Travis Meeks-The Multi-Talented Maestro Meeks

Travis Shane Meeks (born April 27, 1979), is an American musician, and is the lead singer, guitarist and song writer for acoustic rock band Days of the New Travis Meeks was born in Charlestown, Indiana into a musical family. His maternal grandfather was a conductor and composer whose sons were a leader of a church choir and a lounge singer. Meeks's father, Gary, played with Elvis Presley's brother-in-law and, at the age of 16, recorded with The Box Tops. When he relocated to Fort Worth, Texas due to alcoholism, Travis moved in with him. Regarding his son's childhood, Gary said, "Travis was a real introvert. I always knew he was... The music was kind of his saving grace. It was his therapy and his way of communicating." As a child, Meeks worked at Mom's Music in Louisville, Kentucky. Like his father, he began his music career at a very young age, learning how to play guitar at the age of nine. He soon started playing at clubs, and before long he received a recording contract. In 1994, Meeks started a heavy metal band, Dead Reckoning, with fellow Indiana teenagers Matt Taul and Jesse Vest, which played heavy, Pantera-like music. In 1995, Meeks moved to Louisville and Dead Reckoning changed its name to Days of the New as well as its genre to an acoustic rock, post-grunge style. Regarding that era, Meeks stated, "I went through paranoia and acid trips, separation from the mind and body... That’s where my spiritual journey begins." Meeks has also been diagnosed with Aspergers. Days of the New At the age of 17, Travis Meeks and fellow teenage band members Matt Taul, Todd Whitener and Jesse Vest were signed to a major record label. In 1997, they released their widely successful self-titled Orange album that included the single, "Touch, Peel and Stand." The song rose to #1 on the Billboard charts and became the group's signature piece. Opening slots on tour with Jerry Cantrell and Metallica further exposed the band to fans around the country. In 1999, Meeks released a second self-titled Days of the New album, Green. This effort de-emphasized the post-grunge feel of the previous effort and instead focused on world music. Meeks reentered the studio in 2000 to record a third self-titled release, Red, which met with less success than previous efforts. The original version of the album was completed in 2000. At the record label's request, the album was retooled with producer Ron Aniello enlisted to remix tracks and record several new songs. During the 2001 recording sessions, Meeks' drug use escalated to cocaine. After the album's release in September 2001, Meeks also started using methamphetamine and lost an extreme amount of weight. Meeks continued abusing alcohol and meth while touring for the album. Meeks performed a solo tour of small venues during the later half of 2003. Still battling addiction in 2005, he appeared on A&E's Intervention, Season 1; Episode #6 entitled "Matt and Travis". He entered rehab, and eventually became sober. On this episode of Intervention, which was filmed in early 2005, Meeks revealed that he had been addicted to methamphetamine for three years. This places the beginning of his addiction around the end of 2001 or the beginning of 2002. Meeks began recording a fourth Days of the New record in October 2007 with drummer Ray Rizzo and bassist Malcolm Gold. Reportedly named Tree Colors, the new record will incorporate classical and ethnic arrangements, in addition to the band's traditional acoustic sound. Meeks is currently looking for a distributor for the new record and touring with a five piece line-up, including a cellist. Travis Meeks has standing invitations to perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, as well as to front the Boston Pops. Recently, he has begun referring to himself as a maestro due to his self-taught mastery of the acoustic guitar and incorporation of classical sounds into his music. Collaborations In 2000, Travis Meeks collaborated with The Doors on the tribute album Stoned Immaculate: The Music of the Doors, contributing vocals to "L.A. Woman" and "The End." In 2002, Meeks collaborated with Lennon Murphy on the track "My Beautiful." In 2003, Velvet Revolver was searching for a vocalist. Meeks along with many other acts auditioned, but did not land the part, as Scott Weiland was given the role. "I am Travis Meeks. I am an artist. I am a Maestro of my craft. I am a human being. I am a lot of things. I am a recovering addict. I have Asperger’s Syndrome. I am a good person. I do get angry and aggravated, I am human, but I work on things everyday. I live a life of both light and dark and finding the balance between those two… and that reflects in my music and art. "~ Travis Meeks ~ http://www.morningshowcentral.com/travis.pdf The Link above is the "official bio" WRITTEN ENTIRELY BY TRAVIS. simply the single most talented musician I've ever come across!