American country singer Randy Travis opened the door to young artists who were eager to return to the traditional sound of country music. His 1986 album, Storms of Life, hit #1 on the US Albums Chart.
Randy Travis was born in North Carolina in 1959. He is best known for being an inspiration for young artists who sought to return to the traditional sound of country music. He was discovered by Elizabeth Hatcher when he was 18 and struggled to make a name for himself.
He found his way in 1986 with the No. 1 album, Storms of Life. He also won a Grammy Award and sold millions of copies of his albums. In 2013, Travis survived a life-threatening health emergency that left him unable to walk or speak. Since then, he has continued to slowly recover.
early life
Randy Travis, better known as Randy Travis, was born on May 4, 1959 in Marshville, North Carolina. The second of six children born to Harold and Bobby Trayvik, Randy grew up on a modest farm where he taught horses and ranching. As a child, he admired the music of legendary country artists Hank Williams, Lefty Frizell and Gene Autry; at the age of 10, he learned to play the guitar.
As a teenager, Randy's interest in country music was only matched by his growing experimentation with drugs and alcohol. Estranged from his family, Randy dropped out of school and briefly took a job as a construction worker. Over the next few years, he was arrested several times for assault, breaking and entering, among other charges.
On the verge of going to prison at age 18, Randy met Elizabeth Hatcher, the manager of a nightclub where he performed in Charlotte, North Carolina. Seeing the promise in her music, Hatcher convinced the judge to let her become Randy's legal guardian. For the next few years, Hatcher courted Randy, who began to perform regularly at her country clubs.
In 1981, after some minor independent label success, they moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Hatcher got a job managing the Palace of Nashville, a touring club near the Grand Ole Opry, while Randy (who briefly acted as Randy Ray) worked as a short-term cook.
commercial breakthrough Randy Travis
After several years of trying to make a name for himself, Randy was signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1985. Now billed as Randy Travis, his first single "On the other hand" reached a disappointing No. 67 in country music. Despite a lackluster debut, Warner Bros. released the second track of Travis "1982", which took place in the Top 10.
Optimistic about the reaction to "1982", the label decided to re-release "On the other hand", which immediately soared to No. 1 in the country charts. In 1986, both songs appeared on Travis' album Storms Of Life, which peaked at number 1 for eight weeks and sold over five million copies.
Awards and success quickly followed Travis' rise to fame, and he was invited to become a member of the prestigious Grand Ole Opry in 1986. The following year, Travis received a Grammy as well as Best Male Vocal from the Country Music Association. His next three albums - Old 8 X 10 (1988), No Holdin' Back (1989) and Heroes And Friends (1990), which included duets with George Jones, Tammy Wynette, B.B. King and Roy Rogers - were also sold millions of copies.
In the 1990s, Travis decided to focus on his acting career and appeared in television films and films such as: Dead Man's Revenge (1994), Steel chariots (1997), The Rainmaker (1997), TNT ( 1998), "Million Dollar Baby (1999)", etc.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, he decided to move from mainstream music to gospel music and released albums such as Man is not made of stone (1999), Inspirational Journey (2000), Rise and Shine 2002), Worship and Faith (2003) and others.
Over the course of his career, Travis has inadvertently opened doors for many young artists who were looking to return to the traditional country music sound. Known as the "New traditionalist", Travis is credited with influencing future country stars Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Travis Tritt.
In 1991, Travis married his manager Elizabeth Hatcher in a private ceremony on the island of Maui. The couple was together until 2010, then they divorced.
Arrest: 2012
In August 2012, 53-year-old Travis was arrested for drunk driving in Texas. According to an ABC News report, police were called to the scene by another driver who witnessed Travis, who was shirtless and allegedly dozing on the side of the road.
According to the report, the country star was involved in a one-car accident, and when police arrested him on DWI charges, he received a separate charge of retaliation and obstruction for threatening to shoot and kill officers at the scene.
The singer was taken naked by officers to the police station and was released the next day after posting a $21 bond, according to ABC News.
Travis' health
In July 2013, 54-year-old Travis made headlines when he was admitted to a Texas hospital after alleged heart complications.
The singer was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. While being treated for a life-threatening condition, Travis suffered a stroke that left him critically ill.
According to his publicist, Kirt Webster, Travis underwent surgery to relieve pressure on his brain after his stroke. "His family and friends are here with him at the hospital asking for your prayers and support," Webster said in a statement. Due to fear for his health, Travis was kept in the hospital for several months.
As a result of the stroke, Travis lost the ability to speak and had difficulty walking, but over the years he has made progress on both fronts, as well as learning to play the guitar and sing.
In early 2013, Travis got engaged to Mary Davis. The couple got married in 2015.
Three years after his stroke, Travis wowed fans when he took the stage and sang an emotional rendition of "Amazing Grace" at the 2016 induction ceremony at The Country Music Hall and Fame. Travis continues to recover. His speech and mobility continue to slowly improve.
Randy Travis: 2018-2019
If you're a fan, you've probably noticed that Travis hasn't been releasing any new music lately - in fact, his latest studio album, On the Other Hand: All the Number Ones, was released as early as 2015!
While it's true that he hasn't released any new records lately, he's by no means retired. In fact, he has recently joined several other artists on the scene.
What else did he do? Earlier that year, it was reported that the singer had created his first playlist using Spotify. The playlist consisted of many hits including One Number Away, Haven, The Long Way, You Broke Up with Me and Doing 'Fine. According to the press release, Travis will continue to cover new music that he "believes in and loves" on a regular basis.
In terms of TV appearances, Travis hasn't done anything since 2016. According to IMDb, he last appeared in the pilot episode of Still the King. Around the same time, he also took part in the 50th Annual CMA Awards. Will he be back in front of the cameras anytime soon? Time will show.
