Randy Travis Cuts The Ribbon As The Nashville Palace Reveals The Randy Travis Room
Catfish cook turned Country music trailblazer Randy Travis officially cut the ribbon on the newly dedicated Randy Travis Room at The Nashville Palace on Wednesday evening. The celebration also marked the 40th Anniversary of the release of his groundbreaking debut album, Storms of Life. The evening brought together longtime band members, rising country artists, and established performers of multiple genres who paid tribute to Travis by performing many of his greatest hits throughout the night.
The newly unveiled front room, now permanently designated as the Randy Travis Room, features photographs spanning Travis’s legendary career alongside a one-of-a-kind large-format vinyl record artwork honoring his legacy. The space will serve as a lasting tribute to one of country music’s most influential artists and celebrate the bond between Randy and The Nashville Palace, where his journey to stardom first began.
The evening marked a deeply full-circle moment for Randy, who had previously worked at the Nashville Place as a cook and dishwasher in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The young, struggling artist who was told he was “too country” for Nashville performed regularly between shifts at the Nashville Palace under his birth name, Randy Traywick, and later under the stage name Randy Ray. The live album Randy Ray Live At The Nashville Palace, funded by John A. Hobbs, owner of the Palace, led to his longtime record deal and partnership with Warner Brothers’ Martha Sharp and producer Kyle Lehning.
“Nashville Palace stage will continue to carry on the Randy Travis legacy of Great new talent. cherish Mary and Randy’s friendship along with his entire team,” said Barrett Hobbs.
The evening was led by Nashville Palace mainstay Becky Hinson and Randy’s longtime bandmate, Steve Hinson. The band included Randy’s longtime guitarist Rick “LD” Money, Dina Johnson, and Joe Spivey, with guest appearances by Randy bandmates Lance Dary, Bill Cook, and David Johnson.
Randy Travis’s impact knows no boundaries, having spanned generations and genres of music. As such, artists like Waka Flocka Flame, Drake Milligan, Kylie Frey, Walker Montgomery, Jacob Tolliver, Cassidy Daniels, James Dupré, Jeff Bates, Palmer Anthony, Dianne Sherril, Dalton Webb, Bobby Johnson, Cody Glenn Cox, and more showed up to pay tribute to the man. Singing many of his signature songs and other classic country favorites. A group all-sing of “Forever and Ever, Amen” topped the evening, featuring every artist in attendance as well as some of Randy’s longtime friends and band members.
Performances:
- James Dupré: “Diggin’ Up Bones” and “1982”
- Jacob Tolliver: “Honky Tonk Side of Town”
- Drake Milligan: “Storms of Life”
- Walker Montgomery: “There’ll Always Be a Honky Tonk Somewhere”
- Kylie Frey: “I Told You So”
- Jeff Bates: “Honky Tonk Moon” and “Horse Called Music”
- Palmer Anthony: “Better Class of Losers”
- Cassidy Daniels: “Delta Dawn” by Tanya Tucker
- …and more!
