Photo: Universal Music Group Nashville
The War And Treaty have embraced many moments, big and small, as celebrations in 2023. They recounted some of the major milestones as they look ahead to their next chapter in the New Year.
The powerhouse husband-and-wife vocal duo, Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, recently delivered a breathtaking performance at a packed Bridgestone Arena in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee. They were part of a star-studded lineup at the eighth-annual All For The Hall benefit concert, supporting the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s education programs. The event — hosted by Keith Urban and Vince Gill — raised nearly $1 million, which is the latest amount raised in All For The Hall history. The War And Treaty’s voices also filled the historic Ryman Auditorium when they performed a stunning tribute to reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Chris Stapleton at the 16th annual ACM Honors earlier this year (and joined the “White Horse” star on his headlining “All-American Road Show”). The Trotters honored iconic singer and actress Patti LaBelle at the inaugural CMT Smashing Glass: A Celebration of the Groundbreaking Women of Music, and nodded to music legend Elvis Presley during a star-studded Christmas at Graceland special, performed a heartfelt rendition of “That's How Love Is Made” at the CMA Awards, and other unforgettable moments.
The War And Treaty — whose name calls up images “of epic conflict, sacrifice and the eventual birth of a lasting peace,” the duo stated as they released Lover’s Game earlier this year — also shifted gears from arena audiences and televised performances to deliver a stunning show for an intimate crowd at Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. in Tullahoma, Tennessee. It happened earlier this year, when the whiskey distillery marked George Dickel Bourbon Aged 18 Years. The performance offered a unique experience for the duo and their fans to connect with one another. Tanya said in a recent interview with iHeartCountry that every milestone moment she and her husband have shared together this year has had its own meaning, and they spoke about celebrating every moment.
“We've learned to really just walk in that with every performance that we do, with every opportunity that comes up,” Tanya said. “I think we've done that with every performance we've been a part of because we're so humbled by every single performance and every single opportunity. So, it's like having a lot of kids. It's hard to pick which kid is your favorite because they all mean something to you in a different way,” she said, though Michael chimed in to reflect on his favorite moment, with a laugh: “vacation!”
Michael remembered the Cascade Hollow performance as one that fostered togetherness as the crowd raised a glass and listened to the live music. It was “something we won’t forget,” he said. His wife added that the duo always aims to embrace people and promote togetherness throughout the year.
Photo: Submitted
“As we do a lot of the big events, I think the one thing that we always try to keep in the forefront is that it's always — and will always be — about the fans. It will always be about the people,” Tanya said. “We love people. We love the human race. So, whenever we get an opportunity to touch and to hug and to laugh and to spend time and learn about them as well as them learning about us, a lot of times you get an opportunity to learn how they found your music, and then you realize that you guys have a lot in common. You may have a kid the same age or a grandparent who grew up in the same area, or like Michael, someone will say, ‘I served in the military, too.’ So, it's always an opportunity to go deeper with the human race and connect.
“I think that's what keeps the world revolving around, is the connection that we all have,” she added later. “Music is the one thing. Music and drinking and eating are the three things I would say that connect us the most. When you turn on a song, everyone's dancing. Everyone's having a good time, even if you don't know the language. …And we found that with our music when we're overseas in Ireland or in Scotland, or we're headed overseas right now to Korea and Guam...we're expecting to get that same feeling, that same connection, even if some of the people don't know the English language.”
The War And Treaty plan to connect with audiences on a global scale in the New Year, with performances slated for the U.K., the Netherlands, across the U.S. and more. The 2024 Grammy Award-nominated husband-and-wife duo — who received the news in an emotional moment at the airport — will return for Stapleton’s headlining trek, as well as “Hey Driver” collaboration partner Zach Bryan. Tanya said she and Michael have “forged a wonderful relationship with him …we have another song we're going to do together (when we return to the studio in January).
“We'll be all over the place next year,” Tanya said. “And (we’re) just really enjoying the new fans that we have and the old family members that have been following us throughout this journey. So, we're just riding out, just having a good time and riding it out and trying to give our fans what they want and go to places that they have asked to see us in.”