The Restless Gun
John Payne as Vint Bonner, 1957.
Genre	Western
Directed by	Christian Nyby Edward Ludwig Sam Strangis Earl Bellamy Jus Addiss
Starring	John Payne
Narrated by	John Payne
Composer(s)	Paul Dunlap, Dave Kahn, and Stanley Wilson.
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	78
Production
Executive producer(s)	John Payne
Producer(s)	David Dortort Felix Jackson
Location(s)	American Southwest
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	Window Glen Productions, in association with Revue Productions/MCA
Broadcast
Original channel	NBC Rebroadcasts on ABC, 1959-1960
Picture format	1.33:1 Monochrome
Audio format	Monaural
Original run	September 23, 1957 – June 22, 1959
Chronology
Related shows	The Texan; Cheyenne

The Restless Gun is a western television series that appeared on NBC between 1957 and 1959, with John Payne in the role of Vint Bonner, a wandering cowboy in the era after the American Civil War. A skilled gunfighter, Bonner is an idealistic person who prefers peaceful resolutions of conflict wherever possible. He is gregarious, intelligent, and public-spirited. The half-hour black-and-white program aired seventy-eight episodes. Jeanne Bates appeared in varying roles with Payne in five episodes of The Restless Gun.^[1]

The Restless Gun theme song (officially titled "I Ride With the Wind") begins: "I ride with the wind, my eyes on the sun, and my hand on my restless gun..." The song composer is probably Paul Dunlap, credited as the primary series composer, but could have been contributed to by either of the two other series composers, Dave Kahn and Stanley Wilson, also. Two versions (one a vocal) are currently posted on YouTube, but neither posting lists any composer or performance credits.^[2]

Background[link]

Broadcast on March 29, 1957, as an installment of the CBS anthology series The Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, the pilot episode was based on a radio series The Six Shooter, with Payne's character named Britt Ponset.^[3] For the television version, however, the name was changed to Vint Bonner. Some episodes were based on the radio programs.^[4]

The principal producer of The Restless Gun was David Dortort, thereafter in 1959 the executive producer of NBC's blockbuster western hit Bonanza. Dortort did not create The Restless Gun, nor did he produce the pilot episode, and he rarely contributed original scripts. A critic who considers The Restless Gun only an average program, writes that the series "probably owes its mediocrity more to MCA, the company that 'packaged' the series and produced it through its television arm Revue Productions, than to Dortort."^[4]

The Restless Gun ranked in the Top Ten during its first season on the air, ending the year at No. 8, but it was not among the highest rated programs in the second season.^[5][6]

Set in Texas, The Restless Gun pilot episode features Andrew Duggan (later of CBS's Lancer), William Hopper (of Perry Mason), Michael Landon (later of Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie) in supporting roles. Hopper plays a former lawman from Laredo in south Texas and long-time friend of Bonner's. Hopper's character is being sought for revenge by Duggan, whom the lawman had sent to prison. In the episode, Bonner speaks of taking a job near Waco.^[7]

Most end titles of The Restless Gun episodes read "Based on characters created by Frank Burt," but Burt's name is not mentioned in the pilot episode. Nor is he listed as the "creator."^[4]

Payne is the "executive producer" of his series, but a critic calls that designation "vanity."^[4] Payne has sometimes been compared to actor Dick Powell, who during that same period hosted and sometimes starred in his own CBS western anthology series, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater during the second half of the 1950s.^[4]

Selected 1957 episodes[link]

In the series premiere on September 23, 1957, entitled "Duel at Lockwood," Bonner meets an elderly woman who asks for his help in controlling her grandson. The young man has already killed two men and boasts that Bonner is his next intended victim.^[8]

On September 30, 1957, in the episode entitled "Trail to Sunset," Bonner confronts five men who have returned from a hanging and presents evidence that the man who was executed was innocent. Claude Akins plays Wes Flager, Jack Elam portrays Link Jerrod, and Roy Roberts is cast as "Doc".^[9]

On October 14, 1957, in the episode entitled "Rink," Bonner encounters a teenage boy, Rink, played by Peter J. Votrian, who is compelled to locate and kill the man who earlier killed Rink's father. Denver Pyle plays Sheriff Jay in this episode.^[10]

In the October 21, 1957, episode entitled "Jenny," Vint is part of a posse after an outlaw, Ned Landy, played by Walter Reed. The posse finds Landy on the ranch of a Jenny, played by Veda Ann Borg, a woman who lives alone outside of town. Stuart Randall plays Sheriff York in this episode^[11] and three others as well.^[1]

On November 4, 1957, in the episode entitled "Jody," Rip Torn plays Jody, a young man determined to become a gunfighter. When Jody kills a man in self-defense that man's brother, Ike Burnett, played by Dan Blocker, and the father, portrayed by Paul Fix, seek to avenge the death.^[12] Blocker appeared four times on the series.^[1]

On November 11, 1957, in "General Gilford's Widow," Bonner on his way for a cattle sale arrives at an isolated ranch. The woman in charge, Hannah Gilford, played by Lurene Tuttle, realizes that Bonner is a former soldier. She asks him inside to visit with her husband, General Gilford. Bonner, however, knows that the general was killed some five years earlier in an Indian raid.^[13]

"Man and Boy," which aired on November 25, 1957, is a powerful episode about a strict lawman, Sheriff Wade Lawson, played by Emile Meyer, who gives no quarter in pursuit of a killer whom he believes to be his teenaged son, Ted, played by Martin Braddock. Ted has accumulated large gambling debts and asks his father for money, but the sheriff refuses any help. Actually, though the killer is someone else, not the sheriff's son. The lawman shoots the culprit to death believing that he has killed his own son. Vint Bonner, the ever-present witness to the events, in his closing narration speaks of how people often do not really know the ones closest to them and what a personal tragedy that can be. Dan Blocker plays the blacksmith Fred Burgermen, and Olan Soule portrays the freight office clerk in this episode.^[14]

