Travis Tritt Says Career Success Came from Waylon Jennings’ Advice

Travis Tritt recently shared a critical conversation he had with Waylon Jennings. This discussion altered his perspective on fame, criticism, and staying true to himself in the music industry. Speaking during an interview at CMA Fest, Tritt recalled a moment early in his career when backlash from Nashville insiders threatened his confidence.

“All of a sudden, they hated me, man. They were just trashing me left and right. ‘We don't know what he is. He's a renegade, he's a rebel, he's a non-conformist.' And then they finally hit on one that they really seemed to stick on. They hit on, ‘Oh, we know what he is. He's an outlaw.' And man, that was really starting to weigh on me…until I met Waylon Jennings," shared Tritt.

In 1990, Tritt introduced a rock-influenced style into his debut single “Put Some Drive In Your Country,” which sparked sharp criticism from traditionalists. Despite the song's success, he faced resistance from industry figures who felt his music strayed too far from country norms. That criticism took a toll — until Jennings offered a game-changing perspective during a performance in Atlanta.

“He said, ‘these people in Nashville, people at radio stations and these people at the record labels and these people that write for these country music magazines,' he said, ‘they get their music for free.' He said, ‘the people that should matter to you are those people that go out there and work 40 and 50 and 60 hours a week hard to earn that living, to put food on the table for their families, and they're willing to spend a certain amount of that money to go out and buy your music and occasionally go out and buy a concert ticket if you come to town,” Tritt recalled.

Since then, Tritt has earned two Grammy Awards, four CMA Awards, a Grand Ole Opry membership since 1992, and more than 40 entries on the Hot Country Songs chart, including five No. 1s. Every album in his discography has gone platinum, with sold-out shows reinforcing Jennings' timeless advice.