This page contains Merle Travis songs, albums and video links. Music profile for Merle Travis with events, tracks, videos, pictures, lyrics and band information.
Merle Robert Travis (November 29, 1917 – October 20, 1983) was an United States|American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the exploitation of coal miners. Some of the songs he wrote or performed include: "Sixteen Tons"; "Dark as a Dungeon"; "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed"; and "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette". However, it is his masterful guitar playing that he is best known for today. "Travis picking", a style of pattern picking|guitar picking, is named after him. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1977.
Early Years
Travis was raised in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, the same coal mining county mentioned in the John Prine song "Paradise." He became interested in the guitar early in life and originally played one made by his brother. Travis reportedly saved his money to buy a guitar that he had window-shopped for some time.
There were several local guitar players that drew his attention. Mose Rager was his main inspiration. Rager played a thumb and index finger picking style method which essentially created a solo style that blended lead lines and rhythmic bass plucked by the thumb (equipped with a thumbpick), similar to the style Travis developed.... read all
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