Royal Dano appears as the cowardly Wilbur English, all-consumed by fear, in the December 2, 1957, episode entitled "Cheyenne Express," named for a train. Wilbur shoots a killer in his gang in the back. He is promised a pardon and reward, but Wilbur fears that he will not live long enough to collect the money because the brother of the killer is on Wilbur's trail. Vint Bonner encounters Wilbur, whom he finds personally irritating but nevertheless tries to help him overcome his fear. Wilbur boards the "Cheyenne Express" and in a state of extreme panic stalks backwards out of the rail car to his death after he sees his victim's brother, unaware that the man is in police custody and handcuffed. In the closing narration, Bonner asks who would have wanted such a nuisance as Wilbur around them anyway for any length of time, and then the camera focuses on the little unwanted dog that Wilbur had earlier befriended.^[15] It was in this episode that Bonner felt compelled to declare "I am not a gun!"^[1]

In "Thicker than Water," which aired on December 9, 1957, Claude Akins appears as Marlow, a gambler who deserts his wife and son years earlier. Bonner informs Marlow that Marlow's wife has died of pneumonia, and Marlow's son thinks his father is dead. When Marlow comes to see his son, he reluctantly agrees to pose as "Parker" to keep the boy in the dark. Penny Edwards appears as Amy Neilsen, the boy's caregiver, who informs Marlow that his wife really died, not from pneumonia but from a broken heart caused by Marlow's desertion of his family.^[16] This episode may be remembered for Akins' line, "If you're looking for sympathy, it's in the dictionary."^[4]

In a Christmas episode, "The Child," which aired on December 23, 1957, Dan Blocker appears in the role of John, the Brute, a giant of a man who cannot speak and who grew up at a Roman Catholic orphanage in the area. When Bonner and a sheriff capture John and take him to the orphanage for Christmas Eve night, a young boy, Jesus, played by Carlos Arevalo, befriends the "brute" and becomes the only one who can handle him. James Gleason and Anthony Caruso play priests in the episode, which closes with a hymn. This episode is based on a story by John Payne himself.^[17]

1958 episodes[link]

In "Hornitas Town," on February 10, 1958, Peggie Castle plays restaurant owner Amity Hobbs, who constantly quotes Scripture to Bonner, whom she hires for $500 to clean up Hornitas Town and remove its crooked Sheriff Riker, played by John Larch. The stipulation to Amity's offer is that Bonner accomplish the task without using his gun. Bonner hence resorts to public ridicule of the sheriff after they fight in the town square, and Bonner completely prevails in the exchange. Jack Elam plays an unscrupulous saloon owner named Tony Molinar. Milicent Patrick plays waitress Rosita, and Glenn Strange, before he joined the Gunsmoke cast as bartender Sam Noonan, has a minor role as a deputy in this episode.^[18] Larch appeared four times on The Restless Gun.^[1]

In "The Woman from Sacramento," which aired on March 3, 1958, Kathleen Crowley plays Mary Blackwell, estranged daughter of Jim Blackwell, portrayed by Will Wright, a wealthy but dying rancher for whom Bonner is working as a foreman. Jim becomes convinced that Mary is an imposter and directs Bonner to find proof of her background. However, Mary is Jim's daughter and rightful heir. H. M. Wynant plays Mary's questionable boyfriend, Steve Colby, in this episode.^[19]

Tom Tryon, known for his Walt Disney role as Texas John Slaughter, appears in the title role of the episode "Sheriff Billy", which aired on March 10, 1958. Other guest stars in that segment are Harold J. Stone as Ben Reed and Joyce Meadows as Annie White.^[20]

On March 17, 1958, in the episode "The Hand Is Quicker," Joe Kruger, played by Gregg Palmer, asks Bonner to give him shooting lessons so that Kruger can protect himself from the threat of Henry Wilson, portrayed by John Ericson. Kruger, as he learns rapidly how to handle a gun, is deceiving Bonner. Instead of Wilson being a threat, Kurger is planning to kill Wilson, who married Kurger's love interest. Mrs. Wilson thereafter died in childbirth. Ray Teal, later Sheriff Roy Coffee on NBC's Bonanza, appears in this episode as Sheriff Lander, a friend of Bonner's. Tyler McVey plays a foreman.^[21]

On March 24, 1958, in the episode "The Suffragette," Ellen Corby, later the grandmother on CBS's The Waltons, appears as Emma Birch, who organizes the women of a town to take political action. The men rebel. Vint Bonner becomes a reluctant mediator of sorts. Character actor Charles Lane plays Mayor Peter Mercer in this episode.^[22]

On April 14, 1958, in "Aunt Emma," Bonner is wounded in an attempt to apprehend the Drake brothers, played by Lane Bradford and Paul Grant. His elderly Aunt Emma, played by Connie Gilchrist, treats his wounds and tries to prevent him from resuming the search when he recovers. William Fawcett, who played Pete Willkey on the NBC children's western series Fury, portrays the doctor, and Edgar Buchanan is cast as Ethan Greenfield in this episode.^[23] Bradford, a versatile western character actor, appeared four times on The Restless Gun.^[1]

In "The Outlander," which aired on April 21, 1958, Gloria Talbott plays Sophie Wilmer, a young woman who inherits her father's saloon and hotel in Prairie City, Kansas, a town temporarily under the control of unruly former Confederates from Texas. George Dolenz, the father of singer Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, plays Count Peter Von Gilsa, Sophie's romantic interest and a former soldier from Europe who speaks out against the former Confederates, led by a former army officer. Vint Bonner, a friend of Sophie's father, arrives in town to guarantee the peace. Bonner's concluding narration notes that while many wander for years seeking their place in life, perhaps himself, Sophie and Peter had found theirs.^[24]

In the episode "The Gold Star," on May 19, 1958, Edgar Buchanan plays a 40-year sheriff, Jeb Barnes, who is given a "gold star" upon his retirement by citizens of Little Beaver. However, the sheriff has joined with three former outlaws, including Sam Baggott, played by character actor I. Stanford Jolley, to rob the bank while the retirement party is underway. The bandits put the gold in the sheriff's buggy before he leaves town, ostensibly to live with a nephew in Mexico. When the bandits demand a larger share of the gold, Bonner arrives to hear that his old friend Barnes has betrayed the public trust. In a shootout Barnes and the three bandits are killed. Bonner tells the citizens that Barnes had earned another "gold star" by apprehending the bank robbers. Bonner does not reveal that Barnes himself had turned criminal at the end of his life. Bonner concludes the episode by remarking that the people may not give enough credit to the sacrifices made by under-appreciated law-enforcement officers.^[25]

