Randy Travis to Be Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
Randy Travis will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, it was announced Wednesday. The singer will be celebrated at the Medallion Ceremony on Oct. 25.
Introduction
Randy Travis will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, it was announced Wednesday. He’ll be inducted alongside Alison Krauss and Brooks & Dunn in October.
Travis, who is from North Carolina, is a member of the Grand Ole Opry and has won six Grammy Awards. He’s known for hits such as “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “On the Other Hand.”
Krauss, a bluegrass singer and fiddler, has won 27 Grammy Awards. She was previously inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.
Brooks & Dunn is a country duo composed of Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks. They’ve won two Grammy Awards and have been inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum.
Early Life and Career
Randy Travis was born in Marshville, North Carolina, on May 4, 1959. He grew up listening to country music and was especially inspired by Hank Williams. In the 1970s Travis worked as a session musician in Nashville, Tennessee. His big break came in 1986 with the release of his album Storms of Life. The album featured the hit singles “On the Other Hand” and “Diggin’ Up Bones,” which helped to make Travis a household name. He went on to release a string of successful albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, solidifying his place as one of country music’s biggest stars.
In 2000 Travis was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, and in 2003 he received the Academy of Country Music’s Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2012 he was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On October 25, 2016, it was announced that Travis would be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Breakthrough Success
Randy Travis is one of the most successful country music artists of all time. He has sold over 25 million records and has had 22 number one hits. In 1987, he became the first artist to ever have seven consecutive number one singles. He is also a seven-time Grammy Award winner. In 2016, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Later Career and Personal Life
In 2013, Travis was inducted into the Guitar Center Rock Walk and in 2016, he received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2017, he was nominated for induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame; he is set to be inducted in October 2019.
On August 7, 2013, Travis was admitted to a Dallas hospital with viral cardiomyopathy and placed in critical condition. After spending several months hospitalized, Travis made his first public appearance at the CMA Awards on November 6, 2013. An exhibit featuring Travis’ guitars and other memorabilia opened at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on March 7, 2014. The same year, he recorded a song “Forever and Ever, Amen” for the soundtrack to the film The Shack. In 2016, he contributed a cover of “Amazing Grace” to Keeping Faith: A Gospel Tribute to Randy Travis.
Travis has been married three times and has three children from his first marriage. He has had several high-profile relationships, including one with Elizabeth Hatcher-Travis that resulted in an assault charge for which he was sentenced to two years’ probation in 2010.
Legacy
On Wednesday, the Country Music Association announced that Randy Travis will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The “Forever and Ever, Amen” singer will join an elite group of musicians who have been recognized for their significant contribution to the genre.
The CMA revealed that Travis will be inducted during the 53rd Annual CMA Awards on Nov. 15. The ceremony, which will air live on ABC, will also feature performances from some of country music’s biggest stars, including Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Luke Combs.
This year’s induction marks a significant milestone for Travis, who was forced to retire from performing in 2013 after suffering a debilitating stroke. In the years since, the Grammy-winning artist has made a slow and steady recovery, with his most recent public appearance coming last month at the CMA Music Festival.
“I am truly humbled by this great honor,” Travis said in a statement. “When I think about being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, I am grateful to all the fans who have listened and shared my music throughout my career. To be included with such legendary artists is surreal.”
