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Travis Tritt
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| Travis Tritt | |
|---|---|
 Travis performing live
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Travis Tritt |
| Also known as | T-Squared |
| Born | February 9, 1963 |
| Origin | Marietta, Georgia, United States |
| Genre(s) | country music, country rock |
| Occupation(s) | singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | electric guitar,acoustic guitar,mandolin,vocals |
| Years active | 1989-present |
| Label(s) | Warner Bros. Records (1987-1999) Columbia Records (1999-2005) Category 5 Records (2005-present) |
| Associated acts |
Little Feat Richard Marx John Mellencamp Marty Stuart Lari White |
| Website | http://www.travistritt.com/ |
Travis Tritt (born James Travis Tritt, February 9, 1963 in Marietta, Georgia) is a Grammy award-winning American country music singer-songwriter and occasional actor.
Starting with the debut single release of "Country Club" in 1989, Travis Tritt has charted more than thirty singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including five Number One singles. His first and third albums -- 1989's Country Club and T-R-O-U-B-L-E -- have each achieved platinum certification by the RIAA, for U.S. sales of over one million copies each, while his albums It's All About to Change (1991), Greatest Hits: From The Beginning (1995), and My Honky Tonk History (2004) have each achieved gold status for sales of 500,000 copies apiece.
He has also received two Grammy awards in his musical career, both awards for Best Country Vocal Collaboration: in 1992 for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", a duet with Marty Stuart, and again in 1998 for "Same Old Train", a collaboration of more than ten country music artists. In addition, he has received three awards from the Country Music Association, and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry
Tritt continues to both tour and record country music with his most recent album, The Storm, being released in 2007.
Contents |
Tritt was born in Marietta, Georgia to James and Gwen Tritt. At age 3, he received his first guitar from his father.
Travis Tritt began writing music while he was still in high school; his first song composition entitled "Spend A Little Time", was written about his girlfriend about the time she broke up with him. All throughout his childhood, Tritt was obsessed with music, frequently spending hours alone in his bedroom learning to play the guitar and practising various styles of both traditional country and southern rock songs.
By the age of 22, Tritt had been twice divorced and being single again he committed himself entirely to developing a full time music career. His hard work and successful recording releases so impressing the Nashville country music community he was accepted into membership of the Grand Ole Opry in 1992.
His breakthrough came with the release of his first album, Country Club, from which five singles were released, as well as his first No. 1 hit with "Help Me Hold On"' His second album, It's All About To Change, produced three top-3 hits: "Anymore", "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", and "Here's A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)". The song "Bible Belt" was used in the movie, My Cousin Vinny, and, for which, he composed alternate lyrics exclusively for the use of the film.
Tritt released a trilogy of music videos describing the tale of two paralyzed war veterans: Mac Singleton and his friend Al. The first is "Anymore" followed by "Tell Me I was Dreaming" and finally "If I Lost You". Tritt played the role of Mac Singleton, a wheelchair bound veteran. In "Anymore" he is reluctant to continue his relationship with Annie when he returns to his home town crippled. Then in "Tell Me I was Dreaming" he tries to rescue Annie, now pregnant, from slipping off a boat, subsequently hitting her head on the side of the dock. She dies, but their baby, Annie, survives. The third video "If I Lost You" shows what happens to Singleton and his daughter after the filming of his second video.
In 1998, Tritt was in the film Blues Brothers 2000, performing in a band called the Gator Boys. Tritt was also in the 2005 remake of 2001 Maniacs as a gas clerk.
In 2002, Tritt was asked by CMT to do an episode of Crossroads, a special program allowed artists to choose who they would like to perform music with for an evening, and Tritt chose to share this opportunity and experience with Ray Charles. The night was particularly memorable for anyone familiar as Charles' had his own roots in country music. Tritt paid special tribute to Charles at the Grand Ole Opry by performing his hit single, "What' I Say" on June 3, 2006 on GAC.
Tritt also teamed with John Mellencamp for a duet on "What Say You" in 2004, a song both have stated was inspired by Fox News Channel commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often introduces a topic and then turns to his guest with the signature introductory "... what say you?". Tritt has also played at the year 2000 Republican National Convention.
Under the news section of his website, Tritt revealed that he would co-produce his next album with American Idol judge Randy Jackson. That album, titled "The Storm", was released in August 2007. Among one of the more distinctive parts on Tritt's new album is a cover version of the Canadian rock band Nickelback's song "Should've Listened", from their The Long Road album.
Travis was married to Theresa Nelson on April 12, 1997. They now reside in Hiram, Georgia just off of Travis Tritt Highway. Together, they have three children: Tyler Reese (born February 18, 1998), Tristan James (born June 16, 1999) and Terian Nathaniel (born November 20, 2003).
Former members of Tritt's band The Country Club include:
- Wendell Cox - guitar
- "Eddie" Gray - drums
- Tim Passmore - fiddle, background vocals, guitar
- Jim "Jimmie Joe" Ruggiere - harmonica, mandolin
- Jon Bonnette - bass guitar
- George Stallings - drums
- Steve Ramsey - keyboards
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 on to play a competing venue. Tritt's manager denied he had ever signed a contract with the promoter. [1]
Tritt released his newest album, The Storm on August 21, 2007. The first single from the disc was "You Never Take Me Dancing", written by Grammy award-winning songwriter Richard Marx, and originally released on Marx's 1997 album titled Flesh and Bone. [2]
For a limited time, Apple introduced the MacBook: Travis Tritt edition, to commemorate Tritt's new album. The computer comes with a free copy of The Storm.
