Randy Travis

Storms of Life
Author: Diane Diekman
The story of the music and the man
Cloth – $34.95
978-0-252-04666-7
eBook – $14.95
978-0-252-04798-5
Publication Date
Cloth: 06/24/2025
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About the Book

Randy Travis’s 1986 breakthrough put him at the forefront of Nashville’s new traditionalist sound and, in the words of Garth Brooks, saved country music. The singer’s warm baritone and all-time classic songs like “Forever and Ever, Amen” landed him atop the charts sixteen times. His cross-genre appeal brought a level of multiplatinum success that no country artist before him had ever achieved.

Diane Diekman’s biography follows the life and career of one of country music’s most beloved figures. Steered from a troubled path as a teen, Travis served a long apprenticeship under manager and future wife Lib Hatcher before being rejected by the Nashville music industry as “too country.” The single “On the Other Hand” and his smash debut album did away with the doubters and began a dominant four-year run that stretched into ongoing success as a recording artist, trailblazing live performer, and actor in film and television. Diekman uses dozens of interviews and extensive research to fill in the details of Travis’s pre-fame life and his enormous impact on country, popular, and gospel music. From there, she pivots to telling the story of the singer’s difficult divorce from Hatcher, subsequent problems with alcohol and run-ins with the law, and the challenges he overcame in the aftermath of a devastating 2013 stroke.

Informed by a wealth of new research and interviews, Randy Travis is the first in-depth biography of the country music legend.

About the Author

Diane Diekman is the author of Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins, winner of the Belmont Country Music Book of the Year Award, and Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story.

Reviews


Blurbs

“Who does not love Randy Travis? Randy has always been a favorite of mine. I love his records, his voice, and his tender heart. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Randy many times and I’ve always felt very close to him. I have always considered him a friend. I’ve watched Randy’s career and life through the years . . . the ups, the downs, personal and professional. And I have watched him continue on with grace and goodness. His music will live on as some of the greatest of all time.”--Dolly Parton

“The most in-depth Randy Travis bio to date. In addition to her deep dive into Travis’ life and career, Diekman also sheds light on the workings of the country music biz, as well as other performers in his music sphere. Her interviews with numerous sources, including musicians, family members, and Travis associates, make this a richly textured portrait.”--Holly George-Warren, author of Public Cowboy #1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry