James Travis Tritt(born February 9, 1963) is an Americancountrysinger-songwriter. He signed toWarner Bros. Recordsin 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released three studio albums onColumbia Recordsand one for the now-defunctCategory 5 Records.Seven of his albums (counting the Greatest Hits) arecertified platinumor higher by theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA); the highest-certified is 1991'sIt's All About to Change,which is certified triple-platinum. Tritt has also charted more than 40 times on theHot Country Songscharts, including five number ones— "Help Me Hold On","Anymore","Can I Trust You with My Heart","Foolish Pride",and"Best of Intentions"—and 15 additional top ten singles. Tritt's musical style is defined by mainstream country andSouthern rockinfluences.
Travis Tritt | |
|---|---|
 Tritt performing in 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Travis Tritt[1] |
| Born | February 9, 1963 Marietta, Georgia,U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | |
| Spouse(s) |
Karen Ryon
(m.1982;div.1984)Jodi Barnett
(m.1984;div.1989)Theresa Nelson (m.1997) |
| Website | travistritt |
He has received twoGrammy Awards,both forBest Country Collaboration with Vocals:in 1992 for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'",a duet withMarty Stuart,and again in 1998 for "Same Old Train", a collaboration with Stuart and nine other artists. He has received four awards from theCountry Music Associationand has been a member of theGrand Ole Oprysince 1992.
Early life
editJames Travis Tritt was born on February 9, 1963, inMarietta, Georgia,to James and Gwen Tritt. He first took interest in singing after his church's Sunday school choir performed "Everything Is Beautiful".[4]He received his first guitar at age 8 and taught himself how to play it; in the fourth grade, he performed "Annie's Song"and"King of the Road"for his class, and later got invited to play for other classrooms in his school.[5]At age 14, his parents bought him another guitar, and he learned more songs from his uncle, Sam Lockhart.[6]Later on, Tritt joined his church band, which occasionally performed at other churches nearby.[7]
Tritt began writing music while he was attendingSprayberry High School;his first song composition, entitled "Spend a Little Time", was written about a girlfriend whom he had broken up with.[8]He performed the song for his friends, one of whom complimented him on his songwriting skills.[9]He also founded abluegrassgroup 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".[10]
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 remarried when he was 18.[11]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.[12]Tritt's father thought that he would not find success as a musician, while his mother thought that he should perform Christian music instead of country.[1]
Through the assistance ofWarner Bros. Recordsexecutive Danny Davenport, Tritt began recordingdemos.The two worked together for the next several years, eventually putting together a demo album calledProud of the Country.[1][13]Davenport sent the demo to Warner Bros. representatives in Los Angeles, who in turn sent the demo to their Nashville division, which signed Tritt in 1987.[14]Davenport also helped Tritt find atalent manager,Ken Kragen. At first, Kragen was not interested in taking an "entry-level act", but decided to sign on as Tritt's manager after Kragen's wife convinced him.[15]
Musical career
edit1989–1991:Country Club
editTritt's contract with Warner Bros. meant 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.[14][16]His first single was "Country Club".Recorded in late 1988 and released on August 7, 1989,[17]the song spent 26 weeks on theHot Country Singles & Trackscharts, peaking at number nine.[18]It was the title track to his 1990 debut albumCountry Club,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.[14]Second single "Help Me Hold On"became his first number one single in 1990.[18]The album's third and fifth singles, "I'm Gonna Be Somebody"and"Drift Off to Dream",respectively peaked at numbers two and three on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, and number one on the CanadianRPMcountry charts;[19][20]"I'm Gonna Be Somebody" also went to number one on the U.S. country singles charts published byRadio & Records.[14]"Put Some Drive in Your Country",which was released fourth, peaked at 28 on Hot Country Songs.[18]Country Clubwascertified platinumby theRecording Industry Association of America(RIAA) in July 1991 for shipments of one million copies, and no medals since in 1996.[21]In 1990, he won the Top New Male Artist award fromBillboard.[22]TheCountry Music Association(CMA) also nominated him for the Horizon Award (now known as the New Artist Award),[14]which is given to new artists who show have shown the most significant artistic and commercial development from a first or second album.[23]
Brian MansfieldofAllMusicgave 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.[24]Giving the album a B-minus,Alanna NashofEntertainment Weeklycompared Tritt's music to that ofHank Williams, Jr.andJoe Stampley.[25]
1991–1992:It's All About to Change
