The area roughly considered to be part of the Bible Belt

Most common religious affiliations in the 48 contiguous U.S. states, based on the American Religious Identification Survey; red and pink colors indicate a predominance of Baptists

The Bible Belt is an informal term for a region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average. The Bible Belt consists of much of the Southern United States extending west into Texas and Oklahoma. During the colonial period (1607–1776), the South was a stronghold of the Anglican church. Its transition to a stronghold of non-Anglican Protestantism occurred gradually over the next century as a series of religious revival movements, many associated with the Baptist denomination, gained great popularity in the region.

The region is usually contrasted with the mainline Protestantism and Catholicism of the northeastern United States, the religiously diverse Midwest and Great Lakes, the Mormon Corridor in Utah and southern Idaho, and the relatively secular western United States. The percentage of non-religious people is the highest in the northeastern state of Vermont at 34%, compared to the Bible Belt state of Alabama, where it is 6%.^[1] Mississippi has the highest proportion of Baptists, at 55%.^[1] The earliest known usage of the term "Bible Belt" was by American journalist and social commentator H. L. Mencken, who in 1924 wrote in the Chicago Daily Tribune: "The old game, I suspect, is beginning to play out in the Bible Belt."^[2] Mencken claimed the term as his invention in 1927.^[3]

Geography[link]

The name "Bible Belt" has been applied historically to the South and parts of the Midwest, but is more commonly identified with the South. In a 1961 study, Wilbur Zielinski delineated the region as the area in which Baptist denominations are the predominant religious affiliation. The region thus defined included most of the Southern United States, including most of Texas and Oklahoma in the southwest, and in the states south of the Ohio River, and extending east to include central West Virginia, Virginia south of Northern Virginia, and parts of Maryland. In addition, the Bible Belt covers parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. A 1978 study by Charles Heatwole identified the Bible Belt as the region dominated by 24 fundamentalist Protestant denominations, corresponding to essentially the same area mapped by Zielinski.^[4]

Tweedie (1978)^[5] defines the Bible Belt in terms of the audience for religious television. He finds two belts: one more eastern that stretches from central Florida through Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and into Virginia; and another that is more western, moving from central Texas to the Dakotas, and concentrated in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, and Mississippi.

Buckle[link]

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Several locations are occasionally referred to as "the Buckle of the Bible Belt":

• Fort Worth, Texas, home to the Texas Christian University and its Brite Divinity School, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (the largest Protestant seminary in the world).^{[citation needed]}
• Lubbock, Texas, which is said to have more churches per capita than any other place in the nation^[6]
• Abilene, Texas a city of 117,000 home to three Christian universities: the Baptist affiliated Hardin-Simmons University, the Church of Christ's Abilene Christian University, and Methodist founded McMurry University.^[7]
• Lynchburg, Virginia, home to Liberty University, the largest evangelical Christian university in the world, founded by Jerry Falwell in 1971.^{[citation needed]}
• Nashville, Tennessee, sometimes referred to as The Protestant Vatican,^[8] has over 700 churches,^[9] several seminaries, and a number of Christian schools, colleges and universities including Belmont University, Trevecca Nazarene University, Lipscomb University, Free Will Baptist Bible College and American Baptist College. Nashville is the seat of the National Baptist Convention, USA, the National Association of Free Will Baptists, the Gideons International, the Gospel Music Association, and Thomas Nelson, the world's largest producer of Bibles.^[10] It is also the headquarters for the publishing arms of both the Southern Baptist Convention (LifeWay Christian Resources) and the United Methodist Church (United Methodist Publishing House), as well as a number of Christian record companies such as EMI Christian Music Group, Provident Label Group and Word Records.
• Tulsa, Oklahoma, due to a large presence of Christian beliefs and establishments (such as Oral Roberts University) and its symbolic Prayer Tower. It is also one of the few urban areas in the United States where over 60% of the population attends church.
• Charlotte, North Carolina, hometown of Evangelist Billy Graham and the Billy Graham Library, as well as over 700 places of worship. Charlotte also served as the head seat of Southern Presbyterianism. Also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.
• Jacksonville, North Carolina & Camp Lejeune, largely Southern Baptist area also known for being very politically conservative due to the large military population.

