Bill’s Supper Club New York, NY
Contact: doug@bigfeatpr.com
Web: travisboltmusic.com
Players: Travis Bolt, vocals, guitar
In support of his new album “Burning Bridges,” by way of East Texas, country/roots/rock artist Travis Bolt, debuted several of the album’s songs at this New York City speakeasy. The evening’s informal feel matched well with Bolt’s delivery and relatable style. As the crowd gathered around him, Bolt grabbed his guitar jumping right into his emotional messaging.
It’s clear that his passionate quest for personal freedom is the underlying theme for many of his songs, but there are many moments that read like a confessional as well as a conduit to redemption. In “Backroad Gospel,” Bolt rejects the traditional church-going path for a better place to grapple with his hopes as well as his demons: Most people go to church and bow their heads and pray he forgives their sins/but the county line is where I ride when I need to talk to him/in that backroad gospel.
Set in New Orleans, “I Never Tried Cocaine,” speaks to loneliness in search of something stronger to dull the emotional pain: Man in the alley says he got what I need/But what I need is to not be alone/I never tried cocaine/been thinkin’ about it cause the whiskey’s tastin’ watered down/I need something stronger/hits a little harder/cause a broken heart is something I can’t conquer.
Travis Bolt’s personal story is one of determination and tenacity. Diagnosed with Tourette syndrome as a child, he found that playing guitar greatly lessened his symptoms which became his saving grace. Many important life lessons have emerged, most notably that almost anything can be overcome along with the realization that music is his panacea.
An artist is always a sum of their experiences and though Travis Bolt’s story is unique to him, he reminds us of our own struggles and quest for self-knowledge and self-awareness. This is a bond we all share and this is the overriding takeaway from his music.
Produced by Jason Burt (Leon Bridges, John Mayer, Paul Cauthen), “Burning Bridges” is gaining traction as Bolt continues touring in support of it.