On June 16, 1958, in the episode "Gratitude," the last of the first season, Jeanne Bates appears as Nancy Timberlake. Johnny Crawford shortly thereafter to join Chuck Connors's ABC series The Rifleman, appears as Ned Timberlake.^[26]

In a second season premiere episode entitled "Jebediah Bonner" which aired September 22, 1958, Payne plays the aged role of his grandfather, a retired lawman who teaches young Vint important lessons of courage and living. James Best plays a hothead, Jim Kenyon, in the episode whose fate is cast at his own insistence at the end of Jebediah Bonner's gun. Kenyon blames Bonner for the death of Kenyon's father. Read Morgan, later a supporting cast member on NBC's The Deputy, plays Jim Kenyon's brother, Bob.^[27]

On November 3, 1958, Daria Massey plays the Indian princess Running Fawn in the episode "Bonner's Squaw." After Bonner settles a local problem with the Indians, Chief Tashcua's talented daughter attaches herself to him and refuses to let go. Massey's last posted media appearance was in a 1963 episode of McHale's Navy. Thereafter she disappeared from public view.^[28]

In "Remember the Dead," which aired on November 17, 1958, Bonner arrives in a town with evidence to free a friend from jail on a murder conviction. Unfortunately, the friend has been hanged before Bonner reaches the town, and the widow and son reject Bonner because of the delay. Frank Ferguson plays Sheriff Cullen. Selmer Jackson plays Judge Wayne, who orders the hanging but becomes so distraught over the turn of events that he resigns his office. The true culprit is a lawyer trying to get control of the ranch owned by Bonner's friend. Joe Flynn, later of McHale's Navy, plays a minor role in the episode.^[29]

Don Grady, before he was cast as Robbie Douglas in Fred MacMurray's My Three Sons, appears as a teenaged telegraph messenger, Donny Madison, in the episode "No Way to Kill," which aired November 24, 1958. Grady's character becomes attracted to the gunfighter legend surrounding Bonner, who is investigating a killer who mutilates his victims.^[30] Grady also appeared in the tile role of Andy Cavis in the episode "The Cavis Boy", which aired near the end of the series on June 1, 1959.^[31]

In the December 8, 1958, episode "Multiply One Boy" a Northern family invites an orphaned nephew and cousin from Virginia to live with them. The boy though holds a grudge against the Union and questions whether his adopted family is responsible for the death of his Confederate father in the Civil War. Things turn even more sour when the boy accidentally shoots his cousin, who survives. The theme of the episode is reconciliation, as the family reaches out to the wayward nephew, whose hard heart finally melts.^[32]

In the episode "Peligroso," which aired on December 15, 1958, Robert Fuller, before his role as Jess Harper on Laramie, plays a young tough, Bud Bardeen, the son of a prominent rancher, who is shot to death in a saloon in self-defense by Bonner. Bardeen's sister, Lorry, played by Marcia Henderson, offers a reward for the killing of Bonner. Then Bonner shows up at the Bardeen ranch as "Jones", a hired hand, waiting for the opportunity to explain the situation to Miss Bardeen. Dabbs Greer had a minor role in the episode as a sheriff.^[33]

Dan Blocker and James Coburn each had their first substantive screen roles on The Restless Gun. In the December 29, 1958, episode entitled "The Way Back", Blocker portrays the "good guy" Olaf Burland. and Coburn is the unscrupulous Tom Quinn, determine to rob Olaf of his $3,000 profit from a cattle drive. In less than a year, Blocker's Olaf Burland would be forgotten, but not his new role of Hoss Cartwright on Bonanza, in which he was one of the four co-stars, along with Michael Landon, who appeared in the pilot of The Restless Gun. Bonanza debuted on NBC as The Restless Gun was cancelled.^[34]

1959 episodes[link]

On January 5, 1959, in the episode "Painted Beauty," Ruta Lee portrays Lucy Collins, a saloon girl who falls in love with her portrait painter from St. Louis, Missouri, much to the outrage of a cruel cowboy who claims her affection. Roscoe Ates plays the bewildered saloon owner, Juniper Dunlap, in whose establishment Lucy's painting will hang.^[35]

In "Shadow of a Gunfighter," which aired on January 12, 1959, a former gunfighter, Cal Winfield, played by Douglas Kennedy, is told that Vint Bonner is responsible for the death of Winfield's son. Cal Winfield then comes out of retirement to extract vengeance. Robert Fuller appears in this episode as Jim Winfield.^[36]

On January 19, 1959, in the episode "The Lady and the Gun", Bonner falls in love with Myra Barker, played by Mala Powers, but she rejects him in despair because she believes that he could not lay down his weapon, permit injustice to reign, and otherwise live a sedentary life as a husband. Lloyd Corrigan appears in the episode as Jesse Alden.^[37]

On February 2, 1959, in the episode "Blood of Courage," Bonner is staying at the ranch of Major Quint Langley, played by J. Carrol Naish (later of ABC's Guestward Ho!). Bonner finds that Langley's foreman is planning to take over the major's property.^[38]

In "The Dead Ringer" on February 16, 1959, the outlaw Nick Dawson sees Bonner riding into town and mistakes him for Dawson's boss. When the bank is thereafter robbed and a man is killed, several witnesses swear that Bonner is the culprit. Walter Coy guest starred in this episode.^[39]

In the episode entitled "Melany," which aired on March 2, 1959, Bonner visits a former girlfriend, Melany Carter, played by Marya Stevens, married to Jim Carter, portrayed by Gregg Palmer, a guest star on many television westerns. Jim suffers from a spinal injury procured in a shooting with symptoms akin to shell shock. Meanwhile, a ruthless killer, Matt Pierce, played by Claude Akins, who boasts of having killed his first man when Pierce was only fifteen, is on the run from the local posse. After a difficult confrontation, Bonner manages to capture the outlaw alive. Jim Carter, meanwhile, begins a surprising recovery after experiencing the trauma of the events in their home, including Pierce's murder of the Carters' hired hand.^[40]

