Travis Barker's Parents Contributed Greatly to His Musical Career

Travis Barker's parents played a significant role in the drummer's journey to becoming a famous drummer, from driving him to drumming lessons to learning how to play the instrument with him. He now shares a close relationship with his father following the passing of his mother.

Travis' mother, Gloria Marie Rose "Cookie" McCarthy, was the first to spot her son's drumming talent. Once the drums became their son's passion, Gloria and her former husband supported Travis in all possible ways.

Although they did not have much, Travis recalled having a happy childhood until his mother found out about his father's infidelity and her eventual passing. Although it was a devasting time for her son leading up to her death, one of Gloria's last words was for her son to never give up on his musical dreams.

Travis Barker Was Fortunate Enough to Have Parents Who Supported His Passion, Which Later Became His Career

Gloria met Travis' father, Randall Leonard Barker, in a city east of Los Angeles called Fontana. After tying the knot and settling down, the musician said he was a "mistake" as his parents and welcomed his older sisters many years before they had him.

On November 14, 1975, Gloria gave birth to her youngest child and only son, Travis Landon Barker. While her son is unsure why she picked his first name, Gloria was a massive fan of Michael Landon, the star of "Little House on the Prairie," and chose to name her son after him.

Gloria loved The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and the Police. "If it were up to her, she probably would have named me Michael Landon Barker," her son said. Gloria and Randall did not have much growing up, but they worked hard to ensure their children did.

Adamant to not pay housing payments, Randall and a close friend build the home Travis and his siblings grew up in. His son said:

"He bought some land and said, 'I'm going to build this house with my own two hands.'"

Gloria and Randall bought him a tin drum when their son's first Christmas rolled around. One day, when he was hitting away, Gloria turned to her Randall and said, "You know what, I think he's going to be a drummer."

By age 4, Travis had a full drum set and was taking lessons. His father was the designated driver, while his mother manned the camera during his sessions.

Gloria also picked up the skill of playing drums and reading music to help her son whenever he needed it. And as he grew older, she had Travis playing the piano and singing in the school choir— despite how much he hated it.

Travis would pretend he couldn't hear Gloria when she called out for him to come home for his piano lessons to maintain cool status. "I was really embarrassed. Playing drums was o much cooler than playing the piano. The piano wasn't as masculine," Travis said.

Travis Lost His Mother as a Child

Gloria was born on September 10, 1947, in Chicago. And her son shared that as much as she was hard-working, she was also a loving mother. He said:

"When I was growing up, my mom was very loving, and she was there for me all the time. One of my first memories was falling alsweep while she rubbed my head."

Gloria ran a daycare from her home, and although he loved his sisters, Travis humorously admitted to enjoying the additional male presence. Her half-sister, Mary McCarthy, starred in the original version of "Chicago" on broadway; however, the two half-siblings were not in contact.

Gloria did not want to give off the impression that she wanted something from Mary and said, "I don't want her to think that we're trying to get friendly with her to help with the kids." During her final years, Gloria hired a private investigator and discovered her husband had been unfaithful.

And during the process of their divorce, she fell gravely ill. She did not want people to find out she had been hospitalized and, as a result, did not tell anyone apart from her immediate family about her health.

Travis visited her every day for the whole summer until she died. "I gave her a last kiss goodbye and touched her hand," he lamented. Since Gloria's passing, her son revealed that he wanted everything he did not have as a child for his family. He said:

"...I want everything I didn't have growing up. It would be crazy for me not to. I wanted much more for my children. I wanted a mom (for my kids)..."

In 2008, Travis revealed that he visited his mother with his children in honor of Mother's Day. "No matter what, play the drums. Follow your dreams, " were Gloria's last words to her son.

Travis Barker's Father Works Alongside His Son's Business Mergers

After returning to American shores from the army— and serving in Vietnam— Randall worked at a steel mill in Fontana. He was always smartly dressed and hard at work, whether fixing something around the house or working on his car.

Since his former wife's passing, Randall and his son have grown very close and started working together. Randal worked alongside Travis' business mergers and ensured his son remained organized and paid his bills. "I speak to him every morning like clockwork," Travis said.

Travis Barker Dedicated Tattoos to His Parents

Over the years, Travis Barker— who was married to Melissa Kennedy before his marriage to Kourtney Kardashian—has become famous for his career and recognizable by his tattoos.

He has dedicated a fair share of them to his parents, and in 2011, he inked a portrait of his father's face on his back and had multiple tattoos in honor of Gloria.

Although Randall was not a fan of tattoos when Travis was growing up, the father-son duo got sentimental matching tattoos once his father came around to the idea. They each have a "pal" tattoo, which Randall and his son have called each other since Travis was a little boy.