In December of 2007, Tritt filed a $10 million lawsuit against Category 5 Records, his current label, because the label failed to pay royalties on the album, and failed to give him creative control on The Storm, his latest album.[3]
| Year | Album | US Country | US 200 | RIAA Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Country Club | 3 | 70 | Platinum |
| 1991 | It's All About to Change | 2 | 22 | Gold |
| 1992 | T-R-O-U-B-L-E | 6 | 27 | Platinum |
| 1993 | A Travis Tritt Christmas | 23 | 75 | - |
| 1994 | Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof | 3 | 20 | - |
| 1995 | Greatest Hits: From the Beginning | 3 | 21 | Gold |
| 1996 | The Restless Kind | 7 | 53 | - |
| 1998 | No More Looking over My Shoulder | 15 | 119 | - |
| 2000 | Super Hits | 50 | - | - |
| Down The Road I Go | 8 | 51 | Gold | |
| 2002 | The Rockin' Side | 66 | - | - |
| The Lovin' Side | 48 | - | - | |
| Strong Enough | 4 | 27 | - | |
| 2003 | Essentials | - | - | - |
| 2004 | My Honky Tonk History | 7 | 50 | Gold |
| 2007 | The Very Best of Travis Tritt | 21 | 124 | - |
| The Storm | 3 | 28 | - |
| Year | Song | US Country | US Hot 100 | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "Country Club" | 9 | - | Country Club |
| 1990 | "Help Me Hold On" | 1 | - | |
| 1990 | "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" | 2 | - | |
| "Put Some Drive In Your Country" | 28 | - | ||
| 1991 | "Drift Off To Dream" | 3 | - | |
| "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" | 2 | - | It's All About To Change | |
| "Anymore" | 1 | - | ||
| 1992 | "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'"(w/ Marty Stuart) | 2 | - | |
| "Bible Belt" (w/ Little Feat)A | 75 | - | ||
| "Nothing Short Of Dying" | 4 | - | ||
| "This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time)" (w/ Marty Stuart) |
7 | - | This One's Gonna Hurt You (Marty Stuart album) | |
| "Lord Have Mercy On The Working Man" | 5 | - | T-R-O-U-B-L-E | |
| 1993 | "Can I Trust You With My Heart" | 1 | - | |
| "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" | 13 | 108 | ||
| "Looking Out For Number One" | 11 | - | ||
| "Worth Every Mile" | 30 | - | ||
| 1994 | "Take It Easy" | 21 | - | Common Thread: The Songs of The Eagles |
| "Foolish Pride" | 1 | 112 | Ten Feet Tall And Bulletproof | |
| "Ten Feet Tall And Bulletproof" | 22 | - | ||
| 1995 | "Between An Old Memory And Me" | 11 | - | |
| "Tell Me I Was Dreaming" | 2 | - | ||
| "Sometimes She Forgets" | 7 | - | Greatest Hits: From The Beginning | |
| 1996 | "Only You (And You Alone)"A | 51 | - | |
| "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best" (w/ Marty Stuart) | 23 | - | Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best (Marty Stuart album) |
|
| "More Than You'll Ever Know" | 3 | 110 | The Restless Kind | |
| 1997 | "Where Corn Don't Grow" | 6 | - | |
| "Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)" (w/ Bill Engvall) | 29 | 43 | single only | |
| "She's Going Home With Me" | 24 | - | The Restless Kind | |
| "Helping Me Get Over You" (w/ Lari White) | 18 | - | ||
| 1998 | "Still In Love With You" | 23 | - | |
| "If I Lost You" | 29 | 86 | No More Looking Over My Shoulder | |
| 1999 | "No More Looking Over My Shoulder" | 38 | - | |
| 1999 | "Start The Car" | 52 | - | |
| 1999 | "Move It On Over"A | 66 | - | King of the Hill Soundtrack |
| 2000 | "Best Of Intentions" | 1 | 27 | Down The Road I Go |
| 2001 | "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" | 2 | 33 | |
| "Love of a Woman" | 2 | 39 | ||
| 2002 | "Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde" | 8 | 55 | |
| "An Out of Control Raging Fire" (Patty Loveless w/ Travis Tritt)B | - | - | Mountain Soul (Patty Loveless album) | |
| "Strong Enough to Be Your Man" | 13 | 102 | Strong Enough | |
| 2003 | "Country Ain't Country" | 26 | - | |
| "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean"A | 50 | - | I've Always Been Crazy: A Tribute to Waylon Jennings |
|
| 2004 | "The Girl's Gone Wild" | 28 | - | My Honky Tonk History |
| "What Say You"(w/ John Mellencamp) | 21 | 117 | ||
| 2005 | "I See Me" | 32 | - | |
| 2007 | "You Never Take Me Dancing" | 27 | - | The Storm |
| "Something Stronger Than Me"B | - | - |
- AAlbum cut.
- BFailed to chart.
- Vocal Event of the Year "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" 1993 (song comprised George Jones and several other artists)
- Vocal Event of the Year "This One's Gonna Hurt You (For A Long, Long Time)" 1992
- Horizon Award 1991
- Best Country Collaboration With Vocals "Same Old Train" 1998
- Best Country Vocal Collaboration "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'" 1992
- ^ Country star Tritt backed out on show, lawsuit claims. NashvillePost.com (2007-04-03). Retrieved on 2007-04-03.
- ^ Travis Tritt: You Never Take Me Dancing. richardmarx.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-11.
- ^ Travis Tritt sues record label. Country Standard Time (2007-12-11). Retrieved on 2007-12-13.