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Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Randy Travis’ time on stage awarded him seven Grammys, eleven ACM Awards, and even a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Traversing the entire entertainment industry, the singer’s career seemed to only grow until 2013 when he suffered a stroke. Since then, Travis has taken a step away from the spotlight. With a career spanning numerous decades, his mark on the industry continues to inspire musicians and those who find their lives completely changed after an event. Never letting Travis forget his impact on music and the world, top stars rallied together to honor the country legend.
Besides his time on stage and in the recording studio, Randy Travis bridged the gap between singing and acting with appearances in films like The Rainmaker, Black Dog, and even National Treasure 2. That doesn’t include his time on the hit series Touched by an Angel.
Not Letting A Stroke Keep Him Down
As mentioned above, Randy Travis’ life and career drastically changed in 2013 when he suffered a stroke at 54 years old. His wife, Mary Travis, recalled the days after his stroke, explaining, “He was in a coma for three days, and they did not identify that he was actually having a stroke right away. So, it was too late for medicine to help out there.”
Over the last decade, Randy Travis dedicated himself to recovering and regaining some of his independence, but the stroke left him with aphasia, which is a disorder that disrupts the part of the brain that dictates comprehension and language expression. Talking about the disorder, Mary said, “Aphasia has taken a lot of Randy’s speech and of course the singing away. Oftentimes people think that Randy’s stuck up or won’t talk, but that’s not the truth. It’s just that he can’t, and I want people to understand that Randy understands everything, it’s just that he can’t communicate as effectively as he once did.”
Celebrating Randy Travis
On October 24, stars like Lorrie Morgan, Kane Brown, Dennis Quaid, Shenandoah, and countless others crowded the VBC Propst Arena in Huntsville, Alabama to celebrate the icon and his contribution to country music. The ceremony included country artists performing some of his top hits. Speaking for Travis, Mary said, “The music speaks for itself and because Randy can’t sing his own songs now, it’s heartwarming to listen to other artists perform Randy’s songs … and I know that he loves that.”
Although completely grateful for their generosity, Mary added that Randy Travis often noted they should have cut certain songs, but she insisted “that’s just the sweet humility of Randy Travis.”
Hoping to educate others on the effects of signs of a stroke, both Randy Travis and Mary dedicate themselves to the Randy Travis Foundation. “The Foundation has become our new purpose. People say, ‘We’re so sorry for Randy. But we’re not sorry. That was in God’s plan … we get to touch lives that we never would have touched before.”
With such a rich career, which Randy Travis song is your all-time favorite? Be sure to tell us below.