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.
I'm Ready
Randy Travis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some live on borrowed time
But life is what you make it
Thank God I was so inclined
To accept my Lord and Savior
When the good news sunk in
He paid a heavenly price
By giving His life
I'm ready to go that distance
And God only knows when that might be
But oh, what joy waits up yonder
Once this old world sets me free
When there's no tomorrow
And glory has come down
Those without Jesus
Are lost and never to be found
So please listen when I'm talking
I'm just saying what needs to be said
Make plans while your still living
It's too late when your dead
I'm ready to go that distance
And God only knows when that might be
But oh, what joy waits up yonder
Once this old world sets me free
Oh, once this old world sets me free
In Randy Travis's song "I'm Ready," the singer reflects upon the truth that all our days are numbered and none of us know when our time will come to leave this world. While some may live on borrowed time, the singer is grateful that he was inclined to accept his Lord and Savior and recognizes the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. He expresses a desire to go home to Him and is ready to go that distance, not knowing when that will be. He believes that once he leaves this world and there is no tomorrow, those who have not accepted Jesus will be lost forever.
The overall message of the song is one of urgency and a call to action. The singer implores the listener to make plans while they are still living, as it is too late when they are already dead. He is not trying to be preachy, but needs to say what needs to be said in order to emphasize the importance of accepting Jesus and being prepared for the end of life.
One of the most interesting things about this song is that it was written by a non-Christian songwriter, Bob McDill, who was known for his work in the country music industry. Randy Travis was especially drawn to the lyrics and felt that they would resonate with his fans. The song was included on Travis's album "Full Circle," which was released in 1996.
Line by Line Meaning
All our days are numbered
We all have a finite amount of time to live
Some live on borrowed time
Some people may live longer than expected due to fortunate circumstances
But life is what you make it
Your life and experience is influenced by your choices and actions
Thank God I was so inclined
I am grateful that I had the desire and openness to accept Christianity as my religion
To accept my Lord and Savior
I have embraced Jesus Christ as my guide and savior
When the good news sunk in
When I fully comprehended the message of the gospel
He paid a heavenly price
Jesus sacrificed his life for the sake of humanity
By giving His life
Christ committed the ultimate act of selflessness by dying on the cross
And I can't wait to go home to Him
I am eagerly looking forward to being reunited with Jesus in the afterlife
I'm ready to go that distance
I am prepared for whatever happens in the future, including death
And God only knows when that might be
Only God can determine when my time on earth will end
But oh, what joy waits up yonder
I anticipate an immense amount of joy and bliss in heaven
Once this old world sets me free
Death will liberate me from the limitations and challenges of life
When there's no tomorrow
After I die, I will no longer be able to make choices or take action
And glory has come down
In heaven, I will be surrounded by immense splendor and radiance
Those without Jesus
Individuals who do not have a relationship with Christ
Are lost and never to be found
Without Christ, these people are forever disconnected from God
So please listen when I'm talking
I am sharing this message because I care for you and want you to understand the importance of Christianity
I'm just saying what needs to be said
I am expressing the truth about the necessity of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior
Make plans while your still living
It is crucial to take action and embrace Christ while still on earth
It's too late when your dead
After death, there is no longer an opportunity to make choices or take action regarding one's faith
Lyrics © Royalty Network, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Randy Travis, Ronald Eugene Avis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeremyorr9227
I love this album
@SunshineLuvsmusic
Me too... Every song is perfect.
@donnamarienoble372
a Billy Graham, song, with number one being "Just As I AM"
@SunshineLuvsmusic
I am certainly ready
@donnakirby8518
Beautiful song Co written by Randy.