Born and raised in North Carolina, Randy Bruce Traywick was working both as a cook and a singer at the Nashville Palace when he was signed to Warner Bros. Records. His debut album, 1986's
Storms Of Life, put to rest the
Urban Cowboy era
. And that was a good thing. With the guidance of his longtime manager, now wife, Elizabeth Hatcher, Warner Bros. took a chance on Travis, who was in constant trouble with the law as a teenager, and it paid off. The single "On the Other Hand" went to No. 1, and it was followed by "1982." After 12 albums with Warner, Travis became the first artist to sign with DreamWorks Records. He also gave the label its first country hit with "A Man Ain't Made of Stone." His most recent album,
Inspirational Journey, is his first gospel collection, and it fell on the heels of his decision to make a serious commitment to God four years ago. His upcoming album,
Randy Travis Live: It Was Just a Matter of Time, will be accompanied by a video (both the album and the video are culled from a live performance he gave in California). Don't expect much glitz from this show -- other than a few sequins on his jacket, Travis doesn't get dolled up for live performances. You won't catch him gyrating his hips or dancing across the stage, either. But the rich baritone of this 42-year-old traditional country music artist never fails to capture the attention of his audience.
