Bible-belting country
J. Shane Mercer, The Forum
Published Thursday, August 28, 2008
http://www.in-forum.com/articles/rss.cfm?id=212864&freebie_check&CFID=77...

Randy Travis is country again.
That sounds almost silly. Randy Travis has always been pure country right down to the bottom note of his baritone voice.
But on the past few albums, he’s brought that country sensibility to hristian-oriented projects, while “Around the Bend,” which he released in July, is a mainstream disc.
Travis, who plays tomorrow evening at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, Minn., is just one of a long line of country musicians who have dabbled – and sometimes leapt – into gospel music. It’s a stark contrast compared to the world of pop, where the marriage of music and faith is rocky at best and usually can’t even get set up
on a blind date.
Christianity and religion don’t really fit the edgy, bad boy/girl image that pop music is going for, says Zero, evening DJ at Fargo-Moorhead country radio station Bob 95. The MTV way is to run counter to authority, he says, and, “What greater authority is there” than God?
Always and Forever...An RT Fan
Linda and Guide, Greg

I scanned this article for a couple of friends who could not locate the magazine so thought i'd post it herein in case there are others who perhaps could not locate it.

Enjoy.

Country Weekly
September 5, 2008
Pages 46—47
(Page 46 full-page photo, page 47 two photos)

Country Weekly exclusive

It’s a sunny summer day in Santa Fe and Randy Travis is enjoying a rare
day at home—but that doesn’t mean he isn’t working hard.
Randy is about to hit the road for a busy month of touring to promote his new album, Around the Bend. But on this particular day, country music is taking a back seat to Randy’s other passion:
horses. Earlier today he went for a ride on his favorite, then worked on training a colt with, he says, “a lot of bad habits.”
He spent about 40 minutes teaching the colt her name, then how to walk through an open door and—perhaps most important—how to keep from trampling the well-meaning humans working with her. “She would run over you,” he declares. “She would jump at you, so we worked on her and stopped that.”
Horse training is something Randy has loved to do since childhood, and now it’s a refreshing diversion from his day job. The demands made on him are about to ramp up considerably, especially as Around the Bend, his first album of new country songs in nine years, is attracting lots of attention. After recording five gospel albums and a Christmas collection, Randy is back with the kind of traditional country tunes that made him a household name on albums like his landmark 1986 debut Storms of Life. In fact, Around the Bend was produced by Kyle Lehning, the longtime collaborator who also helmed
that long-ago debut.
“When Kyle and I started working together years ago, he said, ‘Remember that you are going to be singing these songs every night, so if you
don’t love it, don’t do it,” Randy recalls. “And I’ve stuck by that.”
The commitment to quality might be the same as it was 22 years ago, but Randy is well aware that the music business has undergone tremendous changes over the last several years. “We’re at an interesting place right now, figuring out who are we selling to, how are we selling, or where are we selling,” notes Randy. “When you get into MySpace, YouTube and all those ways of promoting records now, in that respect, I don’t know how this business is sitting and I’m not sure that anybody does.”
Nonetheless, Randy points to the ongoing success of Alan Jackson and the more recent rise of Josh Turner as signs that there is still a place in the modern world for the old-fashioned brand of country he favors. “There’s some great records out there,” he says. “Musically, I think we’re OK. I’d still love to hear a little more of the traditional stuff coming along.”
- Today, there is a new generation of country artists who grew up on Randy’s music. Carrie Underwood’s latest album, Carnival Ride, includes her version of Randy’s self-penned 1988 chart-topper, “I Told You So.” “I thought she did a great job on it,” he declares. “To be honest, it was more suited for her as a vocalist than for me. When you look at the vocal range, her ability to get into the upper register of her voice and just hold those high notes is great.”
Some artists might be disconcerted to learn they’ve influenced a singer almost half their age—Carrie is 25, while Randy will be 50 next May. But getting older doesn’t seem to worry Randy at all.
“I don’t care about that,” he says. “As long as I’m at the point physically that I’m still healthy and able to take care of myself, I don’t care what age it is. Fifty doesn’t bother me. As long as I’m able to get up and go and feel like I’m of use, I’m happy to be here.”
In fact, from the unique perspective he has today—relaxing at home after a day spent working with his hands, free to pursue all of his passions in life-Randy has no complaints at all.
“When I first started trying to get into this business, I thought if I could make a living singing and writing—that was it,” he confesses. “It’s gone so far beyond anything I’d ever thought about or ever deserved, for sure. I’ve been able to do stuff that I would never have dreamed of.” CW

Always and Forever...an RT Fan
Linda and Guide, Greg

Thanks I looked for it but couldn't find it in the store either.