Travis picked up early experience playing professionally from the age of 15. He worked with Johnny McGhee, Vido Musso (1942), Mitch Ayres, and Woody Herman (off and on during 1942-1944) before serving in the military. After his discharge, Travis played with many bands including Ray McKinley (on and off during 1946-1950), Benny Goodman (1948-1949), Gene Krupa, Ina Ray Hutton, Tommy Dorsey, Tex Beneke, Woody Herman again (1950-1951), Jerry Gray, Bob Chester, Elliot Lawrence, and Jimmy Dorsey (1952-1953). Travis gained some recognition for his work as a key soloist with the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra (1953-1956) but then he went into the anonymous world of the studios as a member of the NBC staff. Nick Travis emerged now and then, playing section parts with Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Orchestra during 1960-1962 and performing at Lincoln Center with Thelonious Monk's medium-size group in late 1963. He died unexpectedly in 1964 (at the age of 38) from ulcers. Nick Travis led a record date of his own for Victor in 1954 and he was also well featured on recordings with the small groups of Al Cohn (1953) and Zoot Sims (1956). ~ Scott Yanow