On March 30, 1959, in the episode "Incident at Bluefields," Bonner aids the local sheriff, played by Alan Hale, Jr. (later the Skipper on CBS's Gilligan's Island), in the apprehension of a wealthy land owner, Tom Cauter, who murders a friend of Bonner's, an employee at the Government Land Office. Cauter's gunfighter son, J. B., played by Morgan Woodward, comes to settle the score. Bonner, however, guns down J. B., and the senior Cauter must stand trial before a federal judge for the murder of the land office employee. William Fawcett plays Moss Blaine, the secret eyewitness against Cauter. J. Pat O'Malley, popular Irish character actor, has a minor part in this episode as Gavin Hardy.^[41]

On April 6, 1959, in the episode entitled "The Pawn," Julie Anne Payne (Payne's then 18-year-old daughter), plays deaf mute Peggy McGiven, whose father, portrayed by character actor Onslow Stevens, is in jail facing charges. Two outlaw toughs played by James Coburn and Denver Pyle come to the isolated cabin where Peggy lives to menace her. Bonner comes to rescue her.^[42]

On April 27, 1959, in the episode "Code for a Killer," Bonner is called to be the best man at the wedding of his friend, Sheriff Dave Regan, but the officer is found dead before the ceremony. Bonner's investigation leads to the corrupt deputy played by Lane Bradford. Floyd Simmons, an actor who was a decorated veteran of World War II, portrays Vance Carter, a confident gunfighter who works, somewhat reluctantly, with Bonner in solving the friend's murder.^[43]

On May 18, 1959, in "Ride with the Devil," Don Tomas Verdes (played by Jan Arvan) is a Mexican ranch owner who asks Bonner to rescue Verdes' son from participation in an outlaw gang. Bonner joins the gang in an effort to talk sense to the young man.^[44]

On May 25, 1959, in the episode "A Trial for Jenny May," Kasey Rogers plays Jenny May, a woman with three children accused of being an unfit parent because she works in a saloon. Ellen Corby appears in this episode as Ruth Purcell. Child actor Scotty Morrow plays Gordon, Jenny's son.^[45]

In "The Englishman" on June 8, 1959, an English valet who lacks a knowledge of the West, causes trouble for Bonner. While taking a payroll to the bank the English visitor is kidnapped, and Bonner is reduced to his boots and longjohns and forced to walk back to town. The townspeople laugh in an uproar, apparently unaware that a bank robbery is taking place. Lyle Talbot appears in this episode as Mort Askins.^[46]

In the penultimate episode entitled "A Very Special Investigator" on June 15, 1959, the guest stars include Fay Spain and Andy Clyde, best known for his role as the neighbor George McMichael in Walter Brennan's ABC sitcom, The Real McCoys.^[47]

In the series finale entitled "The Hill of Death," which aired on June 22, 1959, a young boy, badly beaten, is left outside the office of Dr. Lem Shephered, played by Regis Toomey. Bonner is visiting the doctor, an old friend, at the time of the attack. Bonner investigates in an attempt to locate the boy's assailants while the local sheriff is away. John Dehner guest stars as Aaron Dixon.^[48]

Other guest stars included Robert Blake (in the episode "Thunder Alley"), Peter Breck (in "Take Me Home", with Mala Powers), Olive Carey, Iron Eyes Cody, Chuck Connors, Frank Dekova (as Lupo Lazaro in the episode "Dragon for a Day"), Angie Dickinson, Henry Hull, Patrick McVey, John Mitchum (the brother of Robert Mitchum), Vic Morrow, and Dean Stockwell, who appeared with Dan Blocker and Gloria Talbott, who appears as "Mercyday" in the 1958 episode of the same name.^[49]

DVD releases[link]

On March 1, 2010, Timeless Media Group released a 3-disc best-of set featuring 24 episodes from the series.^[50]

Scheduling[link]

In its first season, The Restless Gun was aired opposite The Burns and Allen Show on CBS and the short-lived variety program, The Guy Mitchell Show on ABC. In the second season, CBS aired a western, Rory Calhoun's The Texan, in the opposing time slot.^[51]

Rebroadcasts of The Restless Gun continued on NBC until September 1959. Then ABC rebroadcast The Restless Gun weekdays from October 1959 to September 1960 and on Saturday mornings from November 1959 to March 1960.^[1]

The Restless Gun in prime time preceded NBC's Tales of Wells Fargo, another half-hour western, longer-running, and highly rated, starring Dale Robertson.^[51]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Restless Gun at the Internet Movie Database
• The Restless Gun at TV.com

Look up restless in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Restless may refer to:

Music

• Restless (Sara Evans album)
• Restless (Murray Head album)
• Restless, an album by Bob James
• Restless (Shelby Lynne album)
• Restless (Amy Meredith album)
• Restless (Skydiggers album)
• Restless (Trae album)
• Restless, an album by Snowy White & the White Flames
• Restless (Faye Wong album)
• Restless (Xzibit album)
• "Restless", a song from David and the Giants' 1988 album Strangers to the Night
• "Restless", a 1996 song by Tanya Donelly
• "Restless", a song by Evil Nine
• "Restless", a song by Elton John
• "Restless", a 2011 song by Kakkmaddafakka
• "Restless", a song by Alison Krauss
• "Restless", a song by Gordon Lightfoot
• "Restless", a song by rockabilly pioneer Carl Perkins
• "Restless", a song from The Servants' album Disinterest
• "Restless", a song by Switchfoot
• "Restless", a song by White Dawg
• "Restless", a song by gothic metal band Within Temptation
• Restless Records, record label

Other media

• Restless (1998 film), Chinese-American romance film
• Restless (2000 film), Finnish romantic comedy film
• The Restless (2006 film), South Korean fantasy film
• Restless (2011 film), a 2011 American film directed by Gus Van Sant
• "Restless" (Buffy episode), episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Restless (novel), novel by William Boyd

See also[link]

• Agitation (disambiguation), a synonym for restlessness

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2010)

Clarence Eugene "Hank" Snow (May 9, 1914 – December 20, 1999) was a Canadian-American country music artist. He charted more than 70 singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980. This total includes the number 1 hits "I'm Moving On", "The Golden Rocket", "I Don't Hurt Anymore", "Let Me Go, Lover!", "I've Been Everywhere", and "Hello Love" as well as other top ten hits. He is a member of both the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame and the Music Hall of Fame.