editIn 1991, Tritt received a second Horizon Award nomination, which he won that year.[22]He also released his second album,It's All About to Change.The album went on to become his bestselling, with a triple-platinum certification from the RIAA for shipments of three million copies.[21]All four of its singles reached the top five on the country music charts. "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)"and theMarty Stuartduet "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'",respectively the first and third singles, both reached number two, with the number-one"Anymore"in between."Nothing Short of Dying"was the fourth single, with a peak at number four onBillboard;[18]both it and "The Whiskey Ain't Working" went to Number One onRadio & Records.[14]"Bible Belt", another cut from the album (recorded in collaboration withLittle Feat), appeared in the 1992 filmMy Cousin Vinny(the lyrics for the song, however, were changed for the version played in the movie to match the story line). Although not released as a single, it peaked at number 72 country based on unsolicited airplay and was theb-sideto "Nothing Short of Dying".[18]"Bible Belt" was inspired by a youth pastor whom Tritt knew in his childhood.[26]
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 producer, Gregg Brown.[27]The duet won both artists the next year'sGrammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.[18]Tritt and Stuart charted a second duet, "This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time)",which went to number seven in mid-1992 and appeared on Stuart's albumThis One's Gonna Hurt You.[18]This song won the 1992 CMA award for Vocal Event of the Year.[22]
In June 1992, Tritt received media attention when he criticizedBilly Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart"at a Fan Fair interview, saying that he did not think that Cyrus' song made a" statement ".[28]The following January, Cyrus responded at theAmerican Music Awardsby referring to Tritt's "Here's a Quarter".[29]Tritt later apologized to Cyrus, but said that he defended his opinion on the song.[30]
1992–1993:T-R-O-U-B-L-EandA Travis Tritt Christmas
editTritt and Stuart began a "No Hats Tour" in 1992.[31]In August of that same year, Tritt released the albumT-R-O-U-B-L-E.Its first single was "Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man",a song written byKostas.This song, which featured backing vocals fromBrooks & Dunn,T. Graham Brown,George Jones,Little Texas,Dana McVicker(who also sang backup on Tritt's first two albums),Tanya TuckerandPorter Wagoneron the final chorus, peaked at number five.[18]Its follow-up, "Can I Trust You with My Heart",became Tritt's thirdBillboardnumber one in early 1993.[18]The album's next three singles did not perform as well on the charts: thetitle track(a cover of anElvis Presleysong[32]), peaked at 13, followed by "Looking Out for Number One"at number 11 and" Worth Every Mile "at number 30.[18]T-R-O-U-B-L-Ebecame the second album of his career to achieve double-platinum certification.[21]Stephen Thomas Erlewineof AllMusic thought thatT-R-O-U-B-L-Efollowed too closely the formula ofIt's All About to Change,but said that the songs showed Tritt's personality.[33]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".[32]
One month after the release ofT-R-O-U-B-L-E,Tritt issued a Christmas album titledA Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year,for which he wrote the title track.[34]He also joined theGrand Ole Opry,a weekly stage show and radio broadcast specializing in country music performances,[35]and filled in forGarth Brooksat a performance on theAmerican Music Awards.[36]By year's end, Tritt and several other artists appeared onGeorge Jones's "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair",which won all artists involved the next year's CMA Vocal Event of the Year award.[37]
1994–1995:Ten Feet Tall and BulletproofandGreatest Hits
editIn early 1994, after "Worth Every Mile" fell from the charts, Tritt charted at number 21 with a cover of theEagles' "Take It Easy".[18]He recorded this song for the tribute albumCommon Thread: The Songs of the Eagles(released through Warner Bros.'Giant Recordsdivision), which featured country music artists' renditions of Eagles songs.[38]When filming the music video for this song, Tritt requested that the band, which had been on hiatus for over 13 years, appear in it. This reunion inspired the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over Tour, which began that year.[14]
His fourth album,Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof,was released that May. Its lead-off single, "Foolish Pride",went to number one, and the fourth single,"Tell Me I Was Dreaming",reached number two. In between these songs were the title track at number 22 and"Between an Old Memory and Me"(originally recorded byKeith Whitley[39]) at number 11.[18]The album included two co-writes withGary RossingtonofLynyrd Skynyrd,and guest vocals fromWaylon Jenningsand Hank Williams, Jr. on the cut "Outlaws Like Us".[40]The album achieved platinum certification in December of that year, and later became his third double-platinum album.[21]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 ofBob Seger.[40]Alanna Nash praised the title track and "Tell Me I Was Dreaming" in her review forEntertainment Weekly,but thought that the other songs were still too similar in sound to his previous works.[39]