Virginia Beach, Virginia, while not usually considered a buckle of the Bible Belt, is considered by many to be, along with Lynchburg, the eastern border. This is the headquarters of Pat Robertson and CBN as well as the location of Regent University.

Political and cultural context[link]

The term Bible Belt is used informally by journalists and by its detractors, who suggest that religious conservatives allow their religion to influence politics, science, and education. There has been research that links evangelical Protestantism with social conservatism.^[11] In 1950, President Harry Truman told Catholic leaders he wanted to send an ambassador to the Vatican. Truman said the leading Democrats in Congress approved, but they warned him, "it would defeat Democratic Senators and Congressmen in the Bible Belt."^[12]

In presidential elections, the Bible Belt states of Alabama, Mississippi, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas have voted for the Republican candidate in all elections since 1980. Other Bible Belt states have voted for the Republican presidential candidate in the majority of elections since 1980, but have gone to the Democratic candidate either once or twice since then.

Outside the United States[link]

In Australia[link]

In Australia, the term usually refers to tracts within individual cities, for example the north-western suburbs of Baulkham Hills, Sydney. The north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide such as Paradise, Modbury and Golden Grove. There is a section of south-eastern Queensland comprising the towns of Laidley, Gatton and Toowoomba which is referred to as the Bible Belt. In Tasmania, the North-Western portion of the state is regarded in this context.^[13]

In Canada[link]

In Canada, the term is also sometimes used to describe several disparate regions which have a higher than average level of church attendance. These include some rural areas of the Prairies, the rural and more traditional parts of the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia and the Saint John River Valley of New Brunswick.^[14]

In Chile[link]

The Biobío and the Araucanía regions are the areas with the most evangelical churches in the country.

In China[link]

In China, Nanjing is regarded as the area with the country's highest number of Christians since 1949. Amity Publishing House, a Christian publisher, is based in this city.^[15]

In Denmark[link]

In Denmark, the area of northwestern Jutland is often mentioned as a Bible Belt. The region has a large number of members of the Lutheran movement called "Indre Mission" (English: "Inner Mission").

In India[link]

In India, the north eastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and the hill districts of Manipur form a continuous Bible Belt. In fact in Nagaland, Christians constitute 90.02% (2001 census) of the population, with 80% professing the Baptist faith and thereby earning the sobriquet of The most Baptist state in the world.

In The Netherlands[link]

Areas where the Dutch Christian right Reformed Political Party SGP received a significant amount of votes in 2010, largely coextensive with the Dutch Bible Belt.

In the Netherlands, De Bijbelgordel stretches from the provinces of Zeeland to Overijssel. It was essentially the border between the Protestant and Catholic parts of the Netherlands after the Protestant Reformation (around 1560). The Dutch Bible Belt developed more explicitly in the 19th century. In the Bijbelgordel, the popular SGP favored a theocracy, and women were denied full party membership and the ability to be political representatives, although this was changed in 1996 when women were allowed to be members of the SGP. Immigrants from this area to the U.S. formed the Christian Reformed Church in North America.

In New Zealand[link]

In New Zealand, Mount Roskill, Auckland, contains the highest number of churches per capita in the country, and is the home of several Christian political candidates.^[16]

In Norway[link]

The Bible Belt in Norway covers the southwestern coast, rural Trøndelag, Lofoten, Vesterålen, and parts of Sapmi.^{[citation needed]}

