Bio
Now based in Tulsa, OK, Township & Range is best described as “rural music,” as it encompasses a range of American styles. The project’s name comes from the fact that many of the songs focus on local color and geography filtered through a personal lens.
"[T]he neighbors, the neighborhoods, and the neighboring countryside take seat, front and center, in Linn’s songwriting. The writing...follows in the traditions of old Americana legends like Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie." --Hear Nebraska
A native of Oklahoma, Travis Linn spent nearly three decades in Nebraska. While there he garnered eight Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards (OEAAs) both songwriting and playing bass in a variety of bands. Black Squirrels and The Electroliners both won OEAAs for "Best Americana/Folk" in 2008 and 2015, respectively. As bassist with Matt Whipkey, Travis earned both "Artist of the Year" and "Album of the Year." On the strength of those awards, the band toured with Dwight Yoakam throughout 2015-16.
Since its founding in 2013, T&R has been both a solo and collaborative effort in Omaha and Tulsa. It is currently a solo project.
T&R has released two EPs to favorable reviews for the Nectar + Venom label: Dust On Our Boots in 2015, and Nashville Unincorporated in 2017. OEAA nominations were forthcoming after the release of both EPs.
"If you're looking for some good country and Americana music from Omaha, check out Township & Range ... Linn's new EP, Dust On Our Boots is a collection of plains country tracks such as "Duct Tape & Bailin' Wire," about holding things together with what you have and healing up by rubbing a little grit on your scrapes. It's also my favorite from the five-song EP. "Sandhills Sojourn" sounds like the soundtrack to riding across Nebraska in a wagon, and "Top Shelf Tonight" is a toe-tapper about drinking the good stuff." --Omaha World-Herald
The Tulsa version of T&R began playing live in July 2022, and has performed at The Colony, The Whittier Bar, Thelma's Peach, Centennial Lounge, Renaissance Brewing Company, Kendall-Whittier Neighborhood's "Amps On Admiral," Noise Town Tulsa, Art Crawl on 66, and even the Blue Whale of Catoosa's 50th Birthday Bash. Township & Range was the only Tulsa artist invited to play PorchFestKC 2023. In December 2023, the live-in-studio episode of RSU TV's Studio 66 was aired on public television.
T&R is looking to play more shows in the region, and is currently recording an EP for release in summer 2024.
Travis Linn
Travis grew up in rural, central Oklahoma around bluegrass and honky-tonk music. His Grandpa Sing was an Ozark fiddler, and his dad played dobro. He learned a few guitar chords as a child, but concentrated on alto and baritone saxophone in school band. Once a senior in high school, Travis began teaching himself on the school’s bass, and started learning guitar in earnest. Playing sax in the Creighton University Pep Band soon led to him playing sax, guitar, and bass in several Omaha bands. In the 2000s, Travis would earn numerous Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards (OEAAs) playing bass and writing songs with Black Squirrels, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, The Electroliners, and Matt Whipkey. As well as T&R, he played guitar and sang in cowpunk trio Bull Nettles. Over the years, Travis has been in bands ranging from ska to honky-tonk to punk. Apart from music, Travis is the author of two history books, and is an award-winning graphic designer.
PAST PLAYERS:
Tulsa:
Jess "Capital P" DiPesa: doghouse bass, vocals
Eric Strauss: guitar
Jeremy Morris: harmonica, guitar, ukulele, backing vocals
Omaha:
Corey Stroud: upright bass, backing vocals
Kate Williams: accordion. percussion, backing vocals
Steve V.: guitar, backing vocals
Tim Cich: guitar, mandolin