Born on May 4, 1959, Randy Bruce Traywick was the second of six children. His father Harold, raised turkeys, bred horses, and ran a construction business, and his mother Bobbie, worked in a textile plant. Randy’s father always wanted him to become a country singer, filling the house with the sounds of Hank Williams and Stonewall Jackson albums. Harold bought his four sons western outfits and guitars, and promoted them locally as the Traywick Brothers. By the time Randy was ten years old, he and his brother, Ricky, had their own duo, playing throughout the South at fiddler’s conventions, private parties, VFW halls and anywhere and everywhere they could draw a crowd.

At age 16, Randy entered a talent show hosted by Country City USA as a soloist. After winning the competition hands down, he was invited by the club owner, Lib Hatcher, to play regularly at the famed night spot. He then relocated to Charlotte. It was a stint that lasted the better part of five years with Randy first performing on weekends and eventually full-time. Hatcher took over management of the fledgling singer and in the late 70’s Randy recorded two singles for Paula Records, “Dreamin” and “She’s My Woman” with Joe Stampley producing.

In 1981 Randy made the move to Nashville, commuting regularly to Charlotte to perform at Country City, USA. He spent most of his time writing songs and getting acquainted with the Nashville scene.

Eventually Hatcher began management of another club, The Nashville Palace, where Randy worked cooking catfish and washing dishes, as well as singing on stage. It wasn’t long before he had developed a following there as well, changing his stage name to Randy Ray. The exposure led to appearances on Nashville Now and Nashville After Hours. His Nashville popularity grew by increasing word-of-mouth as people touted him as an outstanding newcomer. In 1983 while performing at the club, Randy recorded his first album independently and called it, “Randy Ray-Live at the Nashville Palace.” The album was mostly sold at the club between shows and is now a collector’s item and out of circulation.

Turned down by nearly every record label in Nashville, often more than once, Randy was finally signed to Warner Brothers Records in 1985. Record company executives changed his name to Travis, and Randy’s first recorded effort for his new label was “Prairie Rose,” on the soundtrack to the film, “Rustler’s Rhapsody.” It was followed by the release of the album, “Storms of Life” in 1986, and the rest is country music history.

The first single, “On the Other Hand,” was a perfect slice of Randys authentic country talent. “1982” followed, and with that hit, Randy established himself as a singer and performer in the grand tradition of George Jones, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard and a handful of others. The success of both singles led to wide-spread demand for live shows, and Randy next set out on an extensive and ongoing tour, taking him across the United States and Canada before record-setting crowds.

In September 1997, after twelve albums with Warner Brothers, Randy was the first artist to sign with the newly formed DreamWorks Records label in Nashville. When “Out of My Bones,” the first single from the new label’s debut album, “You and You Alone” was released in 1998, he delivered the label its first number one country hit. “A Man Ain’t Made of Stone,” Randy's second album for DreamWorks, continues his journey as one of the biggest selling, and most distinctive artists in country music.

While Randy has long been known as an artist whose life-affirming songs celebrate the better angels of human nature, it’s only in his Atlantic Records/Warner Brothers gospel release, “Inspirational Journey,” that this underlying theme of contentment finally takes center stage. Produced by Kyle Lehning, “Inspirational Journey” was recorded in bits and pieces over a four-year period. Randy himself co-wrote three of the cuts.

The Gospel Music Association’s 32nd Annual Dove Awards honored Randy’s “Inspirational Journey” for Country/Bluegrass Album of the Year, and Country Recorded Song of the Year for “Baptism.”

Songs from “Inspirational Journey” inspired the two-part season finale of the CBS TV series “Touched by an Angel” that also featured Randy playing a significant role as part of an all-star cast.

In the late 1980’s, Randy opened the floodgates for the new traditionalist movement in country music. Randy is secured enough with his talent to realize that he does not have to choose between music and film and each can help the other. In the final analysis, Randy is the rare lucky man who has been able to make all of his dreams come true.

From:

Official Randy Travis Website