Trail of Memories: The Randy Travis Anthology

Disc 1
1	Diggin' Up Bones 3:01
2	On the Other Hand 3:07
3	Reasons I Cheat 4:23
4	1982 3:00
5	Send My Body 3:01
6	No Place Like Home 4:08
7	Anything 2:43
8	Forever and Ever, Amen 3:33
9	I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever) 3:10
10	Too Gone Too Long 2:26
11	I Told You So Single Remix 3:40
12	What'll You Do About Me 2:40
13	Honky Tonk Moon 2:49
14	Deeper Than the Holler 3:38
15	Is It Still Over? 3:11
16	It's Just a Matter of Time Country Single Mix 3:56
17	Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart Single Remix 3:56
18	He Walked on Water 3:25
19	Card Carryin' Fool 2:24
20	A Few Ole Country Boys 3:38
21	Waiting on the Light to Change / B.B. King 2:45
22	We're Strangers Again / Tammy Wynette 2:47
23	All Night Long 3:06
Disc 2
1	Heroes and Friends Long Single Edit 3:15
2	Allergic to the Blues 2:26
3	Point of Light 3:34
4	Forever Together 3:06
5	I'm Gonna Have a Little Talk 2:41
6	Better Class of Losers 2:40
7	Look Heart, No Hands 3:11
8	If I Didn't Have You 3:06
9	Memories of Old Santa Fe 3:19
10	Cowboy Boogie 2:48
11	Before You Kill Us All 3:20
12	Whisper My Name 3:07
13	Gonna Walk That Line 3:17
14	This Is Me 3:25
15	Honky Tonk Side of Town 3:06
16	The Box 3:22
17	Would I 2:24
18	Highway Junkie 3:58
19	Stranger in My Mirror 3:17
20	The Hole 3:08
21	No Reason to Change 3:11

Barnes & Noble

This is one stunning collection. If Randy Travis doesn't have as high a profile now as he did in the mid-'80s, when he was spearheading the New Traditionalist movement, it's not because he hasn't been making first-rate music. In 44 cuts spanning the years 1986 (which saw the release of his first solo album, Storms of Life) through 1999, Trail of Memories illustrates the breathtaking consistency and impeccable song selection that has made every Travis album a memorable event, even if country radio begs to differ. Disc 1 contains the critical early tracks -- "Diggin' Up Bones," "On the Other Hand," "Forever and Ever, Amen," "Deeper than a Holler," et al. -- but Disc 2 wears well on the strength of "Better Class of Losers," "Memories of Old Santa Fe," "Look Heart, No Hands," and other gems. Sounding like a clone of Lefty Frizzell, Travis invests his lyrics with heart and soul -- his smooth, crooning baritone can wrap itself around a tearjerker like no one else's, and his good-natured personality shines through when he get holds of a lighthearted, upbeat lyric. The set is rounded out with several duets Travis cut with the likes of George Jones, B. B. King, Tammy Wynette, and fellow Frizzell acolyte Merle Haggard, along with single remixes of "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" and a long single edit of "Heroes and Friends." Travis probably wouldn't want to be called a national treasure, but he's something special all the same. Take this trail to wherever it leads; it'll do your spirit good. David McGee

All Music Guide

Trail of Memories: The Randy Travis Anthology is a welcome, needed addition to his catalog. Although he's had hits collections before, nothing has come close to offering as much music as this two-disc, 44-track collection, nor has anything else made as strong a case for his musical accomplishments -- in this light, he truly sounds like the heir to such classic country singles as Merle Haggard, Lefty Frizzell, and George Jones. Part of the reason that might not have been apparent to some listeners during the '80s is that even a new traditionalist like Travis was recorded according to the state-of-the-art standards of the time. So, even his grittiest material has a clean, sparkling surface, big drums, and a lot of instrument separation, all the hallmarks of mainstream production in the '80s. Years later, it's easier to listen past the production and hear the songs and Travis' singing, which, as this collection proves, is remarkably sturdy and consistent throughout his career. And Trail of Memories touches on each aspect of his career, from his early hits like "Diggin' Up Bones" to his late-'90s recordings for DreamWorks. Throughout it all, what's surprising is how little Travis has changed -- the best of his songs are always strong, simple, memorable, sung in a similar fashion, while dressed in pretty, clean production that disguises how close to classic late-'50s/'60s hardcore country this really is. He was heralded as a keeper of the flame in the '80s, and in 2002, when this collection was released, his music sounds purer than ever. Needless to say, this is an essential cornerstone in any contemporary country collection. Stephen Thomas Erlewine