HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA - OCTOBER 24: Randy Travis appears during "A Heroes & Friends Tribute To Randy Travis" at Propst Arena in Von Braun Center on October 24, 2023 in Huntsville, Alabama. (Photo by David A. Smith/Getty Images)
Country star Randy Travis has returned to the music scene with his first new studio recording since a near-fatal stroke in 2013 robbed him of his voice.
Titled “Where That Came From,” the AI-assisted track dropped Friday on streaming platforms — one day before the country music crooner’s 65th birthday.
“Eleven years ago, I never thought I would be able to have a hand in music production of any kind, but by God’s grace and the support of family, friends, fellow artists, and fans, I’m able to create the music I so dearly love,” he captioned an in-studio Instagram video early Friday morning.
“Many thanks to my wonderful team and the best fans in the world for putting me back in the saddle again! I’ve enjoyed every moment of it,” Travis concluded.
The Scotty Emerick and John Scott Sherrill-penned love song is about longing for a rare find — a woman with “eyes like diamond” with a touch that told him he “was the one.”
According to CBS News, the new music was crafted using the seven-time Grammy winner’s past audio tracks paired with another singer and an AI program to overlay Travis’ voice.
The longtime Grand Ole Opry member, known for such songs as “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “Deeper Than the Holler,” released his debut album, “Storms of Life,” in 1986. Travis went on to record a total of 22 studio albums.
Though his 2013 stroke left him with aphasia and largely unable to speak or sing, Travis released a 35-year anniversary, remastered version of “Storms of Life” in 2021, featuring three never-before-heard tracks from his vault of unreleased music.
©2024 New York Daily News. Visit nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Originally published at New York Daily News