Biography
Merle Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, guitarist and actor. Born on 29 November 1917 in Rosewood, Kentucky, he began his career in the 1930s and became known for his distinctive guitar style and songs about coal mining, including 'Dark as a Dungeon' and 'Sixteen Tons'.
He appeared in several films, playing Sal Anderson in From Here to Eternity (1953) and taking other acting and musical roles through the 1980s. Travis contributed to the score of the documentary Harlan County U.S.A. (1976). He died on 20 October 1983 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.
