. The tracks "More Than You'll Ever Know", "Helping Me Get over You" , "She's Going Home with Me", and "Where Corn Don't Grow" were released as singles, all peaking in the Top 40 on the...
(1996)
- No More Looking over My Shoulder (1998)
- Down the Road I Go (2000)
- Strong Enough (2002)
- My Honky Tonk History (2004)
- The Storm
The Storm is the tenth studio album released by country music artist Travis Tritt. It is also his debut album for the Category 5 Records label....
(2007)
Billboard
number-one singles
- "Help Me Hold On
"Help Me Hold On" is a song co-written and recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It is the second single released from his 1990 debut album Country Club. It reached #1 in both the United States and Canada, thus becoming Travis Tritt's first number-one hit.-Content:"Help Me Hold On" is a...
" (1990)
- "Anymore
"Anymore" is a song recorded by country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in September 1991 as the second single released from his 1991 album It's All About To Change...
" (1991)
- "Can I Trust You with My Heart
"Can I Trust You With My Heart" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released in November 1992 as the second single released from his CD, T-R-O-U-B-L-E...
" (19921993)
- "Foolish Pride
"Foolish Pride" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It is the first single from his 1994 album Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof. The song peaked at Number One on the U.S...
" (1994)
- "Best of Intentions
"Best of Intentions" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released in June 2000 as the first single from his album, Down the Road I Go. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and peaked at number 27...
" (2000)
Awards
| Year |
Association |
Category |
Result |
| 1990 |
Billboard Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
|
Top New Male Artist |
|
| Country Music Association The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
|
Horizon Award |
|
| 1991 |
|
| 1992 |
Vocal Event of the Year
"This One's Gonna Hurt You" (with Marty Stuart) |
|
| Grammy Awards |
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
"The Whiskey Ain't Workin'" (with Marty Stuart) |
|
| 1993 |
Country Music Association |
Vocal Event of the Year
"I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" (with George JonesGeorge Glenn Jones is an American country music singer known for his long list of hit records, his distinctive voice and phrasing, and his marriage to Tammy Wynette....
et al.) |
|
| 1996 |
Vocal Event of the Year
"Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best" (with Marty Stuart) |
|
| 1999 |
Grammy Awards |
Best Country Collaboration with Vocals
"Same Old Train" (with Marty Stuart et al.) |
|
Filmography
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 1990 |
Hee HawHee Haw is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with fictional rural Kornfield Kounty as a backdrop. It aired on CBS-TV from 1969–1971 before a 20-year run in local syndication. The show was inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, the major difference being...
|
Himself |
One episode: "Episode #22.12" |
| 1993 |
Rio Diablo |
Benjamin Taber |
TV movie |
| 1994 |
The Cowboy Way |
Himself |
|
| 1994 |
Following Her Heart |
Himself |
TV movie |
| 1995 |
Tales from the CryptTales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO...
|
Charlie |
One episode: "Doctor of Horror" |
| 1995 |
The Jeff Foxworthy Show The Jeff Foxworthy Show is the name of two short-lived television series starring comedian Jeff Foxworthy and based on Foxworthy's stand-up comedy routine...
|
Himself |
One episode: "He's Making a List, Checking It Twice" |
| 1996 |
Sgt. Bilko |
Himself |
|
| 1996 |
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American post-Civil War western/drama series created by Beth Sullivan. Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, played by Jane Seymour, left Boston in search of adventure. She goes to Colorado Springs, Colorado where she establishes herself as doctor/adviser.The show ran on CBS...
|
Zachary Brett |
One episode: "Tin Star" |
| 1996 |
A Holiday for Love |
Sheriff Tom Uhll |
TV movie |
| 1999 |
The Long Kill |
Sheriff Dalton |
TV movie |
| 1999 |
Diagnosis MurderDiagnosis: Murder is a mystery/medical/crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son, a homicide detective played by his real-life son Barry Van Dyke. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman...
|
Kurt Fallon |
One episode: "Down Among the Dead Men" |
| 1999 |
Touched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...
|
Dan McConnell |
One episode: "Hearts" |
| 1999 |
Arliss-Criticism:This show, which ran for seven seasons, is a prime example of how HBO differs from traditional networks due to its nature as a network its viewers specifically pay to be able to watch. Arliss was cited by so many viewers as the sole reason that they paid for the network that its...
|
Cooter McCoy |
One episode: "The Cult of Celebrity" |
| 2002 |
CMT Crossroads |
Himself |
Performed with Ray CharlesRay Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
|
| 2003 |
King of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
|
Walt (voice) |
One episode: "Livin' on Reds, Vitamin C and Propane" |
| 2004 |
Yes, DearYes, Dear is a television sitcom that aired from October 2, 2000, to February 15, 2006, on CBS. It starred Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, Mike O'Malley and Liza Snyder....
|
Hank |
One episode: "Greg and Jimmy's Criminals" |
| 2004 |
Higglytown HeroesHigglytown Heroes is a children's television series currently airing on the Disney Junior portion of the Disney Channel, or, on some cable networks, the Playhouse Disney channel...
|
Farmer Hero |
One episode: "Halloween Heroes" |
| 2004 |
Celebrity Poker Showdown Celebrity Poker Showdown was a celebrity game show on the cable network Bravo. It was a limited-run series in which celebrities played poker, and ran eight tournaments during its five-season run....
|
Himself |
Two episodes; 2004-2005
"Tournament 2, Game 1"
"Tournament 5, Game 5" |
| 2005 |
Blue Collar TV Blue Collar TV was a television program that aired on The WB Television Network with lead actors Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy. The show's humor dealt principally with contemporary American society, and especially hillbilly, redneck, and Southern stereotypes. The show was...
|
Himself |
One episode: "Dating" |
| 2008 |
Battleground Earth Battleground Earth was a 2008 television series on Planet Green hosted by rock star Tommy Lee and rapper Ludacris.-Show premise:The series is set on the road in a 10-city tour across America, in which Ludacris and Tommy Lee battle against each other to see who can keep their act “more green”...
|
Himself |
One episode: "Fast Fuel" |
| 2008 |
The Girls Next Door The Girls Next Door, also known as The Girls of the Playboy Mansion, is an American reality television series broadcast on the E! cable television network...
|
Himself |
One episode: "Kentucky Fried" |
| 2011 |
Fishers of Men |
Eddie Waters |
post-production |
External links