Introduction:
Travis Tritt’s Hard-Learned Lesson From Waylon Jennings: Staying True Beats Chasing Charts
Every artist in country music knows the road to success isn’t straight. One day you’re on top of the charts, and the next, you’re wondering if the industry still has a place for you. Fame can fade fast — a label can drop you, a record can underperform, or critics can turn their backs overnight. For artists like Travis Tritt, those moments test not only your career but also your character.
In a recent conversation with ESPN’s Marty Smith and Ryan McGee for a CMA Fest Special, Tritt looked back on one of the toughest chapters of his career — a time when his confidence was shaken, but a few words from the legendary Waylon Jennings changed everything.
Tritt stormed onto the country scene with a string of powerhouse hits: “Country Club,” “Help Me Hold On,” and “I’m Gonna Be Somebody.” Each song hit big, marking him as one of Nashville’s brightest new stars. But when he released “Put Some Drive In Your Country,” things took a sharp turn. The song mixed rock and blues influences into his sound, and traditional country radio wasn’t impressed. Suddenly, the same industry that had championed him began labeling him a “rebel” and an “outlaw.”
“All of a sudden, they hated me,” Tritt recalled. “They didn’t know what I was. And man, that really started to weigh on me… until I met Waylon Jennings.”
During their first meeting, Jennings asked Tritt two simple questions: Was he still selling albums? Were his shows still selling out? When Tritt answered yes to both, Jennings smiled and gave him advice that stuck for life.
“Well, there you go. That’s all that matters. You must be doing something right if those people are coming in. So to hell with all those people — ignore ’em.”
Those words lifted a weight off Tritt’s shoulders. Coming from a man like Waylon — who built his legacy by defying the Nashville system — the message was clear: success isn’t about approval, it’s about authenticity.
Waylon Jennings knew what it meant to go against the grain, and decades later, his influence still shapes the sound of modern country music. Travis Tritt took that same spirit to heart, proving that when you stay true to who you are, the right fans will follow — no matter what the industry says.
Before you go, cue up Waylon Jennings and Travis Tritt’s performance of “Where Corn Don’t Grow” — a timeless reminder that real country music will always find its way home.