Randy Travis changed the trajectory of country music when he released his debut single, “On the Other Hand,” 35 years ago. The Grand Ole Opry member, who just released a new single, “Fool’s Love Affair,” hasn’t been able to make new music since his debilitating stroke in 2013. Still, Randy makes a point to go out and hear country music whenever he can, even if the country music of today sounds a lot different than the music he used to make.
“There’s no pretense,” Randy’s wife, Mary Travis, told Everything Nash and other outlets, speaking of her husband’s love of listening to live music. “The young talent, the young singers, the new country music, he still has an appreciation for it. Even though he did traditional country, and he stuck to those roots, and he was very deliberate about what he sang, he still enjoys going out and hearing those new artists. It tickles me to death, and it brings a tear to my eye.
“So often when I see those youngsters, they have so much admiration and respect for him,” Mary continued. “They may not sing the same kind of country that he did. There are so many of them that say ‘He was my inspiration. He was the reason I sing country music or I wanted to come to Nashville.’ He left some pretty big footprints and there’s some great talent … I think that that’s one thing that’s kept Randy young at heart is just, even after defeating the stroke, as far as staring death in the face and death blinked, Randy enjoys going. It’s pretty exciting when we say, ‘Hey, you want to go do this?’ and he says, ‘Yep, yep.’ So he’s eager to do that. It’s such a joy and pleasure to get to do it with him.”
Kyle Lehning produced much of Randy’s early work, including “Fool’s Love Affair,” and hints there might be more never-before-heard music from Randy in the future.
“We have a nice back [catalog]. We have found some stuff in the archives, but there are some political issues,” Kyle stated. “We can’t figure out who wrote the song, but there are recordings and they have been finished up and they’re sitting there. I don’t know when that’s gonna come out.
“Right now, this is the only thing from back in that time that’s legally okay to put out there,” he added. “We have a couple of project things, but they’re a ways off from ever seeing the light of day, but they’re finished.”