“Travis Knapp is a brilliant musician with a resonant voice. His songs are uplifting and strong, kindling a sense of hope and optimism. He is very impressive.” -Starhawk, author and activist
“A Bountiful Music Career” – Life in the Finger Lakes, Nov. 2023 [magazine article]
Ithaca, NY – A Travis Knapp show is full of audience singing, rich vocal harmonies, clawhammer banjo, joyful dance grooves, acoustic vibes, heartfelt stories, gardening tips, bicycle touring tales, sincerity, and inspiration to come to this life in a good way. His folk music pulls together personal and community growth with social justice and everyday spiritual practice.
His 5th studio album, “The Same Sun Rises” is due out in autumn of 2024. It is a chamber folk collection that features a string quartet and the band of Jon Keefner, Kiera Carman, and Annie Sumi. It was recorded at Sunwood Studio in Trumansburg, NY
- Recipient of ARTS Council for the Southern Finger Lakes grant funding – 2023
- Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Emerging Artist – 2019
- Winner of “Best of Bound for Glory” live folk radio broadcast – 2016
- BMI Foundation John Lennon Award winner – 2008
Original Studio Albums:
“All the Stars You Hold” – 2016
“For Everything That’s Good” – 2014
Annual Cover Albums:
“Travis’ Wintery Mix” cover song recordings – 2012-2022
Travis Knapp was born and raised in central New York, traditional and ancestral homeland of the Haudenosaunee people.
“One of the most versatile singers around” -Jim Catalano, Ithaca Journal
“Music to feed the soul, the family, the universe… With positive, loving, compassion and awareness of truth, freedom and peace. Finally… Something worth singing with!” – Alexa, Asheville NC
“‘Spring’ by @travisknappmusic is a perfect song. It is – and I do not say this lightly – as good as actual plants.” -@revivetheoldgods, Ithaca NY
After studying piano accompanying at the Conservatory of Music at Ithaca College, Travis was awarded the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship in 2008 (for his song “Before You Go”). Following an enthusiastic plunge into organic agriculture for a few years, he began performing as a songwriter in 2013 with the release of his first album “Bright New Way.”
His 2nd album “For Everything That’s Good” [2014] was written while bicycle touring around the country. His 3rd album “All the Stars You Hold” [2016] is largely driven by banjo, piano, and other less-conventional songwriting instruments (like kalimba & shruti box), and it features many of Ithaca’s finest musicians. “A Circus to the Music of Travis Knapp: All the Stars You Hold” – was premiered at Circus Culture in Ithaca to enthusiastic full houses. The show featured Travis and a 5-piece band performing the album start-to-finish, with a different circus act for every song.
Travis practices permaculture, wild crafting, and regenerative agriculture, while he continues to explore music as an important form of sound healing and education. For 4 years, he served as vegetable gardener and musician-in-residence at the Body Mind Retreats (also home to the Ithaca Zen Center and Sufi Whirling Dervish Center), and now he grows herbs and apples at Fun Acres Herb Farm in Erin, NY (www.etsy.com/shop/FunAcresHerbFarm)
Winter of 2017 was a successful bicycling and music tour from Oakland to Vancouver – 1,000 miles of riding with 15 performances along the way. August and September 2018 were spent sharing music in Sweden, England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland – both solo and with upright bassist Desmond Bratton – including performances at the Shrewsbury Folk Festival and Findhorn Ecovillage.
He can be found ring-mastering and playing music for Ithaca’s circus events at Circus Culture, playing piano as the music director of shows at the Kitchen Theater of Ithaca, or accompanying choirs and solo singers in a variety of styles. As a founding member of the community education band “Rot’n’Roll,” he writes and performs composting and ecology songs which include “Raw Veggies and Greens” from the Grammy-nominated album “Food for Thought.” He also performed and facilitated workshops with the Honey Child Soul Quintet for many years.
Travis sings around the country at festivals, farms, markets, gardens, schools, houses, cafes, tea lounges, pubs, churches, circuses, sidewalks, TV and radio stations, yoga schools, hiking trails, weddings, funerals, showers, wineries, book talks, ecovillages, and art centers – spreading his positive music and ideas wherever they find fertile ground – in hopes of inspiring folks to live honestly and joyfully!
~~~~~
Press:
“A Bountiful Music Career” – magazine article, Nov. 2023
“Ithaca’s Travis Knapp releases new album of timely folk songs” – newspaper article, July 2018
Radio Interviews: