Steve Travis

Steve Travis is an English retired 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. More recently Travis has been known for sea shanties including "Billy O'Shea" that debuted in April 2021 on BBC Radio Essex with fellow musician and "Wellerman" creator Nathan Evans.

Musical career Rock and pop; 1964–1979 Travis began his music career in the mid 1960s 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 1970s, he made many appearances alongside top acts including ELO, Genesis, Slade, Thin Lizzy, and Showaddywaddy. He then went on to form the hard rock band, The Perishers. They attracted the interest of London-based management company Deville Promotions and quickly booked time in 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 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. 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", reflects the history of the Blackwater Estuary. It was followed in 2017 by Sea Shanties and Pirate Songs.

In 2021 Travis created his first charity single to support a Horse & Animal rescue group in Tenerife where he now resides.

Album discography Year Album Label 1982 Ghost Riders in the Sky Frontier 1994 Roses After the Rain MJMusic 1994 The Song Book Blue Water Music 1994 Sings Country Blue Water Music 1994 Sings Raymond Froggatt Blue Water Music 1997 50 Country and Favourite Super Songs Foam Records 1997 Life Is What You Make It Foam Records 1997 50 Songs You Love to Sing Foam Records 1997 50 Songs You Want to Hear Foam Records 1997 50 Singalong Country Party Foam Records 1997 Songs of Love Foam Records 1997 For the Good Times Foam Records 1997 Singalong Christmas Foam Records 1997 Country Gospel Foam Records 1997 50 Singalong Old Time Favourites Foam Records 1997 Nashville Collection Foam Records 1997 Everything I Own Foam Records 1997 Jukebox Favourites Foam Records 1997 Irish Collection Foam Records 2002 When Yesterday Was Now Blue Water Music 2003 Life Is What You Make It Prism 2003 Best of Friends Prism 2003 Enjoy Yourself Prism 2004 Healing Shores Aquavision 2006 Travellin' Light H&H Music 2006 Welcome to My World H&H Music 2006 Monster Country H&H Music 2006 Steve Travis Songs That Won the War H&H Music 2010 Fragment of Desire Blue Water Music 2012 Shanties and Other Songs of the Sea H&H Music 2017 Sea Shanties and Pirate Songs H&H Music