1995'sGreatest Hits: From the Beginningincluded most of his singles to that point, as well as two new cuts: theSteve Earlecomposition "Sometimes She Forgets"and a cover of the pop standard"Only You (And You Alone)".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.[18]Greatest Hitswas certified platinum.[21]
1996–1997:The Restless Kind
editIn April 1996, Tritt and Stuart charted a third duet, "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best",which appeared on Stuart'salbum of the same nameand 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.[18]The two began a second tour, the Double Trouble Tour, that year.[14]
Tritt charted at number three in mid-1996 with "More Than You'll Ever Know",the first single from his fifth album,The Restless Kind.The album accounted for one more top ten hit, a cover of Waylon Jennings's "Where Corn Don't Grow",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 comedianBill Engvall's "Here are Your Sign" routines with a chorus sung by Tritt.[41]"Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)" peaked at 29 on the country charts and 43 on theBillboardHot 100,accounting for Tritt's first entry on the latter chart.[18]The other singles fromThe Restless Kindall 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 18"Helping Me Get Over You",a duet withLari Whitewhich the two co-wrote.[18]
Unlike his previous albums, all of which were produced by Gregg Brown, Tritt producedThe Restless KindwithDon Was.[42]Tritt toldBillboardthat the album showed a greater level of personal involvement than his previous efforts, as it was his first co-production credit. He also noted that he sang most of the vocal harmony by himself, played guitar on "She's Going Home with Me", and helped with the album's art direction.[43]It received positive reviews from Thom Owens of AllMusic, who said that it was the most country-sounding album of his career.[44]Don Yates ofCountry Standard Timealso praised it for having a more "organic" sound than Tritt's other albums.[42]
1998–1999:No More Looking over My Shoulder
editIn 1998, he and several other artists contributed to Stuart's "Same Old Train", a cut from the collaborative albumTribute to Tradition;this song charted at number 59 on Hot Country Songs and won Tritt his second Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.[45]He also performed onFrank Wildhorn's concept album of the musicalThe Civil War,singing the song "The Day the Sun Stood Still".[46]By year's end, Tritt also released his final Warner Bros. album,No More Looking over My Shoulder.It was his first of four consecutive albums which he produced withBilly Joe Walker, Jr.,who is a session guitarist, producer, andNew Age musician.The album 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.[18]Michael Peterson(who recorded for Warner Bros.'Repriselabel at the time) co-wrote and sang backing vocals on the title track,[47]which went to number 38 country in early 1999. The album's third and final single was a cover ofJude Cole's "Start the Car" (previously the B-side to "If I Lost You" ), which peaked at number 52.[18]
Late in 1999, Tritt recorded a cover ofHank Williams's "Move It On Over"withGeorge Thorogoodfor thesoundtrackto the cartoonKing of the Hill.[48]This cut peaked at number 66 on the country charts from unsolicited airplay.[18]
2000–2002:Down the Road I Go
editSoon after leaving Warner Bros. Records, Tritt signed toColumbia Recordsand released the albumDown the Road I Goin 2000.[1]The album's first release was "Best of Intentions",his fifth and final number one hit onBillboard.[18]It was also his most successful entry on the Hot 100, where it reached number 27.[18]The next two singles, "It's a Great Day to Be Alive"and"Love of a Woman",both peaked at number two on the country charts in 2001, followed by"Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde"at number eight. All three songs also crossed over to the Hot 100, respectively reaching peaks of 33, 39 and 55.[18]Tritt wrote or co-wrote seven of the album's songs, including "Best of Intentions",[49]and collaborated withCharlie Danielson two of them.[50]"It's a Great Day to Be Alive" was originally recorded byJon Randall,whose version was to have been included on an unreleased album forBNA Recordsin the late 1990s.[51]
Maria Konicki Dinoia gave the album a positive review on AllMusic, saying that Tritt "hasn't lost his touch".[49]Country Standard Timealso gave a positive review, saying that it showed Tritt's balance of country and rock influences.[52]An uncredited review inBillboardmagazine called "Best of Intentions" a "gorgeous ballad", comparing it favorably to his early Warner Bros. releases.[53]
2002–2005:Strong EnoughandMy Honky Tonk History
editIn September 2002, Tritt released his second album on Columbia Records,Strong Enough.Its first single was "Strong Enough to Be Your Man" (ananswer songtoSheryl Crow's 1994 single "Strong Enough"[54]) which reached number 13. The only other release was "Country Ain't Country", which peaked at 26 on the country charts.[18]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.[54]
