Tritt, Travis

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Travis Tritt

Singer, songwriter, guitarist

As one of his songs says, Travis Tritt has put some “drive” into country music. Tritt’s hard-rocking, rowdy style has observers labeling him the latest addition to the “outlaw” tradition—the arm of country music that has a rock and roll flare. Bearded and clad in blue jeans, the talented performer appears to have stepped on the stage fresh from a day with a construction crew; his music proudly extols the joys, sorrows, and values of the blue-collar lifestyle.

Since signing with Warner Bros. Records—and securing management from the legendary Ken Kragen—Tritt has left the bar and dance hall scene behind and is performing at major venues throughout the United States. His particular brand of country music, while exhibiting similarities to the style of country greats Merle Haggard and George Jones, definitely ignites rock and roll sparks. “There have been times when I have turned on the radio and have heard one slow, draggy ballad after another,” Tritt commented in the Gary Post-Tribune. “I get inspired by certain things that are a little bit up-tempo and have a little bit of drive to them.”

Though he had not yet reached the age of 30 when he attained country fame, Tritt’s dedication to music stretched back almost a decade. He was born and raised near Marietta, Georgia, the son of a farmer who supplemented the family income by working variously as a bread truck driver, automobile mechanic, and school bus driver. The Tritt family’s life was not easy, and Travis harbored few high expectations for his own future.

Emulated the “Outlaws”

At the age of eight Tritt got his first guitar and taught himself to play. His idols included the Southern rock bands Lynrd Skynrd, the Allman Brothers, and the Charlie Daniels Band, as well as the “outlaws,” which included Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson. Tritt—who went on to become an opening act for Daniels—once said that the older rocker taught him many valuable lessons.

Tritt married at the age of 18 and seemed destined to stay in Marietta. His wife discouraged him from following a career in music, so he took a post-high-school job with a company that distributed heating and air-conditioning equipment. Both the job and the marriage were short-lived, however, and Tritt found himself drawn back to music when a friend of his—another small-time Georgia musician—sold a song in Nashville. Tritt accompanied his friend to Tennessee to see the song recorded and quit his day job shortly thereafter.

Many lean years followed; Tritt and his band played for

For the Record…

Born c. 1964, in Marietta, GA; son of a farmer; married, c. 1982 (divorced, 1984).

Country singer, songwriter, and guitarist, 1986—. Worked in a heating and air conditioning firm in Marietta, GA, 1982-86. Signed with Warner Bros. Records, 1989; released first single, “Country Club,” 1989, and first album, Country Club, 1990. Premiered on the Grand Ole Opry, performed at Charlie Daniels’s Volunteer Jam, and participated in a benefit for the Options House, Hollywood, CA, all 1991.

Selected awards: Named best new male country artist by Billboard magazine, 1990; nominated as best new male vocalist, 1991, Academy of Country Music.

Addresses: Record company —Warner Bros. Records, 3300 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91510.

minimal wages in American Legion halls and at small county fairs, nearly starving between jobs. The singer recalled to an Associated Press wire reporter that he “would go to the grocery store once a week and buy canned Vienna sausage, a head of lettuce, a jar of mayonnaise, a loaf of bread and two or three cans of soup. This was breakfast, lunch and dinner for the entire week.” In the country music business, Tritt added, “you almost have to have as much patience as you do talent.”

Music Deals With Everyday Life

Tritt’s patience and talent eventually caught the attention of the executives at Warner Bros. Records, which recorded and released his first single, “Country Club.” The song was a hit, and Warner signed Tritt to cut an album. The label also suggested that Tritt hire a new manager, one with more influence in the business. Tritt chose Ken Kragen, the former manager of such musical superstars as Lionel Richie, the Smothers Brothers, and Olivia Newton-John. Kragen had narrowed his client list to one star—singer Kenny Rogers—and was rumored to be in semi-retirement. Nevertheless, Tritt approached him, and—to everyone’s surprise—Kragen agreed to manage the young country rocker.

Kragen worked wonders for his new client, securing a line of credit for Tritt and personally calling large radio stations to urge them to play “Country Club.” Kragen also featured Tritt in a Kenny Rogers television special, giving the newcomer a national network television audience for the first time. As “Country Club” climbed the charts, Tritt embarked on several national tours and was soon performing nearly 280 shows a year.

Tritt’s success continued into the 1990s, when his debut album, Country Club, went gold and yielded the Top Ten hit “Put Some Drive in Your Country.” Premiering at the Grand Ole Opry in 1991, he was named best new male vocalist of the year by Billboard magazine, and a growing legion of fans began comparing him to mega-star Hank Williams, Jr. According to the Associated Press, Tritt is extremely gratified that he has become a top-draw entertainer who can perform the kind of music he prefers—hard-core country rock. “I think we’ve struck a nerve with a part of middle America that really is looking for honesty in music.… The music deals with real situations, real people, everyday, ordinary life. You don’t have to be a poetry major or literature student to understand country music.”

Avoided the “Sophomore Jinx”

Tritt’s success with Country Club led to another hit album, It’s All About to Change, which was released in 1991. “People have told me about the importance of a second album and of avoiding the sophomore jinx,” the singer remarked, according to a Warner Bros. press release. “When we finished this album, we felt it was even stronger than the first one. So if that second album is about solidifying your career, it gives another meaning to the phrase, ‘It’s all about to change.’” In the opinion of Country Music contributor Bob Allen, who thought that Tritt’s single “Country Club” was a “hokey and artless … novelty item,” It’s All About to Change is an “exciting, gutsy, irreverent” record. The critic continued, “it’s great to see a young, unreconstructed, longhaired rebel like Travis Tritt coming on strong.”

On both of his albums, Tritt celebrates the blue-collar South without embarrassment or apology. The music and lyrics, in fact, have a genuine ring to them; the artist is the son of working class parents and has not forgotten the hard times he endured on his way to the top. Even though he prefers the up-tempo tunes, his gravelly baritone is particularly effective on such ballads as the moving “Drift off to Dream,” which became a hit in 1991. Tritt summed up his philosophy in the Gary Post-Tribune: “My music is geared toward the working man and I write from my personal experiences. If I haven’t lived it, I can’t write it. And even if I do fail, at least I’ll always know that I gave it my best shot.” The musician concluded, “I’ve always looked at life as paying off the best when you take the largest risks.”