war and treaty
Founded in 2014 by husband and wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, The War And Treaty has emerged as one of the most exciting new acts in American music. With their masterful vocals and thought-provoking lyrics, the duo have become popular in and out of Nashville. Supporting their new album and eye-popping debut at the 2022 CMA Awards Following her performance, The War And Treaty departs for her 35-city ‘Lover’s Game Tour’ in March To do.
home town: Washington, DC (Tanya), Cleveland, OH (Michael). “We both claim that Albany, Michigan is the starting point for wars and treaties.”
Years in Nashville:
Michael: In 2014, we were trying to master the art of songwriting and become artists. We were playing at the Tennessee Brew Works and were due to play four hours. I didn’t have a babysitter, so I brought my 4-year-old son, Legend. I couldn’t concentrate in parent mode, but fate gave me another chance.
Tanya: I came back here for Americana Fest in 2017, met Buddy Miller and felt like it all started from there. Since then, we have lived in Nashville after seeing the light. Working here and living here is a real pleasure.
How did you get started?
Tanya: I started singing at a Baptist church in DC and those songs continued until I was a teenager. I wanted to explore more music, so I got to know Natalie Cole and some other people from the record company through a singing contest. They signed me when I was in high school and that was the beginning for me.
Michael: I also started in a Baptist church. I sang solo for the first time with my uncle when he was 3 years old. I remember that feeling and her grandmother encouraging me from the audience. After I finished, I wanted to do it again and practiced until I had the courage to try other veins.Like Tanya, there was a competition in DC and I came in first place against him. From that moment on, I thought, ‘Let’s go after this.
Who were your early influences?
Michael: This is a cool question. Tanya and I were talking about our journey and the people who inspired us. I was listening to an interview with Charlie Crockett about how he ran away from his story and where he came from. The truth is gospel music has had a huge impact on my life. Hymns of James Cleveland, Angelic Gospel Singers, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and the Carter Family. But my direct inspiration was my uncle, my mother, and her sisters, who had a singing group, and I wanted to be like them.
Tanya: My brothers Willie Blunt, Glenn Jones, Donald Vales…a lot of my early inspiration came from my church upbringing. Idol as I expanded was deeply rooted in rhythm and blues and jazz music. I remember going to see Sarah Vaughan when I was 13 and falling in love with jazz. Ella Fitzgerald, Patti LaBelle, Anita Baker, Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand and Tina Turner are all legends in my eyes. My early inspiration was my mother, my biggest fan, who pushed me to expand my understanding of all facets and genres of music.
Moment of breakout:
Michael: In 2020, we had just finished performing at the Grammys and thought our careers were taking off, but then the pandemic hit and took everything away from us. is now focused on one thing: yourself. I looked her in the eyes and realized that I hadn’t given her a wedding.We did some work, singing with Ryman, playing with Bonnaroo, and collaborating with Brandi Carlile. but all I wanted to do was something drastic and unexpected to show Tanya my appreciation. For her birthday during the pandemic, I had a surprise wedding for her birthday. For me, it was the breakout moment in our relationship, and I think that was important.
Tanya: i would have to agree. I think the pandemic has put a lot of things in perspective for me. It reaffirmed why we love each other and why we do anything together.The surprise wedding was definitely the breakout moment. Because we were all pausing. But having Michael bring my whole family here was really a reassurance for me. Not just as an artist, but as a human being.
In 2022, I had the chance to perform at the CMA Awards for the first time. what did that mean for you?
Michael: When I first got the call that I would be attending the CMA Awards, the moment took my breath away. A year ago we were sitting in the rafters and I was asking my wife if she thought we could play on that stage. As fate would have it, he told us what Brothers Osborne will feel like a year later as he prepares behind the scenes. It meant a lot to us that we were part of the elite group that graced that stage. is not!
Tanya: It meant the world to me. My mom and I used to sit and watch these shows together. It was truly amazing to be able to be on stage with the Brothers Osborne, to see my husband, as a performer, and to be on the floor on an equal footing with the people we truly admired and paved the way for.
New and Next:
Michael: UMG’s first album produced by Dave Cobb will be released this year. In his 10 songs of honest emotion, all songs are about his The War And Treaty journey. From “Lover’s Game” to “Blank Page” to the final track “Have You A Heart”, we all come from somewhere and we all come to realize that we can write our own story. A little more empathy for each other. This is what we ask all genres and our world: “Do you have a heart for me?” I think it’s the best way to I am so excited to tour with new music this year.
Do you have any advice for future artists?
Tanya: “My Way” by Frank Sinatra in 1969. If anyone is reading this and feels nervous or scared and unsure if what they are doing will work, just keep pushing and stay focused.
