March 2002 Page 4

Down the Road I Go

     With 12 #1 hits, two Grammy awards, three CMA awards and over 17 million albums sold, Travis Tritt has established himself as one of country music's most talented, successful and distinctive artists. Many entertainers might be content to rest on their successful laurels with such a list of accolades but Tritt remains fiercely driven by a deep love and commitment to the music he has helped shape over the past ten years.
     "Down the Road I Go." Tritt's first album for Columbia Records Nashville, is the singer's first project since taking a self-imposed two-year hiatus and opens a new chapter in an already impressive career. With sales of over one million, this new album has achieved "platinum" status. This is Tritt's seventh album to reach this level or above. The gifted singer/songwriter had a hand in writing seven of the cuts on the album including the first single "Best of Intentions," a movingly honest song that struck an immediate emotional chord with country fans. In writing songs for the disc, Tritt decided to match his talents with some of Nashville's finest songwriters including one of his all-time musical heroes, Charlie Daniels. Tritt's collaborations with Daniels resulted in two of the album's most riveting cuts, "If the Fall Don't Kill You" and "Southbound Train."
     Tritt's triumphant return to country music's fold is built on a longstanding and unyielding focus on creating great music. Tritt's deep love of country music seems to literally be a part of his DNA. At the age of three, Tritt was already showing signs of a career in country music when he would snap his fingers to Roger Miller's classic hit "King of the Road;" by the time he reached fourth grade he was singing the song in class while accompanying himself on guitar. The budding artist also sang in church and began writing songs, many of which were based on his own life experiences. Later on, Tritt proved himself to be an insightful songwriter basing some of his most moving and personal songs on events in his life.
      It was while playing music at a local black church that Tritt absorbed a soulful gospel singing influence which he soon combined with his many other music inspirations in fashioning his own unique country music style. In addition to the influences of classic country artists such as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr., Tritt melded the sounds of his beloved Southern rockers Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Tritt also took in the blues of Muddy Waters and the r&b of Ray Charles. Tritt's reverence for the music of each musical genre allowed him to masterfully blend the sounds without sacrificing the

integrity of the music.
     After time spent paying dues on the club
circuit (and selling air conditioners on the side to make ends meet), Tritt signed with Warner Bros. Records where he recorded eight albums before deciding to make a few changes in 1999.
     "At the end of that year, I had a couple things
on my plate," says Tritt. "First, my wife was expecting our second child in June of '99. I knew I wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, our daughter and eventually, our new son. But I also knew when I finished my last concert in December that I wanted to take at least a year off and negotiate a new record deal. But I wasn't sure who it would be with. I met with nearly every label in Nashville and talked to a lot of people," Tritt confides. "I saw a lot of fear in Nashville over the last few years. People were a bit scared and concerned with the changing climate of country music, but Allen Butler, Sony Music Nashville's president, was very relaxed and unafraid, which was arefreshing attitude. I knew Sony would be the place for me. There's something exciting about working with new people who have fire in their bellies about music - and change can be a very good thing. In this case, it was definitely the right time and the right move for me."
     The release of "Down the Road I Go" is only
part of Travis Tritt's re-emergence. He can be heard singing background vocals on Patty Loveless' new album, and plays banjo and sings on "Big Mon - The Songs of Bill Monroe." He has also become a formidable acting presence with major roles in both feature films such as "Cowboy Way" with Keiffer Sutherland and "Blues Brothers 2000" and television shows "Diagnosis Murder," "Touched by an Angel" and "Arliss" to name just a few. There are also discussions of spinning the character Tritt created in several videos, Mac Singleton, into a full-length TV movie. But Tritt's attention is clearly centered on his new album - and a new round of touring in support of it that will keep him on the road.
     "I have a new band with two of the old band's
members in it, so I'm looking forward to getting
back out there and playing some music," he says.
Indeed, this new album returns Tritt to his
rightful place at the forefront of today's country
music. At a time when country audiences are
looking for someone worthy in whom to invest
their time and money, Tritt's return with "Down
the Road I Go" is heaven sent. A powerful natural born artist whose pure joy in creating music has never been more evident. Travis Tritt is back, in other words, with a vengeance.