Biography[link]

Snow was born in Brooklyn, Queens County, Nova Scotia, Canada. He ran away from home to escape a brutal stepfather when he was 12 years old and joined a fishing boat as a cabin boy.^[1] When he was 14, he ordered his first guitar from an Eaton's department store catalogue for $5.95, and played his first show in a church basement in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia at age 16. He then sang in local clubs in and around Halifax. He married Minnie Blanche Aalders in 1935 and had one son, Rev. Jimmy Rodgers Snow.

Canadian years[link]

A successful appearance on Halifax radio station CHNS led to Snow's audition with RCA Victor in Montreal, Quebec. In 1936, he signed with the label, staying for more than 45 years. A weekly CBC radio show brought him national recognition and, using the name, Hank, The Yodeling Ranger, and he began touring Canada until the late 1940s when American country music stations began playing his records.

Nashville calls[link]

Bill Haley/Elvis/Hank Snow Ticket - October 16, 1955

Snow moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1945, and "Hank Snow, the Singing Ranger" (modified from his earlier nickname, the Yodeling Ranger), was invited to play at the Grand Ole Opry in 1950. That same year he released his hit, "I'm Moving On." The first of seven number 1 hits on the country charts, "I'm Moving On" stayed at the top for 21 weeks, setting the all-time record for most weeks at number 1.

That same year " "The Golden Rocket" and "The Rhumba Boogie" both hit number one with the latter remaining #1 for eight weeks.^[2]

Along with these hits, his other "signature song" was "I've Been Everywhere," in which he portrayed himself as a hitchhiker bragging about all the towns he'd been through. This song was originally written and performed in Australia by Geoff Mack, and its re-write incorporated North American place names. Rattling off a well-rhymed series of city names at an auctioneer's pace has long made the song a challenge for any singer.

While performing in Renfro Valley, Snow worked with a young Hank Williams.^{[citation needed]}

In the February 7th 1953 edition,^[3] Billboard Magazine reported that Snow's then seventeen year old son, Jimmy Rogers Snow, had "signed with Victor" (RCA Victor Records). Billboard reported that the younger Snow would "record duets with his father", as well as cover his own (presumably ghost-written) material.

Elvis[link]

A regular at the Grand Ole Opry, in 1954 Snow persuaded the directors to allow a young Elvis Presley to appear on stage. Snow used Presley as his opening act and introduced him to Colonel Tom Parker. In August 1955, Snow and Parker formed the management team, Hank Snow Attractions. This partnership signed a management contract with Presley but before long, Snow was out and Parker had full control over the rock singer's career.

Later career[link]

Performing in lavish and colourful sequin-studded suits, Snow had a career covering six decades during which he sold more than 80 million albums. Although he became an American naturalized citizen in 1958, he still maintained friendships in Canada and remembered his roots with the 1968 album, My Nova Scotia Home. That same year he performed at campaign stops on behalf of U.S. presidential candidate George Wallace.

Despite his lack of schooling, Snow was a gifted songwriter and in 1978 was elected to Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. In Canada, he was ten times voted that country's top country music performer. In 1979, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Nova Scotia Music Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1985.

His autobiography, The Hank Snow Story, was published in 1994, and later The Hank Snow Country Music Centre opened near his ancestral home in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. A victim of child abuse, he established the Hank Snow International Foundation For Prevention Of Child Abuse.

Illness and Death[link]

In 1996, Snow experienced respiratory problems and at 12:30am on December 20, 1999, he died from heart failure^[4] at his Rainbow Ranch in Madison, Tennessee and was interred in the Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville.^[5] Minnie died on May 12, 2003 in Madison, Tennessee.^[6]

Legacy[link]

Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones, Ray Charles, Ashley MacIsaac, Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris, among others, have covered his music.

One of his last top hits, "Hello Love", was sung by Garrison Keillor to open each broadcast of his Prairie Home Companion radio show. The song became Snow's seventh and final number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in April 1974. At 59 years and 11 months, Snow became the oldest artist to have a top song on the chart. It was an accomplishment he held for more than 26 years, until Kenny Rogers's hit record in May 2000 (at 61 years and nine months), "Buy Me a Rose". (Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson subsequently reached the top of the chart at older ages as secondary duet partners on records fronted by other artists.)

In Robert Altman's 1975 film Nashville, Henry Gibson played a self-obsessed country star loosely based on Hank Snow. He was also mentioned in the film Smokey and the Bandit. When Cletus Snow, making a collect call, gives his name, the operator's response is not heard, but Cletus replies "No, I'm not Hank Snow's brother."

Hank is referenced in the opening lines of Jimmy Buffet's 1974 song "The Wino and I Know."^[7]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

Guest singles[link]

See also[link]

Canada portal

• Kalamazoo, Michigan
• Music of Canada
• List of best-selling music artists

References[link]

• Wolfe, Charles. (1998). "Hank Snow". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 494–5.

External links[link]

• Hank Snow Country Music Centre
• Hank Snow at the Country Music Hall of Fame
• Hank Snow discography at Discogs.com
• Rev. Jimmy Rodgers Snow Ministries
• The short film Country Style USA Recruitment: Episode 39 is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]

Travis Tritt
Travis Tritt in Concert in 2009
Background information
Birth name	James Travis Tritt[1]
Born	(1963-02-09) February 9, 1963 (age 49)
Origin	Marietta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Country
Occupations	Singer-songwriter Actor
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, banjo[2]
Years active	1989 – present
Labels	Warner Bros. Columbia Category 5
Associated acts	Gregg Brown Dana McVicker Marty Stuart Billy Joe Walker, Jr.
Website	http://www.travistritt.com/

James Travis Tritt (born February 9, 1963) is an American, Grammy winning, country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. 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 forty 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 fifteen 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.

