Travis Meeks

Travis Shane Meeks (born April 27, 1979) is an American musician and the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter for acoustic rock band Days of the New. At age 17, Meeks was signed to Geffen Records, and from 1997 to 2001 his band of rotating musicians experienced mainstream success with three studio albums.

Meeks was born on April 27, 1979, in Jeffersonville, Indiana. His parents divorced when he was two, and he lived with his grandmother and father. Meeks' father was a musician. At a young age, he began playing guitar and wrote songs and performed covers by age 8. Between ages 11 to 15, he went to various rehabilitation centers and a year in special schooling. During that time, Meeks formed an experimental rock band called Bad Dreemz which included Jesse Vest and Mat Taul. They then formed Dead Reckoning, which was a heavy metal band that sounded similar to Pantera.

In 1995, Meeks moved to Louisville, and Dead Reckoning changed its name to Days of the New as well as its genre to an acoustic rock, post-grunge style. Regarding that era, Meeks stated, "I went through paranoia and acid trips, separation from the mind and body... That's where my spiritual journey begins."

At the age of 17, Meeks and fellow teenage band members Mat Taul, Todd Whitener and Jesse Vest were signed to a major record label. In 1997, they released their widely successful self-titled Yellow album that included the single, "Touch, Peel and Stand." The song rose to #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and became the group's signature piece. Opening slots on tour with Jerry Cantrell and Metallica further exposed the band to fans around the country. Days of the New then set out on a headlining tour that lasted until a stop in Dallas, Texas when Meeks' father finally drove him home and canceled the remainder of the tour's shows.

As of 2008, Meeks had standing invitations to perform at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville as well as to front the Boston Pops Orchestra. He has referred to himself as a "maestro" due to his "self-taught mastery" of the acoustic guitar and incorporation of classical sounds into his music.

Leaks of unreleased material took place from 2006 to 2020. In 2020, previously unreleased Days of the New material was leaked anonymously via YouTube, including a majority of the Days of the New Presents Tree Colors album under the color Rainbow; demo material from studio sessions in 2002 and 2003 making up the unreleased fourth "Purple" album; all of the material from Meeks' early metal band Dead Reckoning; an unreleased metal split from 2002 Not Of This World under the color chrome, which consisted of the "Red" lineup and local collaborating musician David "Sailor" Bryant of 16 Bones; and a 2014 EP entitled Aqua Marine Shuttle under the color blue.

Travis has Asperger syndrome and considers this a factor in some of his personal problems, while still being largely content. His life and career have been plagued by substance abuse and conflict with band members.

Meeks has two daughters from previous relationships. His first daughter (who was later put up for adoption) was born in 1994 from his relationship with his then-girlfriend Amy. His second daughter was born November 11, 2004, with his then-girlfriend, Karen.