History of Travis Tritt in Timeline
Travis Tritt is an accomplished American country singer-songwriter who rose to prominence after signing with Warner Bros. Records in 1989. During his tenure with Warner Bros., which lasted until 1999, he released seven studio albums and one greatest hits compilation. He later released three studio albums on Columbia Records and one on Category 5 Records in the 2000s. Seven of his albums have achieved platinum or higher certification from the RIAA, with "It's All About to Change" reaching triple-platinum status. Tritt has had over 40 songs on the Hot Country Songs charts, including five number-one hits and 15 additional top-ten singles. His musical style blends mainstream country with Southern rock influences.
February 9, 1963: James Travis Tritt's Birth
On February 9, 1963, James Travis Tritt, the American country singer-songwriter, was born.
September 1982: Marriage to Karen Ryon
In September 1982, Travis Tritt married his high school sweetheart, Karen Ryon.
1987: Signed by Warner Bros. Nashville
In 1987, Travis Tritt was signed to Warner Bros. Nashville after his demo was sent by Danny Davenport.
1988: Recording of "Country Club"
In late 1988, Travis Tritt recorded his first single, "Country Club", which would be released the following year.
August 7, 1989: "Country Club" Single Release
On August 7, 1989, Travis Tritt released his first single, "Country Club".
1989: Divorce from Jodi Barnett
In 1989, Travis Tritt divorced Jodi Barnett shortly after signing with Warner Bros. He wrote "Here's a Quarter" after receiving his divorce papers.
1989: Signed with Warner Bros. Records
In 1989, Travis Tritt signed with Warner Bros. Records, marking a significant step in his music career.
1990: Top New Male Artist Award
In 1990, Travis Tritt won the Top New Male Artist award from Billboard.
July 1991: Country Club Album Certified Platinum
In July 1991, Travis Tritt's "Country Club" album was certified platinum by the RIAA.
1991: Horizon Award and Album Release
In 1991, Travis Tritt won the Horizon Award and released his second album, "It's All About to Change".
1991: It's All About to Change Album Release
In 1991, Travis Tritt's album "It's All About to Change" was released, later becoming his highest-certified album.
June 1992: Criticism of "Achy Breaky Heart"
In June 1992, Travis Tritt publicly criticized Billy Ray Cyrus's "Achy Breaky Heart" at a Fan Fair interview.
1992: Grammy and CMA Awards
In 1992, Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", and "This One's Gonna Hurt You" won the CMA award for Vocal Event of the Year.
1992: Grammy Award for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'"
In 1992, Travis Tritt received a Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'", a duet with Marty Stuart.
1992: Started "No Hats Tour" and released "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" album
In 1992, Travis Tritt started the "No Hats Tour" with Marty Stuart and released the album "T-R-O-U-B-L-E".
1992: "Bible Belt" in My Cousin Vinny
In 1992, Travis Tritt's song "Bible Belt" was featured in the film "My Cousin Vinny".
1993: Acting Debut in Rio Diablo
In 1993, Travis Tritt made his acting debut alongside Kenny Rogers in the made-for-television movie "Rio Diablo".
1993: "Can I Trust You with My Heart" Reached Number One
In early 1993, Travis Tritt's single "Can I Trust You with My Heart" became his third Billboard number one hit.
1993: Paranormal Experiences Began
Travis Tritt stated that beginning in 1993, he was awakened regularly by disembodied voices in a vacation cabin that he owned.
1994: Appearance in The Cowboy Way
In 1994, Travis Tritt made a special appearance as a bull rider in the movie "The Cowboy Way", starring Woody Harrelson, Kiefer Sutherland, and Dylan McDermott.
1994: Reference to Sheryl Crow's Single
In 2002, Travis Tritt released the song "Strong Enough to Be Your Man", which was an answer song to Sheryl Crow's 1994 single "Strong Enough".
1994: "Take It Easy" Cover and Eagles Reunion
In early 1994, Travis Tritt charted with a cover of the Eagles' "Take It Easy" and his request for the band to appear in the music video inspired the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over Tour.
1995: Appearance in Tales from the Crypt
In 1995, Travis Tritt appeared in season 6 of the horror anthology series "Tales from the Crypt", in the episode titled "Doctor of Horror."
1995: Greatest Hits Album Release
In 1995, Travis Tritt released "Greatest Hits: From the Beginning", featuring his hit singles and two new tracks.
April 1996: "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best" and Double Trouble Tour
In April 1996, Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart released "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best", winning a CMA award and starting the Double Trouble Tour.
1996: Chart Success with "More Than You'll Ever Know" and "Where Corn Don't Grow"
In 1996, Travis Tritt achieved chart success with "More Than You'll Ever Know" and "Where Corn Don't Grow", along with the novelty release "Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)".
1996: Met George W. Bush at Republican National Convention
In 1996, Travis Tritt met George W. Bush at the Republican National Convention in San Diego, where Tritt sang the national anthem.
1996: Country Club Album, No Medals Since
In 1996, the album "Country Club" still maintained its platinum status, as there were no additional medals since its initial certification.
April 12, 1997: Marriage to Theresa Nelson
On April 12, 1997, Travis Tritt married Theresa Nelson. They have one daughter and two sons.
1997: Appearance in Fire Down Below
In 1997, Travis Tritt appeared as himself in the film "Fire Down Below", starring Steven Seagal and Kris Kristofferson.
1997: Release of Singles from The Restless Kind
In 1997, Travis Tritt released singles from "The Restless Kind" album that did not reach the Top Ten.