Early life[link]

James Travis Tritt was born in Marietta, Georgia on February 9, 1963^[1] to James and Gwen Tritt.^[3] He first took interest in singing after his church's Sunday school choir performed "Everything Is Beautiful."^[4] He received his first guitar at age eight and taught himself how to play it; in the fourth grade, he performed "Annie's Song" and "King of the Road" for his class, and later got invited to play for other classrooms in his school.^[5] At age fourteen, his parents bought him another guitar, and he learned more songs from his uncle, Sam Lockhart.^[6] Later on, Tritt joined his church band, which occasionally performed at other churches nearby.^[7]

Tritt began writing music while he was attending Sprayberry High School; his first song composition, entitled "Spend a Little Time", was written about a girlfriend whom he had broken up with.^[8] He performed this song for his friends, one of whom complimented him on his songwriting skills.^[9] He also founded a bluegrass group with some of his friends, and won second place in a local tournament for playing "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys".^[10]

During his teenage years, Tritt worked at a furniture store, and later as a supermarket clerk. He lived with his mother after she and his father divorced; they re-married each other when he was eighteen.^[11] He worked at an air conditioning company while playing in clubs, but gave up the air conditioning job at the suggestion of one of his bandmates.^[12] Tritt's father thought that Tritt would not find success as a musician, while his mother thought that he should perform Christian music instead of country.^[1]

Through the assistance of Warner Bros. Records executive Danny Davenport, Tritt began recording demos. The two worked together for the next several years, eventually putting together a demo album called Proud of the Country.^[1][13] Davenport sent the demo to Warner Bros. representatives in Los Angeles, who in turn sent the demo to Warner Bros.' Nashville division, which signed Tritt in 1987.^[14] Davenport also helped Tritt find a talent manager, Ken Kragen. At first, Kragen was "not interested in taking an entry-level act," but he decided to sign on as Tritt's manager after Kragen's wife convinced him.^[15]

Musical career[link]

[edit] 1989–1991: Country Club

Tritt's contract with Warner Bros. contract, meaning that he was signed to record six songs, and three of them would be released as singles. According to the contract, he would not be signed on for a full album unless one of the three singles became a hit.^[14][16] His first single was "Country Club." Recorded in late 1988 and released in September 1989,^[17] the song spent 26 weeks on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, peaking at number nine.^[18] It was the title track to his 1990 debut album Country Club, produced by Gregg Brown. The month of its release, Tritt burst a blood vessel on his vocal cords, and had to take vocal rest for a month.^[14] Second single "Help Me Hold On" became his first number one single in 1990.^[18] The album's third and fifth singles, "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" and "Drift Off to Dream," respectively peaked at numbers two and three on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, and number one on the Canadian RPM country charts;^[19][20] "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" also went to number one on the U.S. country singles charts published by Radio & Records.^[14] "Put Some Drive in Your Country," which was released fourth, peaked at 28 on Hot Country Songs.^[18] Country Club was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in July 1991 for shipments of one million copies, and double-platinum in 1996.^[21] In 1990, he won the Top New Male Artist award from Billboard.^[2] The Country Music Association (CMA) also nominated him for the Horizon Award (now known as the New Artist Award),^[14] which is given to new artists who show have shown the most significant artistic and commercial development from a first or second album.^[22]

Brian Mansfield of Allmusic gave the album a positive review, saying that "Put Some Drive in Your Country" paid homage to Tritt's influences, but that the other singles were more radio-friendly.^[23] Giving the album a B-minus, Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly compared Tritt's music to that of Hank Williams, Jr. and Joe Stampley.^[24]

[edit] 1991–1992: It's All About to Change

In 1991, Tritt received a second Horizon Award nomination, which he won that year.^[2] He also released his second album, It's All About to Change. The album went on to become his best-selling, with a triple-platinum certification from the RIAA for shipments of three million copies.^[21] All four of its singles reached the top five on the country music charts. "Here's a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)" and the Marty Stuart duet "The Whiskey Ain't Workin'," respectively the first and third singles, both reached number two, with the number-one "Anymore" in between. "Nothing Short of Dying" was the fourth single, with a peak at number four on Billboard;^[18] both it and "The Whiskey Ain't Working" went to Number One on Radio & Records.^[14] "Bible Belt," another cut from the album (recorded in collaboration with Little Feat), appeared in the 1992 film My Cousin Vinny (the lyrics for the song, however, were changed for the version played in the movie to match the story line). Although not released as a single, it peaked at number 72 country based on unsolicited airplay and was the b-side to "Nothing Short of Dying."^[18] "Bible Belt" was inspired by a youth pastor whom Tritt knew in his childhood.^[25]

Stuart offered "The Whiskey Ain't Workin' Anymore" to Tritt backstage at the CMA awards show, and they recorded it as a duet through the suggestion of Tritt's record producer, Gregg Brown.^[26] The duet won both artists the next year's Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.^[18] Tritt and Stuart charted a second duet, "This One's Gonna Hurt You (For a Long, Long Time)," which went to number seven in mid-1992 and appeared on Stuart's album This One's Gonna Hurt You.^[18] This song won the 1992 CMA award for Vocal Event of the Year.^[2]

In June 1992, Tritt received media attention when he criticized Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" at a Fan Fair interview, saying that he did not think that Cyrus' song made a "statement".^[27] The following January, Cyrus responded at the American Music Awards by making reference to Tritt's "Here's a Quarter".^[28] Tritt later apologized to Cyrus, but said that he defended his opinion on the song.^[29]

[edit] 1992–1993: T-R-O-U-B-L-E and A Travis Tritt Christmas

Tritt and Stuart began a "No Hats Tour" in 1992.^[30] In August of that same year, Tritt released the album T-R-O-U-B-L-E. Its first single was "Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man," a song written by Kostas. This song, which featured backing vocals from Brooks & Dunn, T. Graham Brown, George Jones, Little Texas, Dana McVicker (who also sang backup on Tritt's first two albums), Tanya Tucker and Porter Wagoner, peaked at number four.^[18] Its follow-up, "Can I Trust You with My Heart," became Tritt's third Billboard number one in early 1993.^[18] The album's next three singles did not perform as well on the charts: the title track (a cover of an Elvis Presley song^[31]), peaked at 13, followed by "Looking Out for Number One" at number 11 and "Worth Every Mile" at number 30.^[18] T-R-O-U-B-L-E became the second album of his career to achieve double-platinum certification.^[21] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic thought that T-R-O-U-B-L-E followed too closely the formula of It's All About to Change, but said that the songs showed Tritt's personality.^[32] Nash gave the album a similar criticism, but praised the rock influences of "Looking Out for Number One" and the vocals on "Can I Trust You with My Heart."^[31]

