As far as music industry award ceremonies go, none are bigger or more prestigious than The Grammy Awards. The Grammy’s, as they are affectionately known, take place annually in cities…
Travis Greene
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Image Courtesy of: Travis Greene Instagram
EASTER
Quick facts about Travis Greene
CAREER
Travis Greene is an American gospel music artist and a contemporary male vocalist, songwriter and guitarist. His music career in the gospel genre began in December 2007, with the release of his album The More. He founded the Forward City Church in Columbia, South Carolina, with his wife, Jackie Greene.
ACTIVE FROM
2007 - Present
CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS
13 Stellar Awards, 3 Dove Awards, 2 Billboard Music Awards, 1 Soul Train Award, 2 Grammy Awards Nominations, and 2016 "Billboard Gospel Airplay Artist of the Year"
GENRE
Gospel, Urban Contemporary Gospel
PLACE OF ORIGIN
Dover, Delaware and raised in Warner Robbins, Georgia
ALBUMS
3 Studio Albums, 2 Live Albums, 1 EP, 8 Singles
Early Life
Travis was born in Delaware as Travis Montorius Greene on January 17, 1984. His birth was a difficult one which he spoke about in an interview with Jet Magazine.
“When I was born – on the spot, my mother said that I wasn’t breathing. My skin color was purple, and doctors immediately said that I was stillborn. My mother and father just started praying and believing God, and He performed a miracle.”
Travis’ childhood was spent in Warner Robbins, Georgia, and in 1989 when he was only 5, his father passed away from an aneurysm. Only a year earlier, Travis had his own brush with death and was pronounced dead by doctors after falling out of a four-storey window. In Greene’s words, “the rescue team got to my body and they covered me with a white shirt. They said it was over and the doctors pronounced me dead. But then my mother came, she picked up my lifeless body and prayed to God to give me my life. He did it.”
His mother, Charleather Greene was a minister and choir director who introduced a young Travis to music.
According to him, “gospel music was like oxygen in our house, always part of my life.” He says that his greatest inspiration as an artist, who also strengthened his passion for God is the 12-time Grammy winning legend, Kirk Franklin.
Life as a Musician
Travis Greene’s music career in the gospel genre began in 2007, with the release of his album “The More” on December 4 from Greenelight Records. He released his next album “Stretching Out” on June 8, 2010 through Pendulum Records.
“Stretching Out” was Green’s first appearance on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums Chart, where it reached No. 27.
In August 2015, Greene released “Intentional”, which climbed to No 3 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums Chart. The title track of the same name saw Travis reach No 1 on the Billboard charts for the very first time.
Greene released his second studio album, “The Hill” on October 30, 2015 and it placed No.1 on the Billboard Charts. His performances at the Essence Music Festival, Trumpet Awards and BMI Trailblazers were major factors in Travis Greene’s rise in the gospel music genre.
He released his third album on February 2, 2017, “Crossover: Live from Music City”. Its lead single, “You Waited”, hit No.1 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart. On March 24, 2017, at the Stellar Gospel Awards, Greene performed a medley of “Made a Way” with Israel Houghton, Jonathan McReynolds, and Jonathan Butler.
On the same night at the 2017 Stellar Gospel Awards, Travis won seven awards in key categories. His wins included “Song of the Year” for “Made A Way”, “Male Vocalist of the Year,” “CD of the Year” for “The Hill”,” “Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year,” “Contemporary CD of the Year,” “Recorded Music Packaging of the Year” and “Praise and Worship CD of the Year.”
Greene’s consummate balance of music and ministry in these past few years inspired Franklin to name him as one of the artists who are the “future of gospel music.”
"For any dream chaser, getting there is not the problem and how if you try to rush the process, you’ll spoil the product." - Travis Greene
His Ministry
Travis started Forward City Church in Columbia, South Carolina in 2016 with his wife, Dr. Jacqueline Gyamfi Greene. The church is now home to over a thousand worshippers each week. He describes it as “a church for the unchurched and over-churched.”
Speaking to Jet Magazine, Greene said, “I have been a part of a lot of churches and I have never seen this amount of talent and anointing in one space. So, we don’t want to be selfish with what we get every weekend. We want to capture what we do in worship and put it out for the world to hear.”
Image Courtesy of: Travis Greene Instagram
Personal Reflections
Travis says that the most profound lesson that he has learned is finding his identity in Christ alone.
When talking with Jet Magazine, Greene said “God really had to deliver me from finding value in things, affirmation, pleasing people, and even with being impressed with people or wanting them to be impressed with me. He really extracted that from me, and then launched me to this level of success.”
“At the end of the day,” he said, “I simply want music to be my vehicle to inspire people and make them feel right about choosing God. I want to use these opportunities to encourage people, and maybe in the process help redefine the way Christianity looks in our contemporary culture and reveal God in a different way. I’m really excited to raise up the next wave of worshippers and those called to share the love of God through music. I want to be part of helping carry the torch into the future.”
“I don’t crave the stage in order to feel like I’m important, and I don’t anxiously crave an award, or anything like that. Now I’m able to really categorize all of those things in its proper place and prioritize which is more important – that’s God and family. Everything else is just secondary to that.”
Travis says that “for any dream chaser, getting there is not the problem” and how, “if you try to rush the process, you’ll spoil the product.”
Be Still
God, You’re So Good
Good And Loved
Hold On Me
Intentional
Made A Way
See The Light
The Anthem
Won't Let Go
You Waited
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