1998: Grammy Win and Album Release
In 1998, Travis Tritt won a Grammy for "Same Old Train" and released the album "No More Looking over My Shoulder".
1998: Grammy Award for "Same Old Train"
In 1998, Travis Tritt won a second Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for "Same Old Train", a collaboration with Marty Stuart and nine other artists.
1999: Appearance in Outlaw Justice
In 1999, Travis Tritt appeared in "Outlaw Justice" with Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.
1999: End of Warner Bros. Tenure
In 1999, Travis Tritt concluded his tenure with Warner Bros. Records, having released seven studio albums and a greatest hits package.
1999: "Move It On Over" and "No More Looking Over My Shoulder"
In 1999, Travis Tritt recorded "Move It On Over" and had the song "No More Looking Over My Shoulder" chart on the country charts.
1999: Recorded "Move It On Over" with George Thorogood
Late in 1999, Travis Tritt recorded a cover of Hank Williams's "Move It On Over" with George Thorogood for the "King of the Hill" soundtrack.
2000: Appearance in Blues Brothers 2000
In 2000, Travis Tritt appeared in the film "Blues Brothers 2000" as one of the Louisiana Gator Boys, performing alongside B. B. King, Eric Clapton, and Bo Diddley.
2000: Signed with Columbia Records and Released "Down the Road I Go"
In 2000, Travis Tritt signed with Columbia Records and released the album "Down the Road I Go", which featured his fifth number one hit, "Best of Intentions".
2000: Supported George W. Bush for President
In 2000, Travis Tritt, a member of the Republican Party, supported George W. Bush for president.
2001: Guest Starred in Elmo's World
In 2001, Travis Tritt guest starred in Elmo's World The Wild Wild West.
2001: "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" Success
In 2001, Travis Tritt's "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" peaked at number two on the country charts and crossed over to the Hot 100.
September 2002: "Strong Enough" Album Release
In September 2002, Travis Tritt released his second album on Columbia Records, "Strong Enough".
2002: Crossroads Performance with Ray Charles
In 2002, Travis Tritt performed on an episode of "Crossroads" with Ray Charles.
2003: Guest Vocals on "Southern Boy"
In 2003, Travis Tritt contributed guest vocals to Charlie Daniels' single "Southern Boy".
2004: "My Honky Tonk History" Album Release
In 2004, Travis Tritt released his tenth studio album, "My Honky Tonk History", which included three charting singles.
July 2005: Exited Columbia Records
In July 2005, Travis Tritt exited Columbia Records due to creative differences over his album "My Honky Tonk History".
February 2006: Signed with Category 5 Records
In February 2006, Travis Tritt signed with the independent record label Category 5 Records, becoming their flagship artist.
March 2007: Lawsuit Allegations
In March 2007, Travis Tritt faced a lawsuit from a Pittsburgh concert promoter who alleged that Tritt backed out of a performance agreement to play at a competing venue. Tritt's manager denied the existence of a contract with the promoter.
May 2007: First Single for Category 5
In May 2007, Travis Tritt released "You Never Take Me Dancing", a cover of a Richard Marx song, as his first single for Category 5 Records. It was included on the album "The Storm".
November 2007: Category 5 Closure and Lawsuit
In November 2007, Category 5 Records closed after allegations of financial impropriety by its CEO. In December 2007, Travis Tritt filed a $10 million lawsuit against Category 5 for unpaid royalties and lack of creative control.
October 2008: Tour with Marty Stuart
In October 2008, Travis Tritt embarked on an 11-date tour with Marty Stuart, featuring acoustic renditions of their duets and solo performances by Tritt.
September 2010: Filming for Fishers of Men began
In September 2010, filming began on "Fishers of Men", a Christian film in which Travis Tritt appeared.
December 2010: Management Deal with Parallel Entertainment
In December 2010, Travis Tritt signed a management deal with Parallel Entertainment.
July 2013: Re-Release of "The Storm" as "The Calm After..."
In July 2013, Travis Tritt acquired the rights to the songs on "The Storm" and re-released it as "The Calm After..." via his Post Oak label. The re-release included covers of "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" and "Stay with Me".
October 2015: Appeared on The Haunting of...
In October 2015, Travis Tritt appeared on Lifetime network's "The Haunting of..." to discuss his experiences with the paranormal.
May 18, 2019: Tour Bus Involved in Fatal Accident
On May 18, 2019, Travis Tritt's tour bus was involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in the deaths of two people driving the wrong way on Veteran's Highway, near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
2019: Featured on "Outlaws & Outsiders"
In 2019, Travis Tritt was featured on Cory Marks' country rock hit, "Outlaws & Outsiders".
September 2020: Controversy over Blocking Twitter Users
In September 2020, Travis Tritt gained notoriety for joining James Woods in blocking Twitter users using pro-Black Lives Matter and anti-Trump tags, aiming to counteract anti-Republican sentiment.
2021: "Set in Stone" released
In 2021, Travis Tritt released the album "Set in Stone", which had been recorded in 2019 and 2020 and was pushed back from an earlier release date in 2021.
April 2023: Protest Against Bud Light
In April 2023, Travis Tritt protested Bud Light's support for transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney by announcing he would remove all Anheuser-Busch products from his tour hospitality rider.
2024: Collaboration with Cory Marks
In 2024, Travis Tritt featured on Cory Marks' song titled "(Make My) Country Rock".
