NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Randy Travis is known as one of the biggest names in Country music, with artists like Garth Brooks crediting Travis as saving Country music, and now the Country Music Hall of Fame member is talking about the music, and the rest of his life, in a new memoir.
Titled “Forever and Ever, Amen – A memoir of music, faith, and braving the storms of life,” Travis, along with co-author Ken Abraham, explore Travis’ childhood, his move to Music City, his success, and his health issues that quieted a voice that impacted so many.
“To do an autobiography, you have to tell the good and the bad to be completely honest, because none of us have this perfect life, and who wants to read a life of creampuff?” Mary Travis, Randy’s wife, said of the book. “There’s the tough times and that’s the way you speak to people, is telling the whole story, the good, the bad, the ugly.”
Travis had issues with the law growing up, and during his career, battled with liquor issues, but through it all, he came out of the situation learning something, and seeing the positive part of life.
“There’s a lesson in every page, and we hope that it will speak to people in different ways, different times in their life,” Mary Travis said. “You can’t cover it all in one book, but you can get the essence of his life.”
Randy Travis just celebrated his 60th birthday, and while much of his life is spent working to recover from a stroke that nearly killed him, he makes sure to smile and laugh every day.
“Those are choices you get to make. You know, we’re all going to get knocked down, and Randy flat-lined. You know, he died, but they got him back, and we all in a sense get flat-lined at times in our life where we just, all the life seems sucked out of you. But you know, you get back up, and you get a choice, am I going to be bitter, or am I going to be better? And he always chose better,” Mary said. “We find something every day to laugh about. It can be anything from when I’m shaving him in the morning and I may nick him or something, we laugh.”
“Oh well!” Randy chimed in during Mary’s story, showing his light-hearted nature.
“If I’m putting his socks on and it catches a toe and runs it backwards, he laughs, but you find something to laugh about every day, you find humor, you surround yourself with positive people, and Randy’s as positive as they get.”
While his positivity has become a big part of Randy’s life, music remains at the center of his life, with Randy and Mary attending shows together, whether it be newcomers like Chris Young or Kane Brown, or old friends of Randy’s like Charlie Daniels.
“To watch him listen to music is something I love doing because he knows a good song, a good lyric, he can still pick em out,” Mary said, adding that Randy taps his toes, nods his head, and even sings along to music.
While the memoir looks at Randy’s past, at 60-years-old, his still has plenty of life to live.
“We’ll just keep hoping and praying that (he) gets better, if (he) doesn’t, we’ve come to grips with it, we’re okay, and we wanna continue going out there and listening to music and making a difference any way we can,” Mary said.
Randy will be heading out on a book tour where he will have books for sale, photo opportunities, and meet and greets.
In Nashville, Randy will have a booth at CMA Fest in Fan Fair X every day of CMA Fest, and he will have a booth at the Barnes & Noble in Nashville on June 8th.