One month after the release of T-R-O-U-B-L-E, Tritt issued a Christmas album titled A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year, for which he wrote the title track.^[33] He also joined the Grand Ole Opry, a weekly stage show and radio broadcast specializing in country music performances,^[34] and filled in for Garth Brooks at a performance on the American Music Awards.^[35] By year's end, Tritt and several other artists appeared on George Jones's "I Don't Need Your Rocking Chair," which won all artists involved the next year's CMA Vocal Event of the Year award.^[36]

[edit] 1994–1995: Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof and Greatest Hits

In early 1994, after "Worth Every Mile" fell from the charts, Tritt charted at number 21 with a cover of the Eagles' "Take It Easy".^[18] He recorded this song for the tribute album Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles (released through Warner Bros.' Giant Records division), which featured country music artists' renditions of Eagles songs.^[37] When filming the music video for this song, Tritt requested that the band, which was on hiatus at the time, appear in it. This reunion inspired the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over Tour, which began that year.^[14]

His fourth album, Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof, was released that May. Its lead-off single, "Foolish Pride", went to number one, and the fourth single, "Tell Me I Was Dreaming", reached number two. In between these songs were the title track at number 22 and "Between an Old Memory and Me" (originally recorded by Keith Whitley^[38]) at number 11.^[18] The album included two co-writes with Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and guest vocals from Waylon Jennings and Hank Williams, Jr. on the cut "Outlaws Like Us".^[39] The album achieved platinum certification in December of that year, and later became his third double-platinum album.^[21] Allmusic reviewer Brian Mansfield said that Tritt was "most comfortable with his Southern rock/outlaw mantle" on it, comparing "Foolish Pride" favorably to "Anymore" and the work of Bob Seger.^[39] Alanna Nash praised the title track and "Tell Me I Was Dreaming" in her review for Entertainment Weekly, but thought that the other songs were still too similar in sound to his previous works.^[38]

1995's Greatest Hits: From the Beginning included most of his singles to that point, as well as two new cuts: the Steve Earle composition "Sometimes She Forgets" and a cover of the pop standard "Only You (And You Alone)". The former was a top ten hit at number seven, while the latter spent only eight weeks on the country charts and peaked at number 51.^[18] Greatest Hits was certified platinum.^[21]

[edit] 1996–1997: The Restless Kind

In April 1996, Tritt and Stuart charted a third duet, "Honky Tonkin's What I Do Best," which appeared on Stuart's album of the same name and peaked at 23 on the country charts. The song won both artists that year's Country Music Association award for Vocal Event, Tritt's third win in this category.^[18] The two began a second tour, the Double Trouble Tour, that year.^[14]

Tritt charted at number three in mid-1996 with "More Than You'll Ever Know," the first single from his fifth album, The Restless Kind. The album accounted for one more top ten hit, a cover of Waylon Jennings's "Where Corn Don't Grow," which Tritt took to number six in late 1996. This song's chart run overlapped with that of "Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)," a novelty release combining snippets of comedian Bill Engvall's "Here's Your Sign" routines with a chorus sung by Tritt.^[40] "Here's Your Sign (Get the Picture)" peaked at 29 on the country charts and 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, accounting for Tritt's first entry on the latter chart.^[18] The other singles from The Restless Kind all failed to make Top Ten upon their 1997 release. "She's Going Home with Me" and "Still in Love with You" (previously the respective b-sides to "Where Corn Don't Grow" and "More Than You'll Ever Know") were the third and fifth releases, peaking at 24 and 23 on Hot Country Singles & Tracks. In between was the number eighteen "Helping Me Get Over You," a duet with Lari White.^[18]

Unlike his previous albums, all of which were produced by Gregg Brown, Tritt produced The Restless Kind with Don Was.^[41] It received positive reviews from Thom Owens of Allmusic, who said that it was the most country-sounding album of his career.^[42] Don Yates of Country Standard Time also praised it for having a more "organic" sound than Tritt's other albums.^[41]

[edit] 1998–1999: No More Looking over My Shoulder

In 1998, he and several other artists contributed to Stuart's "Same Old Train," a cut from the collaborative album Tribute to Tradition; this song charted at number 59 on Hot Country Songs and won Tritt his second Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.^[43] He also performed on Frank Wildhorn's concept album of the musical The Civil War, singing the song "The Day the Sun Stood Still".^[44] By year's end, Tritt also released his final Warner Bros. album, No More Looking over My Shoulder. It was led off by the ballad "If I Lost You," which peaked at number 29 on the country charts and number 86 on the Hot 100.^[18] Michael Peterson (who recorded for Warner Bros.' Reprise label at the time) co-wrote and sang backing vocals on the title track,^[45] which went to number 38 country in early 1999. The album's third and final single was a cover of Jude Cole's "Start the Car" (previously the b-side to "If I Lost You"), which peaked at number 52.^[18]

Late in 1999, Tritt recorded a cover of Hank Williams's "Move It On Over" with George Thorogood for the soundtrack to the cartoon King of the Hill.^[46] This cut peaked at number 66 country.

[edit] 2000–2002: Down the Road I Go

Soon after leaving Warner Bros. Records, Tritt signed to Columbia Records and released the album Down the Road I Go in 2000.^[1] He produced the album with Billy Joe Walker, Jr. The album's first release was "Best of Intentions," his fifth and final number one hit on Billboard.^[18] It was also his most successful entry on the Hot 100, where it reached number 27.^[18] The next two singles, "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" and "Love of a Woman," both peaked at number two on the country charts in 2001, followed by "Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde" at number eight. All three songs also crossed over to the Hot 100, respectively reaching peaks of 33, 39 and 55.^[18] Tritt wrote or co-wrote seven of the album's songs, including "Best of Intentions,"^[47] and collaborated with Charlie Daniels on two of them.^[48] "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" was originally recorded by Jon Randall, whose version was to have been included on an unreleased album for BNA Records in the late 1990s.^[49]

Maria Konicki Dinoia gave the album a positive review on Allmusic, saying that Tritt "hasn't lost his touch."^[47] Country Standard Time also gave a positive review, saying that it showed Tritt's balance of country and rock influences.^[50] An uncredited review in Billboard magazine called "Best of Intentions" a "gorgeous ballad," comparing it favorably to his early Warner Bros. releases.^[51]

