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His no-nonsense father handed him a guitar at age six and said, "Lessons start Monday." His shy brother refused
to sing, so the teacher asked if he would. Randy Travis said, "I guess so," and the rest is country music history.
But hold your horses-for the real story is still being written. Even though country music megastar Randy Travis has sold
more than 21 million albums since 1985, he says he is just starting to "make a difference in a way I never have before."
In the past three years, Travis has unleashed three powerful gospel CDs-Inspirational Journey (2000), Rise and Shine (2002)
and Worship & Faith (2003), which have struck a chord with country music fans across America.
"I had no idea what we were starting into," says Travis, from his ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico. "As we
played some of these songs in the churches, people were coming to hear us . . . some who had never been in church.
"Then we started getting comments and letters from the churches we had left, saying people were coming in, accepting
Christ, joining the church, changing their lives and wanting to get baptized. That is just something that I never thought
I would hear about anything I had done or said or sangespecially when you consider where I came from."
Burning Down Life's Highway
Born Randy Bruce Traywick in 1959, in Marshville, North Carolina, Randy watched his father party excessively and, getting
in with the wrong crowd, Travis became a rebel without a cause by age 14. "I was out of control," he says. "The
police in Marshville knew me for the juvenile delinquent I was."
Young Randy was arrested for breaking and entering, larceny, stealing a van and drunk and disorderly conduct. A fixture
at the Monroe County Jail, he totaled four cars, two motorcycles, and even a horse and buggy. "I wouldn't listen to anybody
who was trying to tell me not to do something," says Travis. "If I wasn't singin' or workin' on the farm, bring
on the drugs and alcohol. I was pretty much high from the time I got out of bed till I went back to bed that night."
Dropping out of school in the ninth grade, Travis clung to his only talent: music. He played at private parties, VFW halls,
fiddlers' conventions and Moose lodges. At age 17 he won a talent contest at Country City USA, a music club in Charlotte,
N.C. The owner, Lib Hatcher, invited him to play regularly.
"Lib didn't drink, she didn't smoke, no cussing-I mean, it was amazing to me," laughs Travis. "She influenced
me in a real positive way, because she treated people with so much respect and love." His respect for Lib and her compassion
for Randy was the foundation for a friendship that would blossom into something much more. She cared enough to show up in
court to defend Travis, assuring the judge that the young man now had a full time job at her club, and that she would vouch
for him.
The judge said, 'Son, I'm gonna let you go one more time,' " recalls Travis, "'But if you ever appear before
me again, you'd better bring along a toothbrush, 'cause you're gonna stay awhile.' "
In his 20's, coming home inebriated each night, Travis began reading the Bible. It was the only place he could find the
peace and solace he needed to sleep through the spinning nights.
Hit-Maker, Soul-Shaker
In order to make it big in country music, Nashville is the place to be. So Randy moved to Music City, following Lib who
had secured a job managing a Nashville music club. Randy cooked catfish and scrubbed dishes at Lib's club nightly, then took
the stage to entertain patrons. After being turned down for 10 years by virtually every record label in Nashville at least
once, Travis finally landed a deal with Warner Brothers Records in 1985.
His first album, Storms of Life, became the first country debut album ever to sell a million copies within one year. Travis
(the name given him by record executives) was catapulted into stardom, producing four albums in five years--each going platinum.
Randy had entered one of the most exciting times in his life, a time filled with joy and blessing. liThe following year,
Lib and I got married. There was nothing I wanted more than to be with her, except maybe to be more like her. She saw the
good in people, and I was beginning to figure out why. She went to church regularly with some old friends in Nashville and
I started tagging along."
Since then, Travis has grown into a man who is seeking to know God in more intimate ways. He has become an avid student
of the Bible, reading and listening to any study material he can get his hands on.
Travis actually started working on his first gospel CD, Inspirational Journey, four years before it was released in 2000.
Rise and Shine was released two years later. Both albums tap into Travis' vintage storytelling ability, resonant voice and
emotional appeal. "It's almost like this was put here by God," says Travis, "and all we had to do was say,
'OK, we'll do it' "
Originally, Travis says he was a bit unsure about how he was going to introduce the new Christian songs to his vast audiences.
Several pastor friends assured him that God's Word-whether spoken or sung-would not return void.
"The first night I was nervous," recalls Travis. "We did the first song, I think it was "Baptism,"
and my hands were shaking, because I didn't know how people were going to respond. But, we finished the first son and I heard
people start requesting songs. The one I heard loudest was, 'Do Dr. Jesus!' At that point I said, 'All right I feel a little
better now.' "
Some people in the music industry, including the media, have questioned why he has chosen this path.
"I just tell them this is something I've wanted to do for quite some time. That's about the best answer I can give
. . . Many people who have listened to our country hits for so long are being touched by what they are hearing and seeing.
It gives me a wonderful sense of satisfaction."
Straight Talk From Randy
Stand Firm: How can men remain pure to God and true to their wives while on the road?
Travis: "You gotta remember, I travel with my wife, so temptation is usually cut off at the knees! (laughing) For
me, the most important thing is spending enough time reading the Word, hearing the Word, and enough time in prayer. It makes
an unbelievable difference in my attitude, my outlook and my ability not to want the wrong things."
Stand Firm: What would you say to the young man who is abusing drugs and alcohol as you once did?
Travis: "I would say to you-young or old-get into the Bible. We talked about the peace of mind that came to me through
reading the Word. I did it one night just to go to sleep and was high at the time. . . When it comes to drugs and alcohol,
man, walk away from it You gotta find it inside yourself to say no, to realize it's killing you, and that it's not giving
you any life or peace of mind."
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