Breaking the mold of expectation, defying barriers as a musician and a man, Travis Rush is refreshingly impossible to label or define. But to capture the core of this rising country star, one might begin with words of wisdom passed on by his father during times when life got tough:<>

"You can't be afraid to step out on the edge, even if it's just to peer over to see what you might be missing."

"People rarely remember how or why you fell...what they remember is how well you recover from the fall." <>  

Today, life is good for Travis Rush. His debut CD release, "Come and Get It," is in stores nationwide. He's kicking off his first national concert tour, taking his music on the road to fifty cities spanning the United States. Travis is also meeting the longtime goal of finding a grand-scale way to make a difference in foster kids' lives. Fueled by a passion to make a positive change, he established The Travis Rush Foundation. But that's not all. Travis is living in Portland, Oregon- the city at the far northern edge of the great American West, where the ghosts of old pioneers, lumbermen, and native people can be sensed beneath the modern streets and creative culture.  He is making music amidst the place and people that he calls home.

 

It was a twisting, turbulent path of personal struggle, loss, and life-changing events that brought him to where he stands today.

When first meeting Travis - whether face-to-face, live on stage, or by listening to his songs- you encounter such intense energy and optimism that it's downright contagious. It's the genuine stuff of someone who has discovered himself and the direction of his dreams. One might think that this high-spirited guy has never crashed, never been burned, never lost a round in the ring. But it was a journey marked by recurring tests of heart and determination that shaped his great passion for living.

Travis Rush grew up in the small, rugged coastal town of Gold Beach, Oregon, where he explored his musical talents from an early age. "Growing up in Gold Beach was great," Travis smiles and then laughs. "It's so small that you might not even notice it's two minutes and you're through the entire town." As a young boy, Travis learned to sing and play the piano with his father, who was a great fan of country music. The piano would become an anchor for Travis, and a continuous part of his path towards carving a unique place and personality on the country music scene. Travis played with his family band through childhood and continued to hone his talent for singing and songwriting in high school, performing an original song on graduation day. "I remember recording my first four song cassette during my junior year at a small studio outside of Coos Bay, Oregon." Travis recalls.

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