[edit] 2002–2005: Strong Enough and My Honky Tonk History

In September 2002, Tritt released his second album on Columbia Records, Strong Enough. Its first single was "Strong Enough to Be Your Man" (an answer song to Sheryl Crow's 1993 single "Strong Enough"^[52]) which reached number 13. The only other release was "Country Ain't Country," which peaked at 26 on the country charts.^[18] William Ruhlmann gave the album a generally positive review on Allmusic, saying that he considered its sound closer to mainstream country than Tritt's previous albums.^[52]

Also in 2002, Tritt performed on an episode of Crossroads, a program on Country Music Television which pairs country acts with musicians from other genres for collaborative performances. He performed with Ray Charles.^[53] Tritt contributed guest vocals to Charlie Daniels' 2003 single "Southern Boy", and recorded a cover of Waylon Jennings' "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean" to the RCA Records tribute album I've Always Been Crazy. Respectively, these songs reached 51 and 50 on the country charts.^[18]

Tritt's tenth studio album, My Honky Tonk History, was released in 2004. This album included three charting singles: "The Girl's Gone Wild" at 28, followed by the John Mellencamp duet "What Say You" at number 21 and "I See Me" at number 32.^[18] Other songs on the album included a cover of Philip Claypool's "Circus Leaving Town" and songs written by Gretchen Wilson, Benmont Tench and Delbert McClinton.^[54] Thom Jurek rated this album favorably, saying that it was a "solid, sure-voiced outing"; he also thought that "What Say You" was the best song on it.^[54]

[edit] 2007–2010: The Storm and beyond

Tritt exited Columbia in July 2005, citing creative differences over My Honky Tonk History.^[55] He signed to the independent Category 5 Records in February 2006, and served as the label's flagship artist.^[56] 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.^[57] Tritt released his first single for Category 5 in May 2007: a cover of the Richard Marx song "You Never Take Me Dancing."^[58] It was included on his only album for Category 5, The Storm, which American Idol judge Randy Jackson produced.^[59] The album featured a more rhythm and blues influence than Tritt's previous works.^[58][59] "You Never Take Me Dancing" peaked at number 27 on the country charts; a second single, "Something Stronger Than Me," was released in October,^[60] 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.^[61] 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.^[62]

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.^[63] Tritt signed a management deal with Parallel Entertainment in December 2010.^[64]

Acting career[link]

Tritt's first acting roles that would lead to feature-film work was a role in the 1993 made-for-television movie, Rio Diablo.^[65] In 1994 Travis made a special appearance as a bull rider in the movie The Cowboy Way, which starred Woody Harrelson and Kiefer Sutherland. He also starred in a guest role on Yes Dear as a rehabilitating criminal.^[66] Two years later, Tritt appeared as himself in Sgt. Bilko, which starred Steve Martin, Dan Aykroyd and Phil Hartman;^[67] Tritt's cover of "Only You (And You Alone)" appeared in the film's soundtrack.^[68] He also made an appearance in the 1997 film Fire Down Below, starring Steven Seagal and Kris Kristofferson.^[69] In September 2010, filming began on a movie called Fishers of Men, a Christian film in which Tritt will star.^[70]

Musical styles[link]

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.^[7] While performing at these churches, he also took interest in gospel singers such as Andraé Crouch.^[71] Later on, he began listening to Southern rock acts such as the The Allman Brothers Band through the recommendation of a friend,^[72] as well as the bluegrass music that his uncle exposed him to.^[73] 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.^[74] He cites country, rock and folk as his influences.^[2] 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."^[1] 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."^[75]

Regarding his songwriting style and single choices, Tritt said that he writes "strictly from personal experiences" and does not follow a particular formula.^[76] He described "Here's a Quarter" as "one of the simplest three-chord waltzes I've ever written,"^[77] and said that label executives were reluctant to release it because they thought that it was a novelty song.^[78] Also, he was told that "I'm Gonna Be Somebody" would not be a hit because it did not contain any rhymes,^[79] and fought the release of the song "Country Club" because he did not think that it fit his style.^[80] 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 moreso than the top ten hits from those albums.^[81]

Personal life[link]

Tritt married his high school sweetheart, Karen Ryon,^[82] in September 1983, and moved into an apartment with her. They stayed together for six months, while Tritt worked at an air conditioning company and Karen at a Burger King, and divorced six months later.^[83] After going to court, Tritt was ordered to pay alimony to Karen for six months.^[84] When he was 21, he married a woman named Jodi Barnett,^[85] who was 33 at the time.^[86] He divorced her shortly after signing with Warner Bros. in 1989; the divorce finalized one month before "Country Club" was released. Tritt wrote the song "Here's a Quarter" the night he received his divorce papers.^[87]

He married Theresa Nelson on April 12, 1997.^[48] They have two sons: Tristan James (born June 16, 1999) and Tarian Nathaniel (born November 25, 2003),^[88] and one daughter, Tyler Reese (born February 18, 1998).^[48]

Political views and advocacy[link]

Tritt is a member of the Republican Party and supported George W. Bush for President in 2000. The two met in 1996 at the Republican National Convention in San Diego, California, where Tritt sang the national anthem.^[89] Tritt told Insight on the News, that he is a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights and believes the answer to crime is not gun control but criminal control. "I'm a pro-gun guy. I'm an NRA National Rifle Association member, a life member as a matter of fact. I'm more for the belief of making the punishment tougher for the criminals to start with. I think that sends much more of an incentive for people to not commit crimes of any type than taking away guns. Because you take away guns, and the next thing you know, stabbing murders are going to increase." He adds that he is "definitely pro-death penalty."^[90]

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Country Club (1990)
• It's All About to Change (1991)
• T-R-O-U-B-L-E (1992)
• A Travis Tritt Christmas: Loving Time of the Year (1992)
• Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof (1994)
• The Restless Kind (1996)
• No More Looking over My Shoulder (1998)
• Down the Road I Go (2000)
• Strong Enough (2002)
• My Honky Tonk History (2004)
• The Storm (2007)

Billboard number-one singles

• "Help Me Hold On" (1990)
• "Anymore" (1991)
• "Can I Trust You with My Heart" (1992 – 1993)
• "Foolish Pride" (1994)
• "Best of Intentions" (2000)

Awards[link]

Filmography[link]

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Tritt, Travis; Michael Bane (1994). 10 Feet Tall and Bulletproof. Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-51847-6. 

External links[link]

• The Official Travis Tritt Website