COUNTRY HUNKS GO HOLLYWOOD: Randy Travis

"The last three months have been the busiest ever for me," says a slightly tired Randy Travis calling from the set of his latest film "Texas Rangers", "but I have to say it's more than satisfying. It's a 19th Century western, filmed in Calgary, Canada and also stars James Van Der Beek and Dylan McDermott. I get to do a lot of battle and horseback riding scenes, real action stuff, lots of fun."

"From here I go to Mississippi to work on an indie film, "Major Remo" (with Charlton Heston) about General Custer's cowardly aide de camp, and then out every weekend to do shows, mostly in the U.S. It's been a hectic three months."

Travis is someone who's been known more for his traditional country sound, but acting was always a dream hanging in the wings.

"I started acting in "Matlock" after I asked Andy Griffith if I could give it a shot." Travis continues. " I was a big fan of his and that was a thrill. I enjoyed it, did more TV--"Touched By An Angel", a Christmas movie--then I got an agent who goes after these parts for me now. None of this was planned, but I did always want to do westerns. I grew up riding horses and listening to country music, so it seemed like a good dream career to me to be a singing cowboy."

"So now I have three movies finished that haven't come out including this upcoming film "White River Kid" with Antonio Banderas, Ellen Barkin, Lily Tomlin and Bob Hoskins. Hoskins is hysterical, you have to hear this funny English guy do a southern accent. It's an off the wall comedy, I play a small town sheriff. I'm trying to write some for the soundtrack too."

"It's all good now but when I started I did get opposition, I wanted a part in "Apollo 13", but they wouldn't let me read for it. They thought that just because I could sing that I probably couldn't act. A singing career may get your foot in the door but it doesn't get you the job by any means. But I kept at it with small parts and built it up."

"I don't know where all this is going. I hope to write a lot more but I obviously want to stay out on the road playing shows. That's the ultimate payoff for me. There's nothing like walking out in front of a full audience. I'm happy with the music and I'm happy that we're still able to go out and sell concert tickets after 13 years. I'm also happy with the acting since I've reached the point where I'm able to go out and get jobs in movies that actually have budgets."

Even the music didn't come as easy for Travis, who paid dues in 5 years of gigging in North Carolina, then 5 more in Nashville at the Nashville Palace alternating between washing dishes and taking the stage to sing. In 1986, his landmark album "Storms of Life" came out. It was the end of the Urban Cowboy era, and the start of Travis's "New Traditionalist" one.

"The expression makes sense if you break it down. We were new to the business, and traditional business was all we were doing. I just wanted to sing country music, and I had been turned down by every label in Nashville for ten years because I was a traditional singer and they thought it wouldn't sell. I have never in 14 years recorded something because somebody at al label said 'This is what you should do' I've only done what I wanted to do. I'm very happy and proud to say that because I don't think everybody in the business can."

by Sandra Schulman

...

......

...

...
...
Randy Travis Film
Texas Rangers
relaease date unscheduled. Watch for it!

Record
A Man Ain't Made of Stone
(9/21/99), DreamWorks Records