As one of the pivotal performers in the neotraditional country movement, Randy Travis has been one of the groundbreaking singer/songwriters of his generation, bringing country music back to its grassroots heritage and veering it away from the more-commercialized, pop-influenced “Nashville sound” of the late 1960s and 1970s. His traditional light-baritone voice and straight-from-the-heart style harkens back to the classic country of decades ago, but with a decidedly contemporary sound. Ticket holders enthuse over the pure-country vibe of his concerts, which feature a mix of fan favorites, evergreen classics and new original works. In performance, Travis has a sincere, low-key style that invites comparisons to legendary performers such as Hank Williams. As you watch him perform, you get the feeling that you're watching a true legend, a singer's singer whose performance style encapsulates the best of an entire musical genre. With dozens of Billboard-charting singles and multi-platinum albums, Travis has been one of the most influential singers of his era, and his most recent album, Influence, Vol. 1: The Man I Am pays tribute to the mentors who inspired him.
In the mid-1980s, Travis recorded his great breakthrough album, Storms of Life, which sold millions of copies and featured the hit singles “On the Other Hand” and “Diggin’ Up Bones.” A string of hit songs followed, including “I Told You So” and “Forever and Ever, Amen” (his best-known single). During the late 1990s, Travis turned his interests to gospel music, but in 2008, he returned to secular music in a big way with his album Around the Bend, which he later recorded as a chart-topping duet with Carrie Underwood. The decade also garnered major awards for Travis, including a No. 24 ranking on CMT’s “40 Greatest Men of Country Music.” In 2009, Travis released I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis, and two years later released his Anniversary Celebration. His latest album, Influence, features covers made popular by mentors such as Ernest Tubb, Waylon Jennings and Lefty Frizzell.
In July 2013, Travis was hospitalized with viral cardiomyopathy; this was followed by a stroke, which necessitated brain surgery. In spite of conflicting reports about his health, it was recently announced that he’ll be starring in an upcoming movie, “Christmas on the Bayou,” for Lifetime. While it's not known when he'll perform again, his fans are hopeful that the iconic singer will be able to embark on another concert tour sometime in the near future.
