AN EXCLUSIVE HITS INTERVIEW WITH BY HOLLY GLEASON HILLBILLY ROCK When his self -titled debut hit the charts running, there Top and Clint Black - and Ken I like to get out there and play. were an awful lot of people asking the immortal ques- Kragen. At first they told me he'd Maybe it's because I used to book tion, "What's a Travis Tritt?" Wonder no longer. The 26 -year- never do it, because he's got so myself into places with just my old country singer/songwriter/performing dynamo has been many major acts. He didn't electric guitar. I'd be rocking out igniting crowds around the Marietta, Georgia, area for years. need a new artist. all by myself - and when you Of course, how many young country bucks prowl stages like What happened? do that, you learn how to enter- a real young, real crazy George Thorogood in his prime? He came down to see me, and I tain people. We're talkin' table -walking, guitar-screamin' boogie, y'all. guess he liked what he saw. You write, too. Who do you think Were you worried he might not connects most directly with And now with two hits in "Country Club" and "Help Me Hold do it? your songs? On," career guidance from super -manager Ken Kragen and If he didn't want to, then he Everyday people, I guess. I write an album that's got all the spark and fire of those classic wouldn't. But I wouldn't know from my own experiences. The Southern rock bands, it's no wonder people are lining up at unless we asked. things that happen to me are cash registers across the country. Things have been happening pretty much everyday, so I guess pretty fast since then. everyone relates to 'em. "Help Me Were you always into of high school - which was what They sure have! The first thing Hold On" is kinda about the end ? everybody seemed to be doing, Ken Kragen did was bring in the of my second marriage; my Growing up I heard a lot of so I figured I'd do it, too - and William Morris Agency and realizing what was wrong. That's , Merle Haggard, my wife didn't like me playing they've been booking me all over. the way it happened. And "Put George Jones, those kinds of ar- around. So, the only time I was And I know there are radio Some Drive In Your Country" is tists 'cause my daddy was real playing then was when a bunch stations that are giving us a about the way we like our music into country music. of friends'd come over to the chance because he manages to be, country -based, yet still rock- Those are pretty traditional house and we'd sit around and Kenny Rogers, too. ing, still having some power to it. artists, yet your sound owes pick bluegrass. You have a reputation for being Pretty basic things, really. -p as much to Southern rock Was it a tough decision then to a serious entertainer. like the Allman. Is there a pursue music full-time? line you walk? I was working for an air-con- "When they asked me to pick five When I was a teenager, I was ditioning company at the time. I'd managers I'd want to manage me, I told 'em real into Lynyrd Skynyrd. They started out loading trucks and Michael Jackson's, the guy who does ZZ Top and got me into the whole Southern worked my way up to driver and Clint Black - and Ken Kragen. At first people told rock thing, and from there I got then became an assistant mana- me he'd never do it, because he's got so into the Allman, Marshall Tucker, ger. I started playing at night in a many major acts." Molly Hatchet. I liked what they club and spent about six months were doing - it made sense to working all day and playing all me. And from them, I got into night .It about killed me! blues and people like Muddy What pushed you over the edge? Waters and John Lee Hooker. I talked to my boss. He once had It sounds like you were moving the same chance, and he didn't away from country more than do it. He's real successful today, back towards it. but he still wishes he'd taken the Well, at the end of the '70s, the chance. So I figured I wanted Outlaw Movement came around to find out. in country music with Waylon It sure seems like the right move. and Willie. That tied all the dif- I've been lucky! Danny Daven- ferent things I'd been listening to port, who's with Warner Bros. in up. And there were other artists Atlanta, really believed in me like David Allen Coe, Charlie and he worked with me a lot; he Daniels and Hank Williams Jr. kept talking to people about me. who were country, but that didn't That was how I got stop them from rocking. my deal. It sounds like music has always And you've also got a seriously had a major impact on you. heavy manager in Ken Kragen. Yeah. Yeah. When they asked me to Is it something you've pursued pick five managers I'd want to pretty actively? manage me, I told 'em Michael Not really. I got married right out Jackson's, the guy who does ZZ