'As exciting to see in concert as he is to hear on CD, Travis Rush brings together many of the stylistic influences that define the very best of what has come to be called New Country music. His debut CD, Come And Get It may be the standout debut recording by an independent artist this year. Hard rocking, guitar heavy tunes are perfectly balanced by thoughtful and melodic ballads that feature Travis on the piano weaving tales of loves lost and found. With Come And Get It, Travis Rush makes his move into the country music big leagues and hits a home run.
Background
Breaking the mold of expectation, defying barriers as a musician and a man, Travis Rush is refreshingly impossible to label or define. But to capture the core of this rising country star, one might begin with words of wisdom passed on by his father during times when life got tough:
"You can't be afraid to step out on the edge, even if it's just to peer over to see what you might be missing…
…People rarely remember how or why you fell...what they remember is how well you recover from the fall."
Today, life is good for Travis Rush. His debut CD release, "Come and Get It," is hitting stores nationwide. He's kicking off his first national concert tour, taking his music on the road to fifty cities spanning the United States. Travis is also meeting the longtime goal of finding a grand-scale way to make a difference in foster kids' lives. Fueled by a passion to make a positive change, he established The Travis Rush Foundation (www.TravisRushFoundation.org). But that's not all. Travis is living in Portland, Oregon- the city at the far northern edge of the great American West, where the ghosts of old pioneers, lumbermen, and native people can be sensed beneath the modern streets and creative culture. He is making music amidst the place and people that he calls home.
It was a twisting, turbulent path of personal struggle, loss, and life-changing events that brought him to where he stands today.
When first meeting Travis - whether face-to-face, live on stage, or by listening to his songs- you encounter such intense energy and optimism that it's downright contagious. It's the genuine stuff of someone who has discovered himself and the direction of his dreams. One might think that this high-spirited guy has never crashed, never been burned, never lost a round in the ring. But it was a journey marked by recurring tests of heart and determination that shaped his great passion for living.
Travis Rush grew up in the small, rugged coastal town of Gold Beach, Oregon, where he explored his musical talents from an early age. "Growing up in Gold Beach was great," Travis smiles and then laughs. "It's so small that you might not even notice it… two minutes and you're through the entire town." As a young boy, Travis learned to sing and play the piano with his father, who was a great fan of country music. The piano would become an anchor for Travis, and a continuous part of his path towards carving a unique place and personality on the country music scene. Travis played with his family band through childhood and continued to hone his talent for singing and songwriting in high school, performing an original song on graduation day. "I remember recording my first four song cassette during my junior year at a small studio outside of Coos Bay, Oregon." Travis recalls. He also discovered that music helped with one of the greatest challenges that he faced as a teenage boy- winning the attention of teenage girls.
After graduating from Gold Beach High School, Travis set out on a series of adventures and misadventures, all life-shaping twists and turns that would lead him towards discovering his destiny. At the age of 20, Travis headed to Los Angeles in pursuit of his career in music. Disillusioned by "the scene" and turned off by the limiting scope of possibility, he returned to Oregon to attend college. "I attended six different colleges and universities and still never graduated," Travis chuckles. "The piano, writing and performing kept pulling me away."
Eventually, Travis made the move of an entrepreneur and purchased a restaurant, where he enjoyed singing and playing piano for the entertainment of evening patrons. But an unexpected natural disaster led to financial misfortune for Travis and his small business venture. The restaurant flooded, and he was plagued by the loss of this investment gone awry. Staring at the piano among the ruins of his restaurant, Travis began to question his luck and his future. He struggled for six months trying to pull the restaurant back together, but ultimately, with a sinking spirit and a heavy heart, he was forced into bankruptcy.
Raw from the sting of these professional struggles, Travis faced further hardship in his personal life, when he found and then lost what he'd thought was true love. A short-lived marriage and a struggle through a harsh, painful relationship added to a growing climate of unfavorable circumstances. Travis would go on to write the song, "Just for Tonight," which helped him work through the feelings of loss and confusion linked to the hurtful experience.
"That was a rough time in my life," Travis describes. "I knew what I was getting into but thought that I could fix it. ‘Just for Tonight' is about coming to realize that I couldn't. By sharing this song, I've found that many people know just how it feels to struggle through losing someone you love as they fall victim to alcohol or drug abuse."
But in spite of such personal struggles, Travis possessed a special spark. With tough resilience and stubborn optimism, he insisted on standing back up each time that life knocked him down. Travis looked within himself, and then outwards at all of the promise and possibility that surrounded him. In the wake of repeated hardship, he made the decision to devote himself to doing and pursing the things that made him happy. He set his mind on his music, on doing good things for others, and on his vision of becoming a country star unlike any the world had seen before.
Unexpected Influence & Instrument
In addition to the hat, the boots, and the brawn, the popular vision of the county music man is practically branded with the image of a guitar. Refusing to conform for the sake of expectation, Travis Rush delivers his songs from the instrument that is closest to his history and his soul- the piano. While admiring classic and young country greats alike, Travis' influence also includes the likes of Elton John and "the piano man" himself, Billy Joel. Holding onto his natural musical lifeline rather than picking up props from the mainstream, Travis' preference for piano is another example of the bold nonconformity that shapes his music and character.
Songs of Love and Life-Experience
Nothing has moved country artists more than the shifting landscape of the human heart. Whether shattered, healing, or soaring with newfound hope, Travis is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve as a songwriter and performer. From the freewheeling rush of meeting a memorable woman for the first time, to the pain and bewilderment of losing love without explanation, Travis' songs take us down hazardous roads of hurt up to sweet summits of excitement that only love can provide.
Just as Travis Rush's songs tell tales of personal experience, they also mirror the stories of influential people who he encounters along the way. In 2003 Travis became involved with volunteer activities to benefit foster children in Portland, Oregon. He was deeply moved and inspired by the kids' abilities to face and overcome the most challenging of odds. Travis wrote the song, "You Gotta Live" after befriending a fellow volunteer who had once been a foster child. Upon hearing the painful yet inspirational story of her life, Travis translated her experience into a beautiful, heartfelt song. These volunteer activities and friendships not only affected Travis' songwriting, but they also prompted large-scale, outside-the-box ideas about how music and professional efforts just might be the way to make an even bigger contribution towards the lives of the kids.
"The problems and lack of support for foster kids and statewide foster programs are overwhelming," Travis explains. "After being in the middle of it for a few years, I vowed to dedicate a part of my success in life- no matter how big or small- to help."
Poised for his first major tour and a national CD release, he founded The Travis Rush Foundation (www.TravisRushFoundation.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the needs and enriching the lives of America's foster children. Ten-percent of the proceeds from Travis' music sales, concert tickets, and all other career earnings will be continually donated towards the organization.
Just as new experiences, relationships, and discoveries fuel Travis' path and direction, he maintains a close connection to the people, places, and turning points of his past, knowing that they shaped who he has become.
By listening to the song, "Get Up Off the Ground," we come full-circle. We hear words of fatherly wisdom echoing through memories, growing pains, and in music. And we can almost get a feel for Travis Rush himself by placing ourselves within the uplifting refrain:
"Son, there's one thing you can count on. Sometimes the world will knock you down...
... It ain't about how fast or hard you fall... you gotta get up off the ground."
