NEWTON — The Newton Theatre announces “An Evening with Travis Tritt” on Sunday, March 24 at 7 p.m. Tickets for this performance will go on sale on Friday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m.
Travis Tritt, who is making an encore appearance at the Newton Theatre, was one of the leading new country singers of the early '90s, holding his own against Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Alan Jackson. He was the only one not wearing a hat and the only one to dip into bluesy Southern rock. Consequently, he developed a gutsy, outlaw image. Throughout the early '90s, he had a string of platinum albums and Top Ten singles, including three number one hits.
Tritt fell in love with music as a child, teaching himself how to play guitar when he was eight and beginning to write songs when he was 14. Tritt was determined to have a musical career, but his parents didn't encourage him to follow his instincts. His mother didn't mind that he wanted to perform, but she wanted him to sing gospel and his father was afraid there was no money in singing.
When he was 18, he tried to settle down, work and have a family but was unsuccessful. He was married and divorced twice before he was 22. He continued to play music while working various jobs, including one at an air-conditioning company. The company's vice president was a guitarist who gave up hopes of a musical career and urged Tritt to follow his dreams. Tritt quit his job and began pursuing a career full-time.
In 1982, Tritt began his pursuit by recording a demo tape at a private studio owned by Danny Davenport, who was an executive at Warner Brothers. Davenport was impressed with the vocalist's songs and took Tritt under his wing. For the next several years, the pair recorded demo tapes while Tritt played the honky tonk circuit. The singer was developing a distinctive sound, adding elements of country-rock and Southern rock to his honky tonk.
In 1989, Warner Brothers' Nashville division signed Tritt, and his debut album, Country Club, was released in Spring 1990, preceded by the Top Ten hit, Country Club. Upon the release of this album, Tritt entered the first ranks of new country singers. His next two singles, Help Me Hold On and I'm Gonna Be Somebody, hit number one and two respectively. Put Some Drive in Your Country had a clear rock & roll influence, but charted at number four.
Tritt had a breakthrough success with his second album, 1991's It's All About to Change which went multi-platinum. In 2007 he released a new studio effort called The Storm produced by the well known American Idol judge and musician Randy Jackson.
Tritt portrayed the character Eddie Waters in the 2011 film “Fishers of Men”. He is currently touring the country.
Tickets will be $79 for premium seating, $69 for orchestra and $59 for balcony. Tickets will go on sale at www.thenewtontheatre.com or call the Box Office at 973-383-3700. Newton Theatre is located at 234 Spring Street in Newton.