Merle Travis

Merle Robert Travis (November 29, 1917 – October 20, 1983) was an American country and western singer, songwriter, actor, and guitarist. Born in Rosewood, Kentucky, his songs' lyrics were often about the lives and the economic exploitation of American coal miners. Among his many well-known songs and recordings are "Sixteen Tons", "Re-Enlistment Blues", "I Am a Pilgrim", and "Dark as a Dungeon". He is best known today, though, for 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. 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 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. He is considered by some to be one of the most influential guitarists of the 20th century.

Cannonball Rag - Folk Songs of the Hills - 2026-05-06T00:00:00.000000Z

Sixteen Tons - Country & Travis-Picking Sides - 2026-05-06T00:00:00.000000Z

I Ain't Coming Back - 2025-04-02T00:00:00.000000Z

The Clayton McMichen Story - 2025-02-21T00:00:00.000000Z

The Truckers Jukebox Present, Merle Travis - 2024-02-01T00:00:00.000000Z

I'm A Natural Born Gamblin' Man - 2023-11-13T00:00:00.000000Z

Walkin' The Strings - 2023-07-14T00:00:00.000000Z

Rough, Rowdy & Blue - 2023-02-10T00:00:00.000000Z

Sixteen Tons (Fifty Favourites) - 2022-05-23T00:00:00.000000Z

Les idoles de la musique country : Merle Travis, Vol. 2 - 2022-04-19T00:00:00.000000Z

Dark As A Dungeon - 2021-09-02T00:00:00.000000Z

Giving You Country! (Remastered) - 2021-08-13T00:00:00.000000Z

Rare Radio - 2021-04-30T00:00:00.000000Z

Nine Pound Hammer - 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z

Sixteen Tons, The Kentucky Legend - 2020-10-23T00:00:00.000000Z

Divorce Me C.O.D. - 2020-10-05T00:00:00.000000Z

Numero Uno Country - 2020-05-09T00:00:00.000000Z

Merle Travis - Fifty Favourites - 2019-07-25T00:00:00.000000Z

Fully Packed - 2019-07-09T00:00:00.000000Z

Country & Western Highlights, Pt. 1: Vol. 9, The Louvin Brothers & Merle Travis - 2019-04-05T00:00:00.000000Z

Travis Pickin' - 2018-08-24T00:00:00.000000Z

Sixteen Tons & Other Hits - 2015-08-21T00:00:00.000000Z

Folk Songs of the Hills 1947 - 2015-07-01T00:00:00.000000Z

Guitar Rags and a Too Fast Past Vol.1 - 2015-07-01T00:00:00.000000Z

Guitar Rags and a Too Fast Past Vol.2 - 2015-07-01T00:00:00.000000Z

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