Travis Stewart passes

Travis Stewart at Capitol City Sound Studios in Baton Rouge (May 24, 1969) – photo © Fred Robbins

Louisiana bluegrass music pioneer Travis Stewart passed away on July 21, 2021, at Sabine Medical Center in Many, Louisiana. He was 86 years old. 

Obie Travis Stewart, Sr. was born in Many on April 19, 1935, and was best known for his talent as a guitar player (although he played bass also), his high-lonesome tenor voice, and ability to tell a beautiful story in singing ballads.

During his long music career Stewart played with The Country Cut-Ups, helped form The Southern Bluegrass Boys and fronted a group with his own children, The New Crop of Grass.

The highlight was playing with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys at Bean Blossom (June 1971)…

(Bill Monroe mandolin, Travis Stewart guitar, Kenny Baker fiddle
Jack Hicks banjo, Monroe Fields bass. Audio courtesy of Fred Robbins.)

Additionally, he has played with Byron Berline, Allen Shelton, Luke Thompson, Mitchell Land, Tootie Williams and Lonnie Craft in an active Louisiana bluegrass scene. 

He devoted his life to cabinet making, being notable for his craftsmanship in wood working.

He will be remembered for his storytelling and the ability to make everyone around him laugh.

R.I.P. Travis Stewart.

A Discography 

Country Cut-Ups

  • The Country Cut-Ups Go To College (Towne House THLP-1000, 1967) 

The Traditional Grass

  • Haulin’ Grass (Jaa Cee Records TG-142, 1978) 

Funeral services for Obie Travis Stewart, Sr. took place on Friday, July 23, 2021, at Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Colmesneil, Texas. 

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About the Author

Richard Thompson

Richard F. Thompson is a long-standing free-lance writer specialising in bluegrass music topics. A two-time Editor of British Bluegrass News, he has been seriously interested in bluegrass music since about 1970. As well as contributing to that magazine, he has, in the past 30 plus years, had articles published by Country Music World, International Country Music News, Country Music People, Bluegrass Unlimited, MoonShiner (the Japanese bluegrass music journal) and Bluegrass Europe. He wrote the annotated series I'm On My Way Back To Old Kentucky, a daily memorial to Bill Monroe that culminated with an acknowledgement of what would have been his 100th birthday, on September 13, 2011.