Also in 2002, Tritt performed on an episode ofCrossroads,a program onCountry Music Televisionwhich pairs country acts with musicians from other genres for collaborative performances. He performed withRay Charles.[55]Tritt contributed guest vocals to Charlie Daniels' 2003 single "Southern Boy", and recorded a cover of Waylon Jennings' "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean" to theRCA Recordstribute albumI've Always Been Crazy.Respectively, these songs reached 51 and 50 on the country charts.[18]
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 theJohn Mellencampduet "What Say You" at number 21 and "I See Me" at number 32.[18]Other songs on the album included a cover ofPhilip Claypool's "Circus Leaving Town" and songs written byGretchen Wilson,Benmont TenchandDelbert McClinton.[56]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.[56]
2007–present:The Storm,The Calm After...andSet in Stone
edit
Tritt exited Columbia in July 2005, citing creative differences overMy Honky Tonk History.[57]He signed to the independentCategory 5 Recordsin February 2006, and served as the label's flagship artist.[58]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.[59]Tritt released his first single for Category 5 in May 2007: a cover of theRichard Marxsong "You Never Take Me Dancing".[60]It was included on his only album for Category 5,The Storm,whichAmerican IdoljudgeRandy Jacksonproduced.[61]The album featured a morerhythm and bluesinfluence than Tritt's previous works.[60][61]"You Never Take Me Dancing" peaked at number 27 on the country charts; a second single, "Something Stronger Than Me", was released in October,[62]but it did not chart. Category 5 closed in November 2007 after allegations that the label's chief executive officer, Raymond Termini, had illegally usedMedicaidfunds to finance it.[63]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 onThe Storm.[64]
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.[65]Tritt signed a management deal with Parallel Entertainment in December 2010.[66]He continued to tour through to 2012 and into 2013, with most of his shows being solo acoustic performances.[67]Tritt acquired the rights to the songs onThe Stormand re-issued it via his own Post Oak label in July 2013 under the titleThe Calm After...[68]The re-release included two covers: thePatty SmythandDon Henleyduet "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough",which he recorded as a duet with his daughter Tyler Reese,[69]andFaces' 1971 hit "Stay with Me".
In 2019, Tritt was featured on thecountry rockhit "Outlaws & Outsiders"byCory Marks.[70]In 2021 "Set in Stone" released in 2021. around that time recorded in 2019 and 2020 they album pushed back in early 2021. In 2024, Tritt featured on anotherCory Markssong titled "(Make My) Country Rock".[71]
Acting career
editTritt's first acting role was alongside fellow country singerKenny Rogersin the 1993made-for-televisionmovieRio Diablo.[72]In 1994, Tritt made a special appearance as a bull rider in the movieThe Cowboy Way,which starredWoody Harrelson,Kiefer SutherlandandDylan McDermott.In 1995, he appeared in season 6 of the horror anthology seriesTales from the Cryptin the episode calledDoctor of Horror.He also starred in various guest roles onYes, Dearas a rehabilitating criminal, onDiagnosis Murderas a terminally ill criminal taunting Steve Sloan (Barry Van Dyke), and onDr. Quinn, Medicine Womanas a gun slinger[73]The following year, Tritt appeared as himself inSgt. Bilko,which starredSteve Martin,Dan AykroydandPhil Hartman;[74]Tritt's cover of "Only You (And You Alone)" appeared in the film's soundtrack.[75]He also appeared as himself in the 1997 filmFire Down Below,starringSteven SeagalandKris Kristofferson.[76]In 1999 Tritt appeared inOutlaw Justicewith Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson. Tritt appeared in the filmBlues Brothers 2000as one of the Louisiana Gator Boys, performing alongsideB. B. King,Eric Clapton,andBo Diddley.In 2001 he guest starred inElmo's World The Wild Wild West.In September 2010, filming began on a movie calledFishers of Men,a Christian film.[77]
Musical styles
editAlthough 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.[7]While performing at these churches, he also took interest in gospel singers such asAndraé Crouch.[78]Later on, he began listening toSouthern rockacts such asLynyrd Skynyrdthrough the recommendation of a friend,[79]as well as the bluegrass music that his uncle exposed him to.[80]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.[81]He cites country, rock andfolkas his influences.[22]Stephen Thomas Erlewine contrasts him with contemporariesClint BlackandAlan Jackson,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."[1]Zell Miller, in the bookThey 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."[82]
Regarding his songwriting style and single choices, Tritt said that he writes "strictly from personal experiences" and does not follow a particular formula.[83]He described "Here's a Quarter" as "one of the simplest three-chordwaltzesI've ever written ",[84]and said that label executives were reluctant to release it because they thought that it was anovelty song.[85]Also, he was told that "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" would not be a hit because it did not contain any rhymes,[86]and fought the release of the song "Country Club" because he did not think that it fit his style.[87]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 more so than the top ten hits from those albums.[88]
Personal life
editTritt married his high school sweetheart, Karen Ryon,[89]in September 1982. They were married two years before divorcing.[90]After going to court, Tritt was ordered to payalimonyto Karen for six months.[91]When he was 21, he married Jodi Barnett,[92]who was 33 at the time.[93]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.[94]
He married Theresa Nelson on April 12, 1997.[50]They have one daughter,[50]and two sons.[95]
On May 18, 2019, he was in his tour bus when it was involved in a motor vehicle accident which took the lives of two people driving the wrong way on Veteran's Highway leavingMyrtle Beach, South Carolina.[96]
Political views and advocacy
editTritt is a member of theRepublican Partyand supportedGeorge W. Bushfor president in 2000. The two met in 1996 at theRepublican National Conventionin San Diego, California, where Tritt sang the national anthem.[97]Tritt toldInsight on the Newsthat 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 Association of America) 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 ".[citation needed]
In September 2020, Tritt gained notoriety for joining fellow RepublicanJames Woodsin blocking randomTwitterusers for using pro-Black Lives Matterand other anti-Trump tags in their posts, under the belief that it would counteract anti-Republican sentiment on Twitter.[98]
In April 2023, as a protest againstBud Lightfor supporting transgender influencerDylan Mulvaney,Tritt Tweeted "I will be deleting all Anheuser-Busch products from my tour hospitality rider."[99][100]
Alleged paranormal encounters
editIn October 2015, Tritt appeared on Lifetime network'sThe Haunting of...program to discuss his experiences with the paranormal. Tritt stated that beginning in 1993, he was awakened "regularly" by disembodied voices in a vacation cabin that he owned – the voices spoke in an unknown dialect. His wife, Theresa, eventually heard them as well. According to Tritt, "Over the years, these voices started happening on such a frequent basis that we were afraid to come up here." He also asserted that footprints once appeared in the carpet of the cabin, and imprints in the bedspread, that belonged to neither him nor his wife.
The show's host, Kim Russo, concluded that an African-American medicine man had been stabbed and beaten to death on the property, and the voices that Tritt was hearing belonged to the murderers' angry spirits. A title card in the program notes that "On August 14, 1875, a group of men killed a 'hoodoodoctor' close to the land where Travis' cabin was built. "Russo believed that the hoodoo doctor's spirit also lingered on the property because it found a" kindred spirit "in Tritt.[101][102]
Discography
editStudio albums
- Proud of the Country(1987)[103][non-primary source needed][104]
- 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)
Billboardnumber-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
editGrammy Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" | Best Male Country Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| Best Country Song | Nominated | ||
| 1993 | "Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man" | Best Male Country Vocal Performance | Nominated |
| "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'"[A] | Best Country Collaboration with Vocals | Won | |
| 1995 | "The Devil Comes Back to Georgia"[B] | Nominated | |
| 1997 | "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best"[A] | Nominated | |
| Hope: Country Music's Quest for a Cure | Nominated | ||
| 1999 | "Same Old Train"[C] | Won |
American Music Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Travis Tritt | Favorite Country New Artist | Nominated |
| 1992 | It's All About to Change | Favorite Country Album | Nominated |
| "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" | Favorite Country Single | Nominated | |
| 2002 | Travis Tritt | Favorite Country Male Artist | Nominated |
TNN/Music City News Country Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Travis Tritt | Star of Tomorrow | Nominated |
| 1992 | Won | ||
| Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Nominated | |
| "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" | Single of the Year | Nominated | |
| "Anymore" | Video of the Year | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Won |
| George Jones and Friends[D] | Nominated | ||
| 1994 | Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles | Album of the Year | Nominated |
| 1996 | "Tell Me I Was Dreaming" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 1997 | Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Nominated |
| 1998 | Travis Tritt and Lari White | Nominated |
