Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Gordon.
Hi Travis, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in a small town in the mountains of Southeast Kentucky and was blessed that I had parents that exposed me to all kinds of different genres. So, later on in life when I landed in Lexington Kentucky and music would eventually be my career I was well prepared. In Lexington I worked my way in the hospitality industry to become an operating partner at a couple Restaurants and Bars in my home state of Kentucky. One of the bars we had called Devassa would have DJ’s and bands nightly and as with any bar or restaurant, it’s hard to pack it out every single night so on the slower nights I started DJing to save us some money. I immediately became obsessed with it and wanted to get good and get respect from other DJs in the area. I worked as hard at it as I did owning my restaurants and started to pick up gigs outside my own establishment. My big break is when my good friend Eric Banks from MTV put me on with the owner of 2 major bars/ clubs in South Padre Island Texas, which resulted in getting to DJ Spring Break for huge crowds for 25 straight days. From there, I met two great friends in DJ Silver and DJ Slim McGraw (formerly DJ Dirty). Those guys took me under their wing and taught me about the business side of things, gave me countless amounts of music and advice, and most importantly helped me obtain some bigger gigs that jolted my career. I owe those three gentlemen a lot, to this day if I call their phone, they will always pick up no matter how busy they are. From there I took the leap of doing this full-time and haven’t looked back since. This DJ thing has taken me all over the map from doing Country festivals in Paducah Kentucky to gigs in Las Vegas and everything in between. I’ll never forget eight years ago setting a goal of getting to Nashville and what a road it’s been but I’m finally here!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all! I think I, as every DJ, wake up every day and fear that the bookings and phone calls stop coming. Outside of Covid, I will say the biggest challenge for me was moving to Houston. I know how hard it is to break into different markets, and I wanted that challenge, but it came at a sacrifice both personally and professionally. As it should be, Houston has a lot of talented DJs, and they have the city locked up, and it was just hard to get anywhere consistently. I was lucky enough to do multiple events for the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys as well as stay pretty busy every weekend but I was traveling to Dallas for my residency at PBR along with Austin a lot and just for some reason couldn’t get a break in Houston. The experience cemented what I’ve always known and that relationships are everything in this business, without them, it doesn’t matter how good you are you just will not move up the ladder very quickly or at all. It did give me my radio show though which I have thoroughly enjoyed and was a great outlet during Covid. *Shameless Plug (The Party Cove Mixshow on 91.1 The Boss in The Woodlands every Friday and Saturday Night). At the end of the day I’m just a kid from the mountains of Southeast Kentucky, to get here I had to dream big, work hard, along with a little bit of luck. The journey has been long and hard but man has it been worth it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a DJ, Producer, and Radio Show guest mixer. Currently, I hold a residency in Nashville at Jason Aldeans Rooftop, Luke Bryan’s 32 Bridge, Church & Union, along with some other venues. I’m also in regular rotation at Dawg House Sports Book & Saloon inside of Resorts World in Las Vegas along with doing Coconuts at Lake Of The Ozarks in the summer. On top of that, I have a mixshow that airs on the weekends in Houston Texas.
I’m most proud of the fact that I never quit. Through tough times growing up in a single parent home in Southeast Kentucky, challenges in Texas, to almost going broke during Covid, I found a way to keep going. I’m also proud of the relationships I’ve built over the years and the genuine good people that have either just been good friends or that have helped me propel my career.
I believe the thing that sets me apart in the DJ profession is the musical library that’s in my head, reading a crowd, along with my versatility. At this point, almost all DJs can mix 2 songs together, especially with today’s technology, so what sets someone apart from others is how you program the night. The biggest mistake you can make is thinking it’s all about you and the music you enjoy. The people and the establishment come first and your job is to entertain and make people money. Being a former restaurateur I’m very conscious of the bar and making sure they’re making money. I’m not scared to rotate the dance floor multiple times to get people to the bar. That mentality I think is what keeps me booked consistently along with the relationships I’ve built over the years. My versatility also plays a big part in getting gigs. I have done everything from major country music festivals in Nashville and Las Vegas, open format gigs in Missouri and Kentucky, to fist-pumping ragers in South Padre Island. I never want to do just one genre; my musical taste varies so much so my DJing is a reflection of that.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Spending summers at Norris Lake with my family. Pretty much my entire family, from grandparents to aunts and uncles stayed in close vicinity at one campground. From fishing with my grandfather to partying in a cove with my brothers, we made so many memories there and is the reason the Lake is still to this day the most enjoyable place on earth to me. That along with the neighborhood football and basketball games that used to naturally just occur on what seemed a daily basis and the legendary parties my brother and I used to throw in High School. I remember those times the best.
Contact Info:
- Email: thedjtravisty@gmail.com
- Website: linktr.ee/djtravisty
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djtravisty
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDJTravisty
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/djtravisty1
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dj-travisty-podcast/id1514817745
Image Credits
Jordan Weaver
Life Of The Party Ent.
