The Local Spins series revealing albums and artists that have influenced Michigan musicians continues with Deep Greens & Blues founder Travis Atkinson, who plays The Stray on Saturday.

Collaborating in Nashville: Travis Atkinson continues to write, record and perform. (Courtesy Photo)
EDITOR’S NOTE: All musicians and songwriters can trace their inspiration to key recordings that influenced their careers. Local Spins today showcases music that changed the world for West Michigan musician and songwriter Travis Atkinson. Scroll down for a Spotify playlist of his picks, including a couple of his own songs.
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With a voice honed by church choirs, jazz ensembles and a cappella groups, Grand Rapids singer-songwriter Travis Atkinson has delivered his compelling music to audiences for more than 20 years — as a founding member of Deep Greens & Blues and as a solo artist.
Melding what he calls “a dreamer’s soul with a sojourner’s heart,” Atkinson dropped his second solo album, “Heart in Pieces,” in 2022, with a new single, “Walking on a Trail,” released in October.

With Deep Greens & Blues in 2016: Atkinson (Photo/Tori Thomas)
Last fall, he also began traveling to Nashville monthly to write new songs and perform at various writers’ rounds — playing Nashville’s The Listening Room in September.
“I’ve been fortunate to write with artists local to Nashville as well as other writers to visit from other parts of the country,” he noted. “While my ultimate goal is to sign a publishing deal, my goal this year is to write a lot of songs and cultivate meaningful relationships with fellow songwriters and industry professionals.”
At 7 p.m. Saturday, he’ll play The Stray in Grand Rapids with Kat Wells and Kyle Joe. Tickets are $16.30 each and available online here.
1. The Lone Bellow, “The Lone Bellow” (2013) — I’ve been a fan of multi-part harmonies ever since I sang in the St. Jude’s Catholic Church Reflections Choir in Grand Rapids. This album blew me away with the band’s emotions sitting right at the front of the sound — dynamic vocals ranging from angelic to throaty, with rhythmic lyrics, catchy melodies and tight storytelling. They were a band I wanted to emulate, and I tried on a number of occasions. The trio is so versatile. Tracks like “Tree to Grow” showcase the epitome of their range, starting calm and ending big.
Listen: “You Don’t Love Me Like You Used To”
2. Chris Stapleton, “Traveller (2015) — I grew up listening to Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard, aka The Highwaymen. When Chris Stapleton hit the scene following his stint with bluegrass band The SteelDrivers, he gained a lot of notoriety for his cover of George Jones’ tune “Tennessee Whiskey,” but I found nearly every song on his record to have a predestined feeling to them — the songs were so beautiful and complete, it seemed like they were plucked from a tree in heaven. Stapleton’s Southern soul and country vibe appealed to me, especially as many other country artists have produced a more contemporary sound over the past 10 to 15 years. His voice is gruff yet loving, soulful and effortless, and his wife joins him on harmonies many times throughout his albums. Only later did I learn that he wrote a number of well-known songs for other artists before recording this album, including “Your Man” by Josh Turner. The song, “Traveller,” sets a great tone for his album with it simple verse and driving beat before its crescendo to exceptional, throaty vocals on the chorus.
Listen: “Traveller”
3. Taylor Ashton, “The Romantic” (2020) — I found Taylor Ashton’s music haphazardly a few years ago, going down the internet rabbit trail of persons affiliated with Lake Street Dive frontwoman Rachael Price. After learning that Taylor is Rachel’s husband, I began listening to his music, and it was a sonic shower of endearing lyrics, refreshing melodies, and coy turns of phrase. Occasionally I become obsessed with an album, and I probably listened to Taylor’s The Romantic album 25-30 times the first year I heard it. His banjo appears on most of his tunes, and he is clearly doing what he was born to do. Pretenders is a tune where Ashton compares the love he and his partner share with what they could have with others, endearingly making the case that neither could find a better match than each other, deeming all others “pretenders.”
Listen: “Pretenders”
ALBUMS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: Travis Atkinson’s Playlist on Spotify
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