Academy of Country Music Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Travis Tritt | Top New Male Vocalist | Nominated |
| 1992 | "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" | Single Record of the Year | Nominated |
| Song of the Year | Nominated | ||
| It's All About to Change | Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| "Anymore" | Video of the Year | Nominated | |
| Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart | Top Vocal Duo of the Year | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Nominated | ||
| "Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man" | Video of the Year | Nominated | |
| Travis Tritt | Entertainer of the Year | Nominated | |
| 1994 | Nominated | ||
| "Can I Trust You with My Heart" | Song of the Year | Nominated | |
| Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles | Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| 1996 | "Tell Me I Was Dreaming" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
| 1997 | "More Than You'll Ever Know" | Nominated | |
| Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart | Top Vocal Duo of the Year | Nominated | |
| 1999 | "Same Old Train"[C] | Top Vocal Event of the Year | Nominated |
| 2002 | Travis Tritt | Top Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated |
| "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" | Single Record of the Year | Nominated | |
| Down the Road I Go | Album of the Year | Nominated | |
| "Out of Control Raging Fire"[E] | Vocal Event of the Year | Nominated |
Country Music Association Awards
edit| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Travis Tritt | Horizon Award | Nominated |
| 1991 | Won | ||
| "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" | Single of the Year | Nominated | |
| 1992 | Song of the Year | Nominated | |
| "Anymore" | Video of the Year | Nominated | |
| "This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time)"[A] | Vocal Event of the Year | Won | |
| Travis Tritt | Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | |
| Entertainer of the Year | Nominated | ||
| 1993 | "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair"[F] | Vocal Event of the Year | Nominated |
| 1994 | "The Devil Comes Back to Georgia"[B] | Nominated | |
| Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles | Album of the Year | Won | |
| Rhythm, Country and Blues | Nominated | ||
| 1996 | "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best"[A] | Vocal Event of the Year | Nominated |
| 1999 | "Same Old Train"[C] | Nominated | |
| 2002 | "Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde" | Video of the Year | Nominated |
^[A]Nominated alongsideMarty Stuart
^[B]Nominated alongside Marty Stuart,Mark O'Connor,Charlie DanielsandJohnny Cash
^[C]Nominated alongsideClint Black,Joe Diffie,Merle Haggard,Emmylou Harris,Alison Krauss,Patty Loveless,Earl Scruggs,Ricky Skaggs,Marty Stuart,Pam Tillis,Randy TravisandDwight Yoakam
^[D]George Jones' "Friends" also includes:Vince Gill,Mark Chesnutt,Garth Brooks,Joe Diffie,Alan Jackson,Pam Tillis,T. Graham Brown,Patty Loveless and Clint Black
^[E]Nominated alongside Patty Loveless
^[F]Nominated alongside George Jones and Friends
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Hee Haw | Himself | One episode: "Episode No. 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 Crypt | Charlie | One episode: "Doctor of Horror" |
| 1995 | The Jeff Foxworthy Show | Himself | One episode: "He's Making a List, Checking It Twice" |
| 1996 | Sgt. Bilko | Himself | |
| 1996 | Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman | Zachary Brett | One episode: "Tin Star" |
| 1996 | A Holiday for Love | Sheriff Tom Uhl | TV movie |
| 1997 | Fire Down Below | Himself | |
| 1998 | Blues Brothers 2000 | Himself | |
| 1999 | The Long Kill | Sheriff Dalton | TV movie |
| 1999 | Diagnosis Murder | Kurt Fallon | One episode: "Down Among the Dead Men" |
| 1999 | Touched by an Angel | Dan McConnell | One episode: "Hearts" |
| 1999 | Arliss | "Cooter" McCoy | One episode: "The Cult of Celebrity" |
| 2001 | Elmo's World | Himself | One episode: "Wild Wild West" |
| 2002 | CMT Crossroads | Himself | Performed withRay Charles |
| 2003 | King of the Hill | Walt (voice) | One episode: "Livin' on Reds, Vitamin C and Propane" |
| 2004 | Yes, Dear | Hank | One episode: "Greg and Jimmy's Criminals" |
| 2004 | Higglytown Heroes | Farmer Hero | One episode: "Halloween Heroes" |
| 2004 | Celebrity Poker Showdown | Himself | Two episodes; 2004–2005 "Tournament 2, Game 1" "Tournament 5, Game 5" |
| 2005 | 2001 Maniacs | Gas station attendant | |
| 2005 | Blue Collar TV | Himself | One episode: "Dating" |
| 2008 | Battleground Earth | Himself | One episode: "Fast Fuel" |
| 2008 | The Girls Next Door | Himself | One episode: "Kentucky Fried" |
| 2011 | Fishers of Men | Eddie Waters | post-production |
| 2017 | Let There Be Light | Dr. Corey | |
| 2018 | Forever My Girl | Walt |
Notes
edit- ^abcdeErlewine, Stephen Thomas."Travis Tritt biography".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 22,2010.
- ^Himes, Geoffrey (August 28, 1996)."COUNTRY MUSIC'S NEW PAIR OF OUTLAWS".The Washington Post.RetrievedJuly 25,2023.
