Forever and Ever, Amen

April 15, 2019
Travis, country music Hall of Fame inductee, candidly traces his ascent to the heights of country music fame, his alcohol abuse, and his brush with death after a stroke in this down-to-earth debut. After winning a talent show in his native North Carolina in 1975, Travis headed to Nashville with Lib Hatcher, a club owner who recognized his talent, took him under her wing, and later became his wife and manager. Travis played around Nahsville and was discovered by country star Little Jimmy Dickens, who invited him to sing with him at the Grand Ole Opry. After a few lean years, Travis broke through with the 1986 album Storms of Life, and he quickly became a country music superstar. Starting in 2010, Travis suffered a series of personal setbacks, including a high-profile, contentious divorce; the revelation of poor financial management under Lib’s watch; a DUI arrest in 2012; and a stroke that almost killed him. After his stroke, Travis could no longer perform, but he writes of how his love of music stayed strong, and how he emerged with a renewed faith in God and love for others: “More than ever, I know my life is a gift. My future plans are simple. I’m going to love God forever. I’m going to love my friends and family forever.” Humble and inspiring, Travis tells a powerful story of his struggles and successes in this entertaining memoir.

May 1, 2019
Travis (born Randy Traywick) grew up listening to traditional country music, the son of a troubled father who turned violent when drunk and a good-natured mother who kept the family together. At first, Travis performed with his older brother, Ricky, before going on his own after Ricky went to prison. Travis admits that as teenagers, he and his brother were troublemakers, viewed as following in Daddy's footsteps. In this as told to memoir, Travis says he was rescued by an older woman who was his boss, then his manager, and then his wife until a difficult divorce. If not for her, he explains, he might have lived a life of petty crime and ended up wallowing in obscurity. Travis' music was initially turned down by the Nashville music establishment as being too country, yet at 27 he was installed as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. Travis writes honestly about his ups and downs as well as his serious health problems and closes on a hopeful note. For Travis' many fans and all who love country music.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)