BY DREW DRAIN Travis Tritt brought more than just hits to the Durham Performing Arts Center. He brought heart, humor, and a deep reverenc...
BY DREW DRAIN
Travis Tritt brought more than just hits to the Durham Performing Arts Center. He brought heart, humor, and a deep reverence for the people who have served this country. The genre-blending country star proved once again why, decades into his career, his shows still feel like something bigger than just a night of music.
The evening took a soulful turn when Tritt delivered a powerful version of the gospel classic “Uncloudy Day.” His voice, still full of Southern grit and warmth, soared with conviction. It was more than a crowd-pleaser. It felt like a spiritual reset button, grounding the night in faith and gratitude. As the final notes faded, Tritt shifted the tone from music to meaning. He launched into an extended monologue that served as a heartfelt ode to the American military.
With quiet sincerity, he asked for the house lights to be brought up and invited any veterans in the audience to stand and be recognized. One by one, men and women throughout the venue rose to their feet as the crowd responded with a powerful, spontaneous chant of “USA! USA! USA!” The moment was both emotional and unifying, a reminder of how deeply Tritt’s values are embedded in his music and public life.
That reverence continued as Tritt shared the personal story behind his 1991 hit “Anymore.” He recalled how the music video required him to play a wounded veteran. Up to that point, he joked, the only acting he had done was “acting a fool in most of my 20s.” But the experience of working alongside real disabled veterans left a lasting impact. It was a turning point, he said, in how he viewed his platform and responsibilities.
He also told the story of getting repeated calls from a Washington, D.C. number that he assumed were from the IRS. Eventually, he picked up, only to learn it was the Disabled American Veterans organization asking him to serve as their celebrity spokesperson. He agreed and later expanded his work in veteran advocacy by serving as a spokesperson for the VFW for two years. These stories were not just anecdotes. They revealed the deeper purpose behind his career and his desire to use his influence in meaningful ways.
Midway through the show, Tritt’s band exited the stage, leaving him alone under the spotlight with only an acoustic guitar. This solo stretch allowed his storytelling and musicianship to shine. It felt like sitting on a front porch with an old friend, hearing the songs that built a life.
In a memorable moment, Tritt paid tribute to his musical roots by donning a black cowboy hat reminiscent of Waylon Jennings. He followed the gesture with a raw and powerful take on “I Ain’t Living Long Like This,” a song penned by Rodney Crowell and made famous by Jennings. Tritt’s version honored the outlaw spirit of the original while injecting it with his own signature vocal grit and energy.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Travis Tritt show without a little fire , and it came in the form of an extended guitar solo leading into “TROUBLE.” It was rowdy, relentless, and exactly what the crowd came for. The band rejoined him with full force, and the stage pulsed with outlaw swagger and honky-tonk heat.
By the end of the night, Travis Tritt had delivered far more than a nostalgic country concert. He had woven together music, memory, and mission into a moving and often electrifying evening. At DPAC, he proved once again that real country music is not about flash or polish. It is about truth, connection, and honoring the things that matter most.
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- DREW DRAIN
Andrew (Drew) Drain is originally from Point Pleasant, WV, and he now resides in Chapel Hill, NC with his daughter. Drew works as a financial risk management professional to pay the bills, but his real passion is photography. He started taking photos of his daughter playing soccer as a way to resist the urge to coach her from the sidelines. Time behind the camera developed into a love for photography that he has paired with his love for sports and live music. Follow Drew’s Instagram, @Drew.Drain.Photo or his MaxPreps galleries, to check out more of his work or contact him if you need photos of your favorite athlete or performer.
Read Drew's posts here.
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