In Norway, the Bible Belt covers the south-western coast from Agder to Møre og Romsdal. In these areas the conservative branch of the Church of Norway has a stronghold and the members usually associate themselves with Indremisjonen (Inner Mission).^{[citation needed]} There are also numerous Pentecostals and members of the Free Churches, but these movements are also strongly represented in the rest of the country. The Bible Belt in Norway traditionally reflects the support for the Christian Democratic Party. However, especially since the 2000s, conservative Bible Belt Christians unhappy with the more liberal development of the party have increasingly turned to the Progress Party.^[17][18] Several locations are occasionally referred to as the "Buckle of the Bible Belt": Aremark, Audnedal, Birkenes, Bjerkreim, Bømlo, Evje og Hornnes, Fedje, Finnøy, Fitjar, Flekkefjord, Forsand, Giske, Gjesdal, Haugesund, Hjelmeland, Hægebostad, Hå, Iveland, Karmøy, Kautokeino, Kvitsøy, Lindesnes, Lund, Lyngdal, Marker, Rakkestad, Rødøy, Rømskog, Selje, Sokndal, Strand, Time, Vegårshei, Vennesla, and Åseral.

In Slovakia[link]

In the Eastern and Northern parts of Slovakia, Christians comprise a majority, in some towns and villages almost 100%.^[19]

In Sweden[link]

In Sweden, there is a Bible Belt covering the area between the cities of Jönköping and Gothenburg, with a particularly high concentration of non-conformists (Protestant congregations not affiliated with the Church of Sweden), especially Pentecostals and Congregationalists – and strong support for the Christian Democrats.^[20]

In Ukraine[link]

Prior to its independence, Ukraine was known as the Bible Belt of the Soviet Union.^[21]

In The United Kingdom[link]

In England, the south-west of London (especially the county of Surrey) and the south coast area (between Eastbourne and Southampton) form a Bible belt with a higher than average concentration of evangelical Christians; also the counties of Somerset, Norfolk and Lincolnshire hold high in rates of church attendance. In Scotland the Highlands and Islands are a stronghold of socialist and liberal evangelical-linked Christianity,^[22] both in the established Church of Scotland and in smaller Presbyterian denominations such as the Free Church of Scotland. In Northern Ireland, the County Antrim area stretching from roughly Portrush to Larne and centered in the area of Ballymena is often referred to as a Bible Belt. This is because the area is heavily Protestant with a large evangelical community. From 1970 to 2010, the MP for North Antrim was Ian Paisley, a Free Presbyterian minister well known for his theological fundamentalism. The town of Ballymena, the largest town in the constituency, is often referred to as the "buckle" of the Bible Belt.^[23]

See also[link]

	United States portal
	Christianity portal

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Randall Balmer; Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism Baylor University Press, 2004  
• Denman, Stan. "Political Playing for the Soul of the American South: Theater and the Maintenance of Cultural Hegemony in the American Bible Belt" Southern Quarterly (2004) v. 42, Spring, 64-72.
• Heatwole, Charles A.  "The Bible Belt; a problem of regional definition" Journal of Geography (1978) 77; 50-5
• Christine Leigh Heyrman, Southern Cross: The Beginnings of the Bible Belt (Knopf, 1997)
• Samuel S. Hill, Charles H. Lippy, and Charles Reagan Wilson, eds. Encyclopedia Of Religion In The South (2005)
• Charles H. Lippy, ed. "Religion in South Carolina" (1993)
• George M. Marsden, Fundamentalism and American Culture: The Shaping of Twentieth-Century Evangelicalism, 1870-1925 (1980).
• Jeffrey P. Moran; "The Scopes Trial and Southern Fundamentalism in Black and White: Race, Region, and Religion" Journal of Southern History. Volume: 70. Issue: 1. 2004. pp 95+.
• Chris C. Park; Sacred Worlds: An Introduction to Geography and Religion Routledge, 1994
• Randy J. Sparks. Religion in Mississippi University Press of Mississippi for the Mississippi Historical Society, . 2001. ISBN 1-57806-361-2.
• William A. Stacey and Anson Shupe; "Religious Values and Religiosity in the Textbook Adoption Controversy in Texas, 1981" Review of Religious Research, Vol. 25, 1984
• Turner, Elizabeth Hayes; Women, Culture and Community: Religion and Reform in Galveston 1880-1920, 1997.
• Tweedie, S.W. (1978) Viewing the Bible Belt. Journal of Popular Culture 11; 865-76

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]