Travis was born in Marshville, North Carolina, the second of six children of Bobbie, a textile factory worker, and Harold Traywick, a horse breeder, turkey farmer, and construction business owner. While growing up, Travis was forced to take guitar lessons by his father and began performing at the age of eight with his brother, Ricky. Travis began drinking at the age of 12, and by 14 was a regular marijuana user, who occasionally dabbled in harder drugs. He often fought with his father and soon dropped out of high school. He became a juvenile delinquent and was arrested for various offenses, including auto theft and burglary.
Harold Traywick entered Randy and Ricky in a talent contest at a nightclub called "Country City, USA" in Charlotte, North Carolina. In the meantime, Ricky, who also had brushes with the law, was sentenced to jail and Randy had to complete the contest alone, but he won anyway. The club's manager, Elizabeth "Lib" Hatcher, took an interest in Travis and gave him a job singing at the club. Travis began focusing on music. He first recorded for Paula Records and released two unsuccessful singles — "She's My Woman" and "Dreamin'". Travis' legal troubles continued and he was due in court for probation violations. Hatcher pleaded with the judge and Travis was released in her custody with the warning that if the judge ever saw him again "he'd better bring his toothbrush, because he would be going to jail for a very long time."
Travis moved in with Hatcher. This put further strain on her already fragile marriage. She eventually left her husband and, in 1982, she and Travis moved to Nashville, Tennessee. Travis was soon turned down by every record label in town. His early demo tapes were criticized by Nashville record executives as being "too country." Hatcher took a job as manager of a nightclub, "The Nashville Palace" and hired Travis as a cook and singer. It was during this time that an unlikely romance began to form between the two; Travis said "I think we discovered how much we needed each other."
Career
In 1982, Travis recorded an independent album Randy Ray Live and Lib Hatcher used it to secure a deal with Warner Bros. Records. However, the label said they had to keep their romance a secret, so as not to turn away fans, and changed his stage name from Randy Ray to Randy Travis. In 1985, Warner Brothers released Travis' single, "On the Other Hand," which topped out at 67 on the country charts. His next single, "1982", became a Top 10 hit followed by the re-release of "On the Other Hand" in 1986. The re-release became Travis' first number one hit.
His debut album, Storms of Life, went on to sell more than 4 million copies. In the late 1980s, he had a string of hits, including "No Place Like Home" and "Diggin' Up Bones." A song from his second Warner Brothers album "Always and Forever" titled "Forever and Ever, Amen" arguably launched the neo-traditionalist country era, boosting the popularity of country music beyond its traditional fan base. For two years in a row, Travis won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, for the albums Always & Forever in 1988, and for Old 8x10 in 1989. Off the success of his first two albums, Old 8x10 shipped platinum. Always and Forever was number one for 43 weeks.
Travis and Hatcher married in 1991. That year Travis took part in Voices That Care, a multi-artist project that featured other top names in music for a one-off single to raise money for the allied troops in the Gulf War. The project included fellow singers Garth Brooks, Kenny Rogers and Kathy Mattea. By 1992, Travis was no longer charting high, as Brooks, Clint Black and others had taken over Nashville. He took a break from music to concentrate on acting and landed roles in several Western-genre films. He returned to recording with the 1994 album This Is Me and the hit single "Whisper My Name."
In 1997, Travis parted ways with Warner Brothers. He moved to DreamWorks Nashville and recorded You and You Alone, which produced the top 10 hits "Out of My Bones" and "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man." These were followed by 2000's albums Inspirational Journey, 2002's Rise and Shine and 2003's Worship and Faith. The single "Three Wooden Crosses" from the Rise and Shine album reached No. 1 and won the CMA song of the year in 2003. That same year, Travis ranked #13 on CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music. Travis continues to act in film and television; he appeared on the series finale of Touched by an Angel. His second most recent album, Passing Through, was released in November of 2004. It combines the country music of his earlier years, with a little gospel mixed in from more recent albums. After the release of "Glory Train" in 2005 and the Christmas album "Songs of the Season" in 2007, Travis released his brand new single "Faith In You" as a free download from his official website. It heralds the projected summer [2008] release of his forthcoming album, "Around the Bend". Along with the release of the free single, RandyTravis.com has also underwent a complete overhaul, with opportunities for fans to create blogs and join an upcoming official fan club. The new sleek look of the website has attracted throngs of fans. Contributor Anthony Maurizio has recently produced the Digging Up Bones blog series on the website, which has increased website traffic and is considered one of the most esteemed country music articles available for reading.
