Grammy-winning singer Travis Tritt may be known mostly for his many hits in the ’90s rather than anything recent. The country star’s last album, “The Calm After,” came out in 2013.
But no matter who the artist is, fans typically love their heyday work far more than anything current. Take Garth Brooks – who, like Tritt, is known mostly for his megahits in the ’90s. Brooks performed for an audience of more than 75,000 at Heinz Field on May 18. Fans surely were looking for classics like “Friends in Low Places” above anything more recent, says Jeremy Mulder, a disc jockey for the Froggy country radio stations.
Likewise, Tritt fans — who can see him perform on May 31 at Stage AE in the North Side, along with legendary fiddle-loving The Charlie Daniels Band — want to hear their favorites from 20-something years ago. They love funny, feisty favorites like “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)” – a kiss-off song that is dated just by its payphone-alluding title – and “T-R-O-U-B-L-E.” Fans love his tender ballads like “Anymore,” “Drift Off to Dream” and “Tell Me I Was Dreaming.”
“The music that he sings is very popular right now,” says Mulder, referring to Tritt’s timeless country and the popular nostalgia for the ‘90s. “It’s definitely back, and people are definitely going to be excited to go see him.”
The first time Mulder saw Tritt – who made his debut with the album “Country Club” in 1990 – in concert, the Georgia native looked like a country guy with a mullet, and the show had a rocking feel to it as well as a country one. Indeed, Tritt — a singer, songwriter and actor, too — is known for having Southern rock as well as country roots, and he has a distinctive sound.
“When you hear his voice, you can tell it’s a Travis Tritt song,” says Mulder, who does The Danger Show on Froggy under the on-air moniker Danger Frog. “I think … he has a style of his own.
“Truthfully, what made Travis Tritt was great songs,” he says. “That’s what makes all the artists. You’ve got to have a style that makes you stand out, and you’ve got to have great songs.”
Tritt has made headlines recently besides stories about his tour. He recently performed on the finale of “The Voice.” He performed “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” with finalist Andrew Sevener. This happened just a few days after a road tragedy: His tour bus was sideswiped, and two people died in the accident. Tritt and his crew were unharmed.
