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Country Rewind: Watch Travis Tritt Cover Hank Williams Jr.’s ‘Old Habits’ in 2002

Travis Tritt tackled Hank Williams Jr.’s “Old Habits” during a performance in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2002. And he completely crushed it.

Back when you really had to sleep on the sidewalk to get tickets to a show (my friend did it, so don’t call BS), Travis Tritt brought his lively brand of country music to the intimate Tivoli Theatre in 2002. Thankfully, the concert was filmed—and sold via DVD as Travis Tritt: Live and Kickin’ a couple of years later in 2004.

TT served up many of his biggest hits during the 19-song set, including “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” “Country Club,” “Here’s A Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares),” and more. Travis Tritt also paid homage to a couple of his heroes with covers of Charlie Daniels’ “Long Haired Country Boy” and Hank Williams Jr.’s “Old Habits.”

Let’s take a couple of minutes today for a Country Rewind. Before you hit “play,” check out a little bit of the hit’s history and TT’s connection to Hank Jr.

New Travis, ‘Old Habits’

Hank Williams Jr. penned and recorded “Old Habits” for his 1980 album, Habits Old and New. Released as the album’s second single, “Old Habits” reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart in 1980.

Of course, Travis has cited Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, George Jones, and more as seminal musical influences during his career. But Tritt was also drawn to the rocking licks from the likes of Hank Williams Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Allman Brothers Band.

For his 1994 studio album, Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof, Travis found the perfect combination of country and Southern Rock when he teamed with Waylon Jennings and Hank Jr. to record “Outlaws Like Us.” The deep cut, which Travis penned, pays homage to Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, George Jones, and more. However, Tritt also sings: “But I still love rock ‘n roll / Hank Jr, me and Waylon / We’re all cut from the same mold / And they say country’s changin’ / And we must all adjust / But I still think there’s lots of room / For old outlaws like us.”

Travis honored his “Outlaw” friend Hank Williams Jr. when he covered “Old Habits” in 2002 during his Live and Kickin’ concert.