Interview with Travis Dolter

Jarod Smith

Jul 29, 2022

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

My family has a Ukrainian family band called “The Polka Ramblers” and I began singing with them when I was 5 years old! After that, I fell in love with music. I really got inspired to continue after seeing the Buddy Holly Story! I am currently going for my degree in Education, so I would be doing that with a lot more free time on my hands!

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I really enjoy traveling, watching the Toronto Raptors and Edmonton Oilers, and hanging out with friends for some drinks! The traveling and stories that I live help me write songs that are relatable to other people who have done similar things to me!

How long has your band been around?

We have been performing together for 4 years

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

I am from a family farm near Camrose Alberta and grew up going to the Big Valley Jamboree. Country music has always been on lock in the swather, combine, or tractor on the farm and I think most of the radios are broken other than the am country station 840 CFCW!

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

Since I have had band members come and go, I have stayed with my name as the band name.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

For a funny one, I played for a divorce party in a trailer park… yeah. And for the coolest, I got the opportunity to open up for Gord Bamford August 5th of 2022!

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

Cook County Saloon was the coolest venue I have played to date, but to play on the main stage at Big Valley Jamboree has always been my number one goal!

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Buddy Holly, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, and George Jones!

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

I would say to never give up and always have confidence. But having said that, don’t be afraid of constructive criticism to help you improve! Surround yourself with players who are invested in you and want to see you succeed and never stop working!

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

I would tell myself not to rush into recording songs until my vocals were ready. I ended up re-doing the vocals on some of my tracks because my vocals improved!

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

I wrote a song called “Checkered Flag” about how fast I try to live my life. I raced stock cars when I was younger and I feel like even though I am off the track now, I am still chasing that checkered flag.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

My favourite song to play is “I’ve been everywhere” because the boys in the band try to go so fast I can't keep up. They haven’t done it yet! An original of mine called “Lake Day” gets requested the most!

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

My life experiences always correlate into the songs I write! I do almost all my writing by myself at very weird times in the day!

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

I like to be positive and make people smile with witty stories!

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

We haven’t yet. Knock on wood!

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

My plans for the future are to continue to release music that will make listeners smile, and continue working hard to get to the goals I have set for myself! I would love to spotlight my Double EP “Every Song” and “A Story”. You can get them at shows, and also follow me on social media @Travisdoltermusic to keep up to date with shows and venues!