SEARCH
In 2013, country artist Randy Travis suffered a stroke, and the effects of aphasia have hampered his ability to talk. But he’s not done releasing new music. Travis and his label, Warner Records Nashville, recently announced a new album, “Same Old Way,” debuting on Nov. 13. The record features never-before-released songs from his illustrious recording career beginning in 1986. More than 18 years have passed since the recording artist last released an album of all-new material.
As the release date nears, Randy and his wife, Mary, sat down for a virtual interview with The Epoch Times to chat about the country singer’s enduring career and the influence songs such as “Deeper Than the Holler” and “Three Wooden Crosses” continue to have on generations of listeners.
‘The Fiber of the World’
At a photo shoot recently in Fort Worth, Texas, the wide reach of Randy’s music was on full display. Mary recalled a group of fans from Brazil recognizing him and stopping by the shoot to say hello and ask for a picture. Then came the fans from Australia and Ethiopia. A team of football players from Oklahoma also spoke with Travis. This is a regular occurrence for a musician who embodies the music he plays.
“That is the fiber of Randy Travis. His heart and soul are country music,” Mary said.
But over the years, she explained, she has also seen country music “become the fiber of the world.”
Randy and Mary believe that one reason country music has become so popular is that through it, listeners find common ground.
“Country music itself, how could we live without it? It takes us through great times in our life, and it takes us through low times in our life,” Mary said. “It speaks about the values in everyday life. People can identify with that.”
Travis is no stranger to hit songs that speak to millions. Whether singing about love in his No. 1 single “Forever and Ever, Amen” or singing about family with his hit song “He Walked on Water,” the North Carolina native could always bring people together through his music. Mary related the comforting feelings people get from listening to country music to walking through the front door.
“It’s home to everybody. That’s what country music is,” she said.
And in a world that can feel more divided than united, Randy and Mary believe that country music’s ability to bring people together is more important than ever.
“What more do we need right now than something that unifies us, something that we can all agree on? With all of the other noise going on in the world, you can always come back to music,” Mary said.
Bringing Generations Together
One of Randy’s favorite aspects of his career remains the letters and emails he gets from fans. Mary said they love connecting with the listeners whose lives his music has positively affected. His gospel releases have been especially comforting for people during times of need. Some of the letters that stay with them are from cancer patients who use his gospel albums, such as “Rise and Shine” and “Worship & Faith,” to help them get through their treatments.
“People who have gone through cancer treatments said they took Randy’s CD in with them because … they said they knew by the song that he was singing on that particular [CD] how much time they had left in their treatment,” Mary said.
For Randy and Mary, country music and gospel are like a married couple.
“They go hand in hand,” Mary said.
And gospel’s presence in country music is another unifying aspect of the genre—the music not only brings various cultures together across the country and even the world, but it also brings generations together.
“We were at one concert here recently. Four generations were there. It was the great-grandmother, grandmother, the mother, and the daughter. And they said it was their girls’ night out … and it was the daughter that suggested it and got the tickets. It makes you so happy to see that,” Mary said.
When Travis got his start in country music in the 1980s with the release of his debut album “Storms of Life,” he kick-started a revival of traditional country music storytelling. As the genre experiences another resurgence of traditional styles, Mary explained that younger demographics continue to embrace Randy’s classic country songs. She said that “little cowboys”—young boys dressed in their boots and hats—come up to Randy to ask if they can shake his hand.
“That’s what warms my heart. There are great kids out there that love country music, the old traditional music. It just tickles us to death to see that, and how it’s not dying, but just gaining strength,” Mary said.
Lifting Soldiers’ Spirits
Mary shared that country music has opened so many doors to meaningful experiences for Randy. He looks back fondly on the time he spent with the USO performing for America’s troops. His music was a popular choice among soldiers stationed overseas. Mary recalled one time at an airport, a serviceman came up to him and said, “We’ve never met, but we spent a lot of time together.”
Travis’s music helped lift the soldier’s spirits and keep him connected to home while he was serving overseas.
“That’s what music does. It transcends time and place,” Mary said.
While reminiscing about the lives his music has touched over the years, Mary said Randy told her that he could not imagine his life without music. He’s currently on the final leg of his lengthy “More Life Tour,” which concludes later this year. Mary sits with him onstage while vocalist James Dupré performs Randy’s biggest hits and fan favorites. New music from the forthcoming “Same Old Way” album has already been released, including the single “Fish On,” an ode to the great outdoors. Randy has faced a lot of adversity since his stroke in 2013, but Mary shared that it has not lessened his impact.
“In his silence, he still speaks volumes,” she said.
What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to features@epochtimes.nyc.