Everywhere We Go
Randy Travis Lyrics
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They say, "It's a crime to even pray within the halls"
But bless the child that lets You in and knows without a doubt
Once you live inside a heart, they can't take You out
We are soldiers of the Cross
We've been found to reach the lost
In city streets, down country roads
Here's to those across the land, working in a place
Where the boss man and the government say they can't share their faith
But they know all too well they'll lose their job if they get caught
But to win a soul for Jesus, they will risk it all because
We are soldiers of the Cross
We've been found to reach the lost
In city streets, down country roads
We take You with us everyday and everywhere we go
In the God of all creation, we put our faith and trust
And give our lives to You 'cause You gave Your life for us
We are soldiers of the Cross
We've been found to reach the lost
In city streets, down country roads
We take You with us everyday and everywhere we go
Everywhere we go
The lyrics to Randy Travis's song "Everywhere We Go" convey a message about the power of faith and the willingness of believers to share their beliefs with others, even in the face of opposition. The first verse talks about how God has been removed from schools, and praying in schools is now considered a crime. However, the song suggests that no matter where God is taken from or prohibited from being, once He lives inside someone's heart, He cannot be taken away. The second verse talks about people who struggle with sharing their faith due to the disapproval of their bosses or government, but they will still risk their jobs to spread the message of Jesus and win souls.
The chorus reinforces the idea that believers are soldiers of the cross, and they have been found to reach the lost. They carry God with them every day, on city streets and country roads, wherever they go. The message of the song is that no matter what obstacles may come, the power of faith is unyielding, and believers will always find a way to take God with them wherever they go.
Overall, "Everywhere We Go" is a song that inspires believers to remain steadfast in their faith and continue to spread the message of God to those around them, regardless of the circumstances. It is a powerful statement of the enduring power of faith even in the face of opposition.
Line by Line Meaning
They took Your commandments off the schoolhouse walls
God's teachings and values are no longer being upheld or displayed publicly in educational institutions.
They say, "It's a crime to even pray within the halls"
There are restrictions on expressing and practicing one's faith within public institutions such as schools.
But bless the child that lets You in and knows without a doubt
Those who still have faith and belief in God despite the lack of institutional support are blessed.
Once you live inside a heart, they can't take You out
Once God has become a part of a person's beliefs and values, no external force can remove it from their heart and mind.
We are soldiers of the Cross
We are followers of Jesus and his teachings, ready to fight battles and overcome obstacles in his name.
We've been found to reach the lost
We have been chosen to spread the word of God and bring back those who have strayed away from the faith.
In city streets, down country roads
We are not bound by location or circumstance to share God's message, but are willing to go anywhere and everywhere to do so.
We take You with us everyday and everywhere we go
We keep God's teachings and values close to our hearts and make them a part of our daily lives wherever we go.
Here's to those across the land, working in a place
This is a tribute to those who must navigate restrictions on expressing their faith in the workplace, but still live by God's teachings.
Where the boss man and the government say they can't share their faith
There are limitations and prohibitions on expressing one's faith in certain work or government settings.
But they know all too well they'll lose their job if they get caught
Those who express their faith openly in the workplace face the risk of disciplinary action or termination.
But to win a soul for Jesus, they will risk it all because
Despite potential negative consequences, those who deeply believe in God are willing to take risks to share his message with others.
In the God of all creation, we put our faith and trust
Our belief and trust lies in God, the creator of all things.
And give our lives to You 'cause You gave Your life for us
We are willing to devote our lives to God, in recognition of the sacrifice he made for all humanity.
Everywhere we go
No matter where we are, we will carry God's message and values with us.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Major Bob Music, Inc. / Rio Bravo Music, Inc. / Castle Bound Music, Inc. / Hanna Bea Songs, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Michael Anthony Curtis, Randy Travis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind