Randy Travis

Randy Travis (b. May 4th, 1959)
a.k.a. Randy Bruce Traywick

PRAISE HYMN

Randy Travis's Journey Takes a Traditional Turn
Worship & Faith, the newest inspirational offering from Randy Travis, marks a departure of sorts for the country crooner. A song man to his core, Travis owes his career to an uncanny knack for finding songwriting gold among heaps of dross. But his third inspirational release finds Travis recording 20 -- count 'em -- traditional hymns and worship standards straight out of the church. So has Randy Travis taken his "inspirational journey" full circle? Barnes & Noble.com's Lisa Zhito spoke with him about his latest spiritual endeavor, and what's in store for the future.

Barnes & Noble.com: So, tell us how Worship & Faith came about.

Randy Travis: It was something that we had talked about for a long time. Instead of all original material , the guys at the label wanted me to go in and record things that people would recognize right off the bat, standards. A lot of songs on that album are things everyone will recognize: "Blessed Assurance," "I'll Fly Away," and "In the Sweet By & By."

B&N.com: You also recorded a few worship songs, which seem an odd choice for you, vocally. They are definitely more pop than country. How did that come about?

RT: A couple of the guys at the label had the idea for me to do some of the praise & worship songs, "You Are Worthy of My Praise," "Open the Eyes of My Heart," and "Above All." To be honest with you, I thought they were more like pop songs, too.

B&N.com: In the end, do you think they fit?

RT: I think in the end, thanks to [producer] Kyle Lehning, we were able to make them work for me as a singer. Although in the beginning I was doubtful! Because we've been doing the music ministry for a while, so I've heard some of them before, I'd even sang some of them at the big churches with the video screens. Still, I thought, This, I don't know, it don't sound like me! A couple of the guys we were working with were very strong Christians, they were familiar with the praise & worship songs, and so they were a big help. It was probably the most fun I've ever had in the studio. With the song, "You Are Worthy of My Praise," that was initially very pop sounding. We were at the board messing with it and Kyle said, "Just make it swampy, boys!" I thought that was just hilarious. But that just summed it up in terms of the kind of rhythms and patterns to play for it.

B&N.com: "Three Wooden Crosses" off Rise & Shine spent so much time at No. 1 and was just named Song of the Year at the Country Music Association awards. What is it about that song that touched people so much?

RT: Joe Stampley used to have this saying: "That's a hit song, I don't care who sings it." And I feel that way about "Three Wooden Crosses." There's a lot of things I could say but I think just really when you come down to it, it's the song's hookline. It says the most important thing is what you leave behind, because you aren't taking anything with you. I think in general that struck a chord with people. That got people to examine themselves.

B&N.com: You seem to have started a trend with your country-gospel -- I'm thinking of Billy Ray Cyrus and Dolly Parton, who both have gospel-inflected country releases.

RT: There are all these songs coming along that have some sort of a message in them. There's Buddy Jewell with "Help Pour Out the Rain," and there's about five songs that have come across like that with a gospel message of sorts.

B&N.com: Do you think Nashville is embracing the gospel world these days?

RT: I don't know the guy who made this comment, but this is really something that was said by someone in the country radio business, as far as I've been told. They said, "How long are we supposed to support this God stuff?" What a stupid comment! I wouldn't even want to be standing close to the guy who said that. I've always been of the impression whether you are a record label, or an artist, or at radio, to listen to a song and listen to how good it is. Give it a chance if you believe it's a great song. I defy anyone to deny how well written "Three Wooden Crosses" is. And that's not always been the case in the last few years. Too many people think there have been too many songs with a slant toward the gospel message. Well, what's wrong with that? If it's a good song, shut up and play it!

B&N.com: This is your third consecutive gospel release. Will there be a straight-ahead country album in the future?

RT: I have a half a country album recorded, and I'm telling you, between Kyle and me listening to demos and some stuff I wrote, we have probably five or six songs done. Man, am I happy with it! I'm telling you, there are some good songs we have come up with! They're this close to being finished. All they need at this point is mastering. I don't want to say any more about it at this point, but I am really excited about it.

November, 2003