Steve Travis

Steve Travis is a British singer-songwriter, musician, recording artist and author. He was born and raised in Colchester, Essex. His biggest selling albums are in the easy listening country style.

Steve Travis
Birth nameStephen Greenfield
Born (1951-03-17) 17 March 1951
Colchester
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, poet, author, craftsman
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, piano, drummer
Years active1964–present
Labels
  • Frontier
  • MJMusic
  • Blue Water Music
  • Foam Records
  • Prism
  • Aqua Vision
  • H&H Music
Associated actsBlackJack
Plod
The Perishers
Steve Travis
Websitewww.stevetravis.co.uk

Musical career

Rock and Pop 1964–1979

Travis began his music career in the mid 60s as a drummer in Colchester bands performing progressive rock. In 1970, he made a switch to guitar and vocals and formed the glam-rock band Plod. As a pop singer throughout the seventies, he made many appearances alongside top acts including ELO, Genesis, Slade, Thin Lizzy [1] and Showaddywaddy. He then went on to form the hard driven Rock band The Perishers. They attracted the interest of London-based management company Deville promotions and quickly booked time in the prestigious Polydor studios in London and recorded four demo tracks. These were original rock songs written by Travis. At that time Travis bore a likeness to Marc Bolan and his photograph appeared next to the late T. Rex frontman in national newspapers in 1979.

Country 1981–2004

Travis moved on to country music issuing a single in 1982 entitled Ghost riders in the Sky / Moonlight on the Trail. This received excellent reviews in many of the music papers. For some years Travis retreated completely from the music business to concentrate on family life.

In 1991, Travis returned to performing country music and toured in the UK and Europe topping the bill at many CMC clubs, festivals and theatres. In 1994, he released his first CD album on the MJMusic record label, later signing a record deal with the Irish label Foam Records in 1997. His first album "50 Country & Favourite Songs", a sing-along album in the style of Max Bygraves, sold over 100,000 copies and achieved a silver disc for sales. Travis released a further 14 albums [2] on the Foam label then continued his career with London-based Prism Leisure in 2003.

Contemporary 2004-2010

In 2004, Travis composed and played keyboards on an album of relaxation music titled Healing Shores released on the Aquavision label. Following this an album of his narrated poetry set to music entitled Fragments of desire was released on the Blue Water music label, taken from the book of the same name.

Sea Shanties 2010-present

With an increasing enthusiasm for sea shanties and inspiration from his longtime home by the sea in west mersea there came a change of musical style.[3] In 2012, H&H Music released Travis' first shanty album. Shanties and other songs of the sea and a music video for his song The Black Water Smuggler [4] reflects the history of the Blackwater Estuary. Followed in 2016 by Sea Shanties and Pirate songs.[5]

Album discography
YearAlbumLabel
1982Ghost Riders in the skyFrontier
1994Roses After the RainMJMusic
1994The Song BookBlue Water Music
1994Sings CountryBlue Water Music
1994Sings Raymond FroggattBlue Water Music
199750 Country and Favourite Super SongsFoam Records
1997Life is what you make itFoam Records
199750 Songs you love to singFoam Records
199750 Songs you want to hearFoam Records
199750 Singalong Country PartyFoam Records
1997Songs of LoveFoam Records
1997For the Good TimesFoam Records
1997Singalong ChristmasFoam Records
1997Country GospelFoam Records
199750 Singalong Old Time FavouritesFoam Records
1997Nashville CollectionFoam Records
1997Everything I ownFoam Records
1997Jukebox FavouritesFoam Records
1997Irish CollectionFoam Records
2002When Yesterday was NowBlue Water Music
2003Life is What You Make ItPrism
2003Best of FriendsPrism
2003Enjoy YourselfPrism
2004Healing ShoresAquavision
2006Travellin' LightH&H Music
2006Welcome to my worldH&H Music
2006Monster CountryH&H Music
2006Steve Travis Songs that won the warH&H Music
2010Fragment of DesireBlue Water Music
2010Shanties and Other Songs of the SeaH&H Music
2010Sea Shanties and Pirate SongsH&H Music

Bibliography
  • As I recall it. 2005 Blue Water Music, 56 page book of humorous short stories
  • A pirate’s Kiss. 2006 Blue Water Music, 36 page book of poems
  • One man and his microphone. 2011 Memoirs. Amusing fact and fiction ISBN 9781471696640
  • Fragments of Desire. 2013 A compilation of poems, lyrics and short stories ISBN 9781326073725
  • T’were rite funny. 2014 Comical short stories. ISBN 9781326290054
  • Dr Scrotum’s Sex facts for men and women. 2015 A compilation of vintage adverts and sex advice from the early 20th Century ISBN 9781312640580
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gollark: The thing with kindles is that they're basically completely different to... well, most linuxes and androids.
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gollark: I wonder whether you could do anything useful with actual Kindles. I have one lying around; they run Linux with really weird configuration in some places.
gollark: I mean, mine does, given that it's a cheap Wileyfox one, but I don't actually have an SD card.

References
  1. "Lou Moodies Top Ten of All Time". Keep Colchester Cool. 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  2. "Steve Travis". Irish Music. 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  3. "River smugglers are inspiration for album". Colchester Gazette. 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  4. "Steve Travis Blackwater Smuggler". H&H Music. 2017. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  5. "Steve Travis". H&H Music. 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
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