Even as Randy Travis clings to life in a North Texas hospital, his spartan brand of country music feels like a thing of the past. At the very least, it's hard to imagine songs like "Forever and Ever, Amen" or "Deeper Than the Holler" ever crying out for a "Cruise"-style remix. Or the North Carolina-bred adopted North Texan ever indulging in inane nonsense like Blake Shelton's "Boys 'Round Here." Coupled with his remarkably expressive, melodious, baritone-trending tenor, Travis' catalog is full of elegance, dignity and -- long before his successful crossover into more overtly Christian country music -- grace. Even his cheating songs ("On the Other Hand") sound classy. Each boasting...
↧