Randy Travis emerged on the country scene in 1982 using his real name, Randy Traywick. Shortly after independently releasing an album, he was signed by Warner Music Nashville and just a few short years later, he was a full-fledged country star.
Since his Warner Music Nashville debut album Storms of Life, he’s released 20 studio albums, charted over 50 singles on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, with 16 reaching the numbe rone spot.
He was a force to be reckoned with in the neotraditional country movement, which included Alan Jackson, Clint Black, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Patty Loveless, and many more.
While he has a long list of songs in his catalog, these five stand out to us as his best work. Let’s take a look at Randy Travis’ top five songs that you need to listen to today!
1. “I Told You So”
Travis released “I Told You So” in 1988 and went straight to number one on the country charts. 20 years later, American Idol star Carrie Underwood released her own version of the song and a few months after that, they teamed up in 2009 for a duet version of the song. Watch them perform it on American Idol in the video above.
2. “Three Wooden Crosses”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk_baoz2Ixg
In 2002, Travis released “Three Wooden Crosses,” which went on to win Song of the Year at the CMA Awards and a Dove Award for Country Song of the Year from the Gospel Music Association.
The song, which is highly regarded as Travis’ most inspiring, was written by Kim Williams and Doug Johnson. Although it is an upbeat song, it is an emotional one that makes you think, especially with the lyrics, “I guess it’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you/It’s what you leave behind you when you go.”
3. “Forever And Ever, Amen”
Randy Travis was well on his way to becoming a country star when he released “Forever and Ever, Amen” as a single in March 1987. With two number one songs under his belt already, fans began expecting great music from the baritone singer, and boy, did he deliver.
“Forever And Ever, Amen” won the GRAMMY for Best Country & Western Song and an ACM Award for Song of the Year. Almost 30 years after its release, Travis took the CMA Awards stage to sing part of the song, leaving most of the audience, and us at home, in tears.
It marked one of his first times singing since his tragic stroke in 2013.
Watch the emotional CMA moment below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WJKTU602Gs
4. “On The Other Hand”
Keith Whitley first recorded “On The Other Hand” for his 1985 album L.A. to Miami, but Travis included his own version on his 1986 album Storm of Life and released it as a single in June 1985, where it peaked at number 67.
After re-releasing it as a single in April 1986, it became his very first number one single in both the United States and Canada.
5. “Diggin’ Up Bones”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkK9TY_YiV0
There are so many reasons why this song is included on this list. It was a number one song, included on Travis’ number one album Storms of Life, and it is an all around incredible song written by Paul Overstreet, Al Gore, and Nat Stuckey.
Which Randy Travis song is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!