Tritt was an outsider, playing a mix of Southern rock and outlaw country in Atlanta bar bands before signing a record deal.
- ^Stephens, Erin (January 23, 2020)."Travis Tritt performing solo acoustic show at Saenger".Pensacola News Journal.RetrievedJanuary 30,2020.
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 2
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 3
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 4
- ^abTritt and Bane, p. 13
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 17
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 20
- ^Tritt and Bane, pp. 35–36
- ^,Tritt and Bane, pp. 39–41
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 46
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 64
- ^abcdefghStambler, Irwin; Stambler, Lyndon; Laudon, Grelon (1997).Country music: the encyclopedia.Macmillan.ISBN0-312-26487-9.
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 102
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 94
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 98
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyWhitburn, Joel (2008).Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008.Record Research, Inc. pp. 427–428.ISBN978-0-89820-177-2.
- ^"RPM Country Tracks for August 25, 1990".RPM.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^"RPM Country Tracks for May 25, 1991".RPM.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^abcde"Search results for Travis Tritt".Recording Industry Association of America.RetrievedSeptember 22,2010.
- ^abcd"Travis Tritt Biography".Grand Ole Opry.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^"About the awards".Country Music Association.RetrievedSeptember 26,2010.
- ^Mansfield, Brian."Country Clubreview ".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Nash, Alanna (March 16, 1990)."We review new music from Travis Tritt, Kris Kristofferson, Alan Jackson, and more".Entertainment Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon December 21, 2009.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Tritt and Bane, pp. 12–13
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 190
- ^"Tritt pans Cyrus tune, video".Sun Journal.June 12, 1992.RetrievedDecember 2,2010.
- ^"Cyrus gives Tritt no quarter".Kentucky New Era.January 28, 1993.RetrievedDecember 2,2010.
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 161
- ^Abbott, Jim (October 9, 1992)."Travis Tritt".The Orlando Sentinel.Archived fromthe originalon November 4, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^abNash, Alanna (September 4, 1992)."T-R-O-U-B-L-Ereview ".Entertainment Weekly.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Erlewine, Stephen Thomas."T-R-O-U-B-L-Ereview ".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Mansfield, Brian."A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Yearreview ".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 115
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 179
- ^Whitburn, p. 215
- ^"Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^abNash, Alanna (May 23, 1994)."Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproofreview ".Entertainment Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon November 22, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^abMansfield, Brian."Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproofreview ".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Reece, Doug (March 22, 1997)."Engvall Follows 'Sign' to His Own Success".Billboard.p. 9.
- ^abYates, Don."The Restless Kindreview ".Country Standard Time.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Price, Deborah Evans (July 20, 1996)."Travis Tritt gets personal in marketing new WB set".Billboard.pp. 7, 70.
- ^Owens, Thom."The Restless Kindreview ".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Whitburn, p. 367
- ^"Gettysburg Welcomes Wildhorn's 'New' Civil War Musical,For the Glory".Playbill.June 15, 2006. Archived fromthe originalon November 4, 2010.RetrievedMarch 13,2010.
- ^No More Looking over My Shoulder(CD insert). Travis Tritt. Warner Bros. Records. 1998. 47097.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Erlewine, Stephen Thomas."King of the Hillreview ".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 22,2010.
- ^abDinoia, Maria Konicki."Down the Road I Goreview ".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^abc"Spotlight on Travis Tritt".About.August 23, 2004.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^"Jon Randall biography".CMT.Archived fromthe originalon April 27, 2004.RetrievedSeptember 27,2010.
- ^Oliver, Kevin."Down the Road I Goreview ".Country Standard Time.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Nielsen Business Media, Inc (July 1, 2000)."Single reviews".Billboard.p. 20.
{{cite magazine}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^abRuhlmann, William."Strong Enoughreview ".RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^"Travis Tritt To Join Ray Charles For CMT's 'Crossroads'".Yahoo!Music.August 2, 2002.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^abJurek, Thom."My Honky Tonk Historyreview ".AllMusic.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^Stark, Phyllis (May 7, 2005)."Tritt Splits Columbia".Billboard.
- ^"Travis Tritt is flagship artist for new label".Country Standard Time.February 6, 2006.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^"Country star Tritt backed out on show, lawsuit claims".NashvillePost. April 3, 2007.RetrievedSeptember 22,2010.
- ^ab"Travis Tritt releases first single for new label".Country Standard Time.May 17, 2007.RetrievedSeptember 23,2010.
