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The Calm After...
James Travis Tritt (born February 9,
1963 in Marietta, Georgia) is an American country music singer. He signed
to Warner Bros. Records 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 Records and one for the defunct Category
5 Records.
Seven of his albums (counting the Greatest Hits) are
certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of
America (RIAA); the highest-certified is 1991's It's All About to Change,
which is certified triple-platinum. Tritt has also charted more than
40 times on the Hot Country Songs charts, 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
and Southern rock influences.
He has received two Grammy Awards, both for Best Country
Collaboration with Vocals: in 1992 for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'," a
duet with Marty Stuart, 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 Association, and has been
a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1992. |
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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 Crouch. Later on,
he began listening to Southern rock acts such as the The Allman Brothers Band
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 folk as his influences. Stephen Thomas Erlewine contrasts him with contemporaries
Clint Black and Garth Brooks, 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
waltzes I've ever written," and said that label executives were reluctant
to release it because they thought that it was a novelty song. 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 more so than the top ten hits from those albums.
My Honky Tonk History
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Tritt exited Columbia in July 2005,
citing creative differences over My Honky Tonk History. He signed to
the independent Category 5 Records 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 Marx song "You
Never Take Me Dancing." It was included on his only album for Category
5, The Storm, which American Idol judge Randy Jackson produced.
The album
featured a more rhythm and blues 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 officer, Raymond Termini,
had illegally used Medicaid 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. He continued to tour through to 2012 and into 2013, with
most of his shows being solo acoustic performances.
In April 2013, Tritt began working on a recording of
the Patty Smyth and Don Henley duet "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough".
Tritt's version, a duet with his daughter Tyler Reese, was originally to
have been included on The Storm. It will be included on a re-release of that
album. The re-released album will be titled The Calm After... and released
on Tritt's own Post Oak Records on July 9, 2013.
Why Me, Lord?
(HIRAM, GA) When Travis Tritt sang "Why Me, Lord?" to
honor the late, great George Jones at his memorial, the song became a viral
video sensation. Soon after its posting, Tritt's fans demanded the song be
released. Many have also been asking for something gospel from the multi-platinum
award winner for years. And so, the singer-songwriter could only oblige regardless
of the imminent release of his upcoming CD,The Calm After...
A live acoustic version by Travis Tritt of "Why Me, Lord?," originally
penned by Kris Kristofferson, is now available as a stand alone single on iTunes).
The song will not be included on his album, The Calm After... , which drops
on July 9 (pre-sale on iTunes starting June 25).
Marking a new beginning, The Calm After... is an update of his critically
acclaimed 2007 album The Storm. Last year, Tritt received ownership of the
album's masters from his former record label, and was the first step in a process
that led to the formation of his own Post Oak Recordings.
The release of The Calm After ... will feature new tracks,
including the remake of the Patty Smyth and Don Henley hit, "Sometimes
Love Just Ain't Enough." Tritt
sings the song with his 15-year-old daughter Tyler Reese and is the first official
collaboration between father and daughter. The track is available for free
download through People Country until Father's Day, when it, fittingly, officially
releases.
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