In a society where compromise and conformity seems to be not only a trend but a norm, 26 year old Travis Lee and a band of multi-talented instrumentalists from St. Louis are bent on living set apart in hopes of showing youth and adults that Christianity demands a radical walk of faith. While some bands focus on music as merely an art form, the Travis Lee Band is ministry minded, challenging their audience through bold words and creative songs to seek a deeper and more real relationship with Jesus Christ.
"Every time we get on stage our heart's desire is to minister to the needs of the audience and to convey that God wants them to be different and new" asserts the band, "We want them to know that Christ is not a game but rather someone who gave all and demands absolutely all of our life."
"When we go into studio we want to create a project that not only is stylistically original but inspires others to actually be different; changed into the likeness of Christ," explains Travis Lee who writes most of the band's songs.
However, music and ministry became part of Travis, Gabe, Micah and Vic's lives from childhood. Being all in the same immediate family, they led worship and wrote music for churches all across East Texas before moving to rural Missouri in 1993. The experiences of growing up always being on stage and
training in several different instruments caused them to be performing together since childhood. "We've always played music together, what we are doing now is merely a continuation of the ministry God has given us," states the band.
For Travis, the steps to full time music ministry and creating TLC/Faithwalk ministries were never fully understood but clearly led by God. In 1997, Travis attended a Gospel Music Association Seminar in Kansas City, MO. After attending the event, Travis left the Christian Rock Band "Selah" that he was a member of and created TLC Ministries (Touching lives for Christ) under the conviction that God was calling him to not merely play Christian music but to boldly make a difference in the lives of others. While
pursuing the ministry Travis attended Southeast Missouri State University receiving a degree in Music (emphasis guitar) and Speech Communications (emphasis forensics) and perfecting his abilities. "My work in college as well as the opportunities that God consistently gave me to serve Him provided me with the confidence and boldness I needed to step out on faith" Travis explains. "As I began to step out with the ministry my brothers and Dad would occasionally join me until before I knew it we were a busy and consistent band."
A year after college graduation, Travis went to working part time to keep a handle on booking the Travis Lee Band and managing TLC ministries. The following summer, Travis stepped out on faith as he went on the band's first national tour. Renewing their vision after the biblical precepts found in Luke 9:3-6, they changed the name of the ministry to TLC/Faithwalk under the covering of Hope Church in Ste. Genevieve, MO.
Also during that year the Travis Lee Band produced its first professionally recorded CD project "Different." This was the first of many professional records the band would create with its message driven acoustic edged sound. In their recordings, they have been aided by Ainslie Grosser (Fusebox, Grits, Tree63, Charmaine, Elevate Records), an Australian record producer and associate of Small Bone management and Rebecca
St. James. The result has been a well crafted set of songs that both challenged its listeners and explored a unique style of music. "It is my prayer that people that listen to our music and come to our concerts would not just see a group of young men who are talented and creative but rather that they would experience the reality of Jesus Christ and fall more and more in love with Him." Travis explains. "It's about being more than what this world around us expects. It's about our hearts' one desire being for Jesus Christ." Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.