- ^ab"Travis Tritt is stormin' the charts".Daily News.New York. November 4, 2007.RetrievedSeptember 27,2010.
- ^Price, Deborah Evans (October 27, 2007)."Single review for 'Something Stronger Than Me'".Billboard.p. 61.
- ^"Travis Tritt sues record label".Yahoo! Music. December 11, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon July 10, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^"Travis Tritt sues record label".Country Standard Time.December 11, 2007.RetrievedSeptember 22,2010.
- ^"Tritt, Stuart reunite for November tour".Country Standard Time.October 13, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^Skates, Sarah (December 7, 2010)."Travis Tritt Signs With Parallel Entertainment".Musicrow.RetrievedDecember 7,2010.
- ^"Tours".Travis Tritt official website.RetrievedFebruary 6,2013.
- ^Wyland, Sarah (May 24, 2013)."Travis Tritt Releases Duet with Daughter Tyler Reese".Great American Country.RetrievedMay 28,2013.
- ^Parker, Eric T. (April 24, 2013)."Travis Tritt Duets with Daughter on New Single".MusicRow.RetrievedAugust 5,2013.
- ^Brooks, Dave (December 20, 2019)."Cory Marks 'Outlaws and Outsiders' Is the 2019 Hit That Couldn't Be Confined".Billboard.
- ^"Sully Erna, Mick Mars guest on new Cory Marks song," (Make My) Country Rock "".105.7 The Point.July 26, 2024.RetrievedAugust 22,2024.
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 195
- ^Patterson, Jim (June 8, 1994)."Singer Travis Tritt is country's newest outlaw and keeper of Tall tales".Fort Worth Star-Telegram.Associated Press.pp. E1-2.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010– viaNewspapers.
- ^"Country star Travis Tritt heads 'Down the Road'with a stop at the State Fair".The Detroit News.August 23, 2001.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^"Tritt's Greatest Hits collection a big hit".Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel.December 15, 1995.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.[dead link]
- ^Elliott, David (September 8, 1997)."Seagal makes creeps cringe in new 'Fire Down Below'".The San Diego Union-Tribune.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.[dead link]
- ^Golden, Leilani (September 13, 2010)."Movie begins filming in Bainbridge".WALB.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 14
- ^Tritt and Bane, pp. 29–30
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 34
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 63
- ^Miller, Zell (1996).They Heard Georgia Singing.0865545049. pp. 293–294.ISBN9780865545045.
- ^Tritt and Bane, pp. 22-23
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 25
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 136
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 23
- ^Tritt and Bane, pp. 137–138
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 138
- ^Ryon, Karen (1995).Keep the Memories, Bury the Love: My Life with Travis Tritt.Eggman Publishing. p. 136.ISBN1-886371-19-9.
- ^Tritt and Bane, pp. 41–42
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 44
- ^"Travis Tritt, performing with T. Graham Brown".The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.September 19, 1991. p. D1.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 66
- ^Tritt and Bane, p. 70
- ^"Travis Tritt, Wife Theresa Have Baby Boy".Yahoo! Music. November 25, 2003. Archived fromthe originalon September 24, 2012.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
- ^Moniuszko, Sara (May 18, 2019)."Country star Travis Tritt's tour bus involved in fatal crash in South Carolina".USA Today.Archivedfrom the original on May 18, 2019.RetrievedMay 18,2019.
- ^"Tritt Open About Political Leanings".Country Music Television. Archived fromthe originalon June 27, 2019.RetrievedSeptember 29,2019.
- ^"Who is Travis Tritt? Musician backs James Woods against 'resisters', here's why he's blocking people on Twitter".Meaww. September 7, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 7,2020.
- ^"https://twitter /Travistritt/status/1643765186736553984".Twitter.RetrievedApril 18,2023.
{{cite web}}:External link in|title= - ^Holpuch, Amanda (April 14, 2023)."Behind the Backlash Against Bud Light's Transgender Influencer".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedApril 18,2023.
- ^[1][dead link]
- ^"The Haunting Of S05E22 – Travis Tritt – video".Dailymotion.RetrievedSeptember 29,2019.
- ^Tritt, Travis (May 21, 2017)."It was released. It was my 1st album that was released prior to getting my first major label record deal".
- ^"Travis Tritt – Proud of the Country".discogs.RetrievedSeptember 29,2019.
See also
edit- Travis (chimpanzee),named after Tritt
References
edit- Tritt, Travis; Bane, Michael (1994).10 Feet Tall and Bulletproof.Warner Books.ISBN0-446-51847-6.
External links
edit
