"All About The Album" - If you'd like to feature your band/album, email: urban

TRAVIS BOWLIN: "s/t"

TRAVIS BOWLIN-  of Nashville, Tennessee where he has been earning his stripes in the music business by gaining contacts, respect, popularity, and building his catalog of original songs. In 2014 Travis began recording his debut blues rock album at 16th Edge Studios in Nashville, TN, produced by Nolan Neal. His first studio single, “Bad, Bad Man”; receiving radio air play on over 50 stations worldwide and performing it on Nashville’s NBC News & publications. Just a few months later Travis had his national TV debut performing his original song “Traveling Man” on the TLC hit show “19 Kids & Counting” during the “A Duggar Leaves Home” special starring Amy Duggar. Find out more about their debut album and the band. Here's:  Travis Bowlin

How has the reaction to your music been so far?

When people hear me and/or see me live they get it. People tell me they feel my music in their souls, or I inspire them. I want to do that for more people.

When and why did you first get the blues?

HA, You know you don't choose the blues, it chooses you… I grew up around a lot of Motown, Rock n Roll, Gospel music and started singing in Choirs, Churches, & School. I always had a big singing voice and once I kinda start getting into the more business side of music people started calling it Blues/Rock/Soul… So I started doing heavy research on the Blues, the players, the lifestyles, songs, etc.. Even the roots of most of my favorite music came from the blues… So sure enough.. I had the blues… My whole life!

Kindly tell us something about the writing process and what you're trying to capture with your music.

I always start with the music, getting chords and melodies together.. Im always trying to learn more on the instruments I play. I might start with a few chords then a couple licks, hum some melodies then jump into the words

Lyric-wise, is it the work of pure inspiration, dark fantasy, or the harsh reality?

I'd have to say all of the above. I've had times when something just hits me and I'm writing it down. Anything and everything can be a song. I have dreams, fantasies, and long for things just like anyone else in the world so I for sure write about those things, in hopes that if I put them out in the atmosphere that they may become a reality. Harsh realities are probably the most common I've written about heart ache, death, the un-known.

Are you really a "Bad, Bad Man"?

I really do try my best to be a good person in humanity, but I've got attitude when needed. The story behind that song is Marla Sitten who wrote the song with me went on a trip and came a cross a man in an antique shop who said he had cooler stuff at his place then the shop they were at, He said he was a Bad,Bad Man with Bad, Bad Stuff… She went to check out what he had and he wasn't lying he had cool stuff. Well they went to leave and he said I got to be honest… Im not a Bad, Bad Man… Im a pansy ass… hahahaha.. After telling me the story she said we should write a song.. So I wrote the verses and chorus pretty quick.. it just came to me, but i couldn't get a bridge, so I asked marla is help me with the bridge and we came up with it in no time. I took a lot of the idea from pages out of my life. The song sounds like a one night stand, but I wrote it in the frame of mind of leaving someone you love to do what you need to do. follow a trip, find yourself, whatever… When I recorded a demo of the song I did not use a metronome so when the bridge came around I naturally changed the tempo and time signature of the song from 6/8 to 4/4 and then we did a full production from that demo and how Id worked it up live, we released it and the rest in continued history.!

Tell us something about "Traveling Man". What is the meaning behind the > song?

Out of all the songs on this project that one is the oldest written one. I wrote that song in 2008 and it was kinda of a turning point in my writing style. I guess the meaning behind it would have to be get out there and travel, see different things, meeting different people, experience new things, make mistakes, and don't settle until you're happy.

What kind of 'sound', production wise, did you have in the back of your mind prior to recording?

Mostly with all my songs I have an arrangement, accents, builds, etc already figured out and play them that way just witt my acoustic and vocal. I was looking for something thicker in sound and tighter with attitude that was pure. Something professional done and a great product I can be happy with to use to further my career and get to the fans.

What kind of input did the producer have during the process?

The great thing about Nolan Neal the producer on this project was that we built a friendship over music before anything music business and he is an amazing singer/songwriter/musician on top of his producing skills. He had a lot of input on the drums since he was the drummer on the project as well as many other tasteful elements. I didn't feel like he ever had any input I was uncomfortable with, any ideas we came to a compromise.

And are you pleased with the final outcome? (sound - production wise)

I am very happy with how it came out and all the hard work everyone put into it. Ive recorded many times in the past, but finally this is something I'm proud to release and get out to everyone.

Did the producer (or you) use any (weird) experimental miking and/or recording techniques?

There were a few odd or new things we tried for sure, like having a 20 something member choir consisting of my music friends sing on my track Inspiration, Sliding hands up and down the guitar strings and flipping the those tracks backwards on the song So Wrong Too Long, changing tempo and time signatures in the bridge of my first single Bad, Bad Man. Thats just to name a few cool things

Nashville, TN. I guess it could be a hard place to live and work at, considering all the musicians and all of their dreams?

I got a little blessed to have been able to come to TN with a paid internship doing Audio/Video/Marketing/Graphic Design for a venue south of Nashville (Jim Oliver's Smokehouse) It's given me some great opportunities and a lot of knowledge of the Business and Music Business, its also allowed me to hone in on my craft. I apply what i do for them and what I've learn to my career as well as working hard. I play most of my gigs outside of Nashville in my option my networking/connections are there and the business. You got to always be doing something new and different and stay after it!

What kind of connection do you have to Europe. Any PR or three-piece suites working the continent for you?

I've had a bit of radio play with my single Bad Bad Man on some UK stations. I am currently talking with a publicist who has ties and comes from the UK, but that is all still fresh and coming together.

Who are your influences and heroes (music-wise)

I grew up loving Led Zeppelin, the Doors, the Beatles, tons of Rock n Roll. I loved Doo Wop/Motown, Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, SRV, Freddie King… I could go on and on.. I like a lot of music and artists that influences me or inspire me.

If there's anything you'd like to add, say, please do

My goal is to reach more people, inspire, and touch lives! The fans are so important!
Travis Bowlin

Interview by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom,
Photos from the band's websites   www.travisbowlin.com 
facebook page 

(c) 2015 RockUnited.Com - Contact or simply send your answers to above address.