According to his biography, Randy Travis was born Randy Bruce Traywick on May 4, 1959, in Marshville, North Carolina . His father listened to country singers such as George Jones and Hank Williams, and taught Randy to play guitar.
As a child, Randy and his brother Ricky formed duo and sang at various festivals and conventions. Randy began singing in competitions, and singing in local nightclubs. It was at a local nightclub performance that he was discovered by club owner Lib Hatcher, who became instrumental in guiding Travis throughout his career.
As a teen, Travis was talented, but perhaps unfocused. He was drinking heavily by age 14, and eventually dropped out of school. He became involved in fighting, petty larceny, and drug abuse. Charges of breaking and entering, carrying a concealed weapon, and several run-ins with the law were sprinkled throughout his teen years. Despite his wild behavior, music was a constant in Randy’s life.
From the Nashville Palace to Warner Brothers Records
In North Carolina, he played in nightclubs for a few more years, honing his songwriting and singing craft. He and Lib Hatcher moved to Nashville in 1981. Hatcher took a job running a nightclub called the Nashville Palace, while Randy worked as a cook and sang nightly at the club. He created the stage name Randy Ray, and released an independent album.
In 1985, he signed with Warner Brothers Records, changed his name to Randy Travis, and released Storms of Life. The album’s debut single, “On the Other Hand,” failed at radio. After the second single, “1982” became a Top 10 hit, “On the Other Hand,” was re-released, and it became Travis’ first Number One song.
Around this time, Travis (then about 26 years old), began to renew his spiritual life and to put his teenage vices behind him. This decision would later play a large role in his music career.
He went on to become one of the top country artists of the 1980s and 1990s, with songs like “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “Deeper Than the Holler.” He has earned several Academy of Country Music Awards, CMA Awards, Dove Awards, American Music Awards, and two Grammy Awards. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1986.
Randy Travis: Actor
Through the end of the 1990s, as more contemporary pop sounds took over country music, Travis saw his sales fizzle. He turned to other forms of creative expression, most notably acting. Travis took on supportive roles in movies like Dead Man’s Revenge, and Texas, as well as in TV series such as Touched By An Angel. He then graduated to leading roles, such as his character Clay Traynor in the TV movie, A Holiday to Remember.
Along the way, he portrayed Billy Porter in the movie adaptation of John Grisham’s The Rainmaker, alongside Matt Damon and Danny Glover. He also made a guest appearance in National Treasure: Book of Secrets, which featured Nicolas Cage.
Christian Music Career and Pureflix film company
After establishing solid careers in the worlds of music and movies, Travis began incorporating more of his personal worldview into his music and acting. Travis partnered with Word Records to released Inspirational Journey, a collection of Christian songs, including versions of “Doctor Jesus” and “Amazing Grace.” The album was well-received.
He followed it up with Rise and Shine. This album contained the smash hit, “Three Wooden Crosses,” which was a hit in both country and Christian music markets, and earned Travis several Dove Awards (the Christian music community’s equivalent of a Grammy), as well as Grammy for Best Southern, Country, or Bluegrass Gospel Album. He has gone on to balance releasing albums with country material and Christian material.
Travis and his wife later brought this Christian influence into the movie realm, and joined a team to establish PureFlix, a Christian-based film company. Travis recently played the leading role in one of the company’s films, The Wager. Travis portrayed Michael Steele, a movie star whose faith is tested when a scandal erupts that could cost him both his marriage and his career.
"I Told You So" duet with Carrie Underwood
In 2009, country music darling and winner of the TV talent show American Idol, Carrie Underwood, released a version of Travis’ hit, “I Told You So.” The song quickly became a success at radio. Underwood called Travis in to sing a special duet version of the song and to perform the duet with her during an American Idol telecast, exposing Travis and his music to a new generation of fans. Travis also inducted Underwood as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
Summary
Randy Travis' went from being a small-town delinquent to a country music superstar thanks to his unique voice, solid country songs, and good timing. The mulit-talented performer also handles acting, producing, and writing Christian songs that keep the same feel as his country hits. His ability to stay relevant and to find new audiences for 20 years has kept him in the spotlight.
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