Travis von Cartier was raised in the suburban wastelands of North Phoenix, Arizona, immediately displaying a disposition to music. Born to a mother who already had a successful piano studio, he was enrolled in piano training at the ripe old age of seven.
Progressing quickly and naturally, Travis competed in various theory and solo competitions, receiving many prestigious awards. In school he enrolled in band, learning most of the brass section by the end of the sixth grade. Once high school hit, an exposure to jazz and avant-garde music incited the desire to learn bass, guitar, and drums, all self taught in the matter of a week. While leading the marching band as lead drum major and participating in the Phoenix Symphony Youth Chamber Orchestra, he won a scholarship to a local college and an attempted college career began. Unfortunately for college, a steady music gig was quickly landed playing bass in a 'high energy' top 40 band at a posh dance club in North Scottsdale. Due to the sudden increase in salary, Travis quit college and begun a professional music career. While playing all over the country for various club and corporate events, Travis founded a 9 piece original band with his brother, which quickly ascended the local music scenes of Tempe, Phoenix, and the entire Southwest. The end of cover band employment led Travis to use his self-developed innovative style to teach piano lessons. Now he had more time to concentrate on making original and profitable music. He founded an LLC and successfully sold out many large venues in the Phoenix Metropolitan area, and opened for several well known, national acts including: Wu-Tang Clan, Common, Diggable Planets, Kool Kieth, Xzibit, and many others.Following these successes, Travis auditioned for a dueling piano bar in Glendale, learning the art of entertaining people with cheese. Within a few months he ascended the ranks and began dueling full time at various clubs and corporate events throughout the country, allowing him an excuse to learn all of the cheesy ballads that run on repeat in his head. He found enjoyment in performing all of his favorite Hall & Oates songs as well as the smooth yacht rock favorites of the late 70's/early 80's. Concurrently to the nightly dueling, Travis landed an audition with a very highly esteemed hiphop producer in L.A. which led him to recently move out to Hollywood putting his multi-instrumental skills to full use where he works full time as a living instrument/producer/resident studio musician for several major hiphop/pop artists and producers around the world.
