Watch: Dolly Parton Honored With Star-Studded Opry 100 Tribute 2 Weeks After Her Husband’s Death
Randy Travis‘ legacy will last forever and ever.
Case in point: The country music superstar was honored with a special musical tribute helmed by Carrie Underwood during the Opry 100: A Live Celebration special March 20.
In a rare public appearance, Randy—who was diagnosed with aphasia, a neurological condition that affects the ability to process language, after suffering a near-fatal stroke in 2013—performed the closing note to his 1987 single “Forever and Ever, Amen.”
“I’m gonna love you forever and ever / Forever and ever, forever and ever,” Carrie sang as she approached Travis, who was seated in the audience at the iconic Grand Ole Opry auditorium in Nashville. “Forever and ever.”
As the American Idol judge moved the microphone toward Randy, the 65-year-old crooned, “Amen.”
The crowd quickly erupted into a standing ovation, with Randy’s wife Mary Travis looking visibly emotional as she applauded.
After all, Randy “can’t sing his own songs now,” according to Mary.
“Aphasia has taken a lot of Randy’s speech and, of course, the singing away,” she told Women’s World in 2023. “Oftentimes people think that Randy’s stuck up or won’t talk, but that’s not the truth. It’s just that he can’t, and I want people to understand that Randy understands everything, it’s just that he can’t communicate as effectively as he once did.”
Still, Randy—who also had to learn how to walk again in the wake of his stroke—poured his energy into music. Last year, he released “Where That Came From,” a song he recorded aided by AI technology.
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Now, he is gearing up for his Forever and Ever, Amen! biopic, which will star country singer Clay Walker, as well as his upcoming More Life Tour with his original band and special guest vocalist James Dupré.
“The More Life Tour celebrates something so much more than a musical moment in time,” he shared in a statement earlier this month. “It’s a gift to me to spend time with my fans, and my band, as James Dupré perfectly presents the songs that best define my career.”
To see Randy and more stars at the Opry 100, keep reading…
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