Merle Travis
Merle Travis
Born	November 29, 1917 Rosewood, Kentucky USA
Died	Tahlequah, Oklahoma USA
Occupation	Recording artist, Guitarist and Performer
Years active	1936 - 1983
Genre(s)	Country/Western Swing
Label(s)	King Records - Capitol Records

Merle Robert Travis (November 29, 1917 – October 20, 1983) was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the exploitation of coal miners. Some of the songs he wrote or performed include: "Sixteen Tons"; "Dark as a Dungeon"; "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed"; and "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette". However, it is his masterful guitar playing that he is best known for today. "Travis picking", a style of guitar picking, is named after him. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1977.