About
Merle Robert Travis (November 29, 1917 – October 20, 1983) was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and guitarist born in Rosewood, Kentucky, United States. His songs' lyrics often discussed both the lives and the economic exploitation of American coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons," "Re-Enlistment Blues," "I am a Pilgrim," and "Dark as a Dungeon." However, it is his unique guitar style, still called Travis Picking by guitarists, as well as his interpretations of the rich musical traditions of his native Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, for which he is best known today. "Travis Picking" is a syncopated style of guitar fingerpicking rooted in ragtime music in which alternating chords and bass notes are plucked by the thumb while melodies are simultaneously plucked by the index finger. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1977.
Key details
| Born |
Merle Robert Travis 29 November 1917 Rosewood, KY, USA
|
| Died |
20 October 1983 (aged 65) Tahlequah, OK, USA
|
| Zodiac | Sagittarius |
| Tags | Add tag |
Family members
Parents
Siblings
Other family members
Connections
Friends & associates
Merle Travis dating history
0Children
0Scholars
Family
Parents
Siblings
Children
Other family members
Friends & associates
Missing information for Merle Travis
- missing height
- missing hair color
- missing eye color
- missing ethnicity
Lists
Facts and figures
Similar profiles
Activity
Top contributors today
Tags
Featured contributors
Couples by country
USA · UK · Canada · Australia · France · Germany · India · China · South Korea · Japan · Spain · MexicoCouples by decade
1900s · 1910s · 1920s · 1930s · 1940s · 1950s · 1960s · 1970s · 1980s · 1990s · 2000s · 2010s · 2020s
