The War and Treaty, the husband and wife duo of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, have a bond formed through music. “Someone said, ‘Those ain’t sibling harmonies, those are baby-making harmonies,’” Michael joked to American Songwriter about when a friend heard them sing together for the first time. Fans who attend their live show will likely see the couple hug, kiss and hold hands onstage, making their genuine love for one another part of their stage presence. Music is what brought them together and is at the core of their foundation.
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How did they meet?
Their love story begins in 2010 at a festival in their native state of Maryland where Tanya saw her future husband perform and was instantly awe-struck. “We met at a festival in Maryland that I used to do for kids where we would give away backpacks around back-to-school time. He was performing there, and he blew me away,” she explained to People.
However, the seed of their union was planted years prior when Michael saw her in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit where Tanya starred as a self-titled character and performed a cover of the gospel hymn, “His Eye is on the Sparrow” with Lauryn Hill. “When I first saw her, I said to my parents that she was going to be my wife,” Michael affirmed about seeing his future bride onscreen for the first time.
Both Tanya and Michael were solo artists before forming The War and Treaty. The former released her solo debut album, Natural Thing, in 1994 which spawned three singles including “Through the Rain” which hit No. 21 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart. Meanwhile, Michael served in the Army during the Iraq War and taught himself how to play piano on Saddam Hussein’s piano before embarking on a music career when he returned home.
“I think as a solo artist, we have limitations,” Michael told American Songwriter. “It’s so hard as a solo artist to cover all the grounds that you want to cover. But when you partner with someone, especially someone like Tanya, I don’t feel that we have any weaknesses because where I’m weak, she’s strong, where she’s weak, I’m strong, and that is how we knew we would be a great partnership whether it be in song or in love.”
How did they become a duo?
Four years after meeting, the two wed in 2014. But it would take another two years for them to translate their marriage into music. In 2016, they were an official duo with their debut album Love Affair as Trotter and Blount (Tanya’s maiden name). Their debut album as The War and Treaty, Healing Tide, arrived in 2018, followed by Hearts Town in 2020 and Lover’s Game in 2023.
“It’s a story of love and the games we often find ourselves in when it comes to love. It’s just a fun time from the start,” Michael explained about Lover’s Game to American Songwriter. “By the time you get done with the record, we want to know if you have a heart for what you heard, and if so, continue the journey with us. That’s really our intention with our record.”
What have they written?
Michael was the sole songwriter for both Healing Tide and Hearts Town. “It’s an extremely personal album,” Michael told American Songwriter about the latter album in 2020. “It’s a record of revelation and realization, our attempt to unify people, something that’s so needed today. You have to give it in order to get it. It’s the sound of our love and our attempt to spread a message about the need to unify the human race.” The husband-and-wife duo were co-writers on nearly every song on Lover’s Game, the exception being “Dumb Luck” written by Beau Bedford.
“I always say art imitates life,” Tanya said. “So what we put on paper is actually what we live. So when [people] listen to the record and the songs, they’re getting a peek into what we do every day, all day.”
What success have they achieved?
Though they’ve been working as artists for decades, they had a career breakthrough following the release of Healing Tide. In 2019, they were named Emerging Artist of the Year at the Americana Music Awards. They’ve since won twice at the Americana Awards for Duo/Group of the Year. They’ve since crossed over into the country world, performing with Dierks Bentley at the 2021 ACM Awards and Brothers Osborne at the 2022 CMA Awards and booked on lineups at festivals ranging from Pilgrimage Festival to Stagecoach in 2024.
They had their first major chart hit in 2023 when Zach Bryan hand-picked them for his song “Hey Driver” which reached the Top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. They’re nominated for their first CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 2023 ceremony.
Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music Association
