On this day in 2016, Randy Travis gave a performance that will forever be etched in country music history. As he stood on stage during his Country Music Hall of Fame induction, the room fell silent when he began to sing “Amazing Grace.”
On this day (October 16) in 2016, Randy Travis took his rightful place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. The induction was a highlight in a legendary country music career. In the three decades leading up to that night, Travis had 23 No. 1 singles, six No. 1 albums, and won dozens of awards including multiple Grammys.
Three years before being inducted into the CMHoF, Travis suffered a major stroke that nearly took his life. Fortunately, he survived. However, the stroke left him with aphasia, robbing him of his ability to speak, sing, or play guitar among other limitations. He didn’t let those limitations crush his spirit, though. He committed to years of intensive therapy to regain as much of his voice as possible. As a result, he was able to sing “Amazing Grace” during the Medallion Ceremony, leading to one of the most touching and triumphant moments in country music history.
Garth Brooks performed “Three Wooden Crosses” before officially inducting Travis into the Hall of Fame with a moving speech highlighting his achievements in country music including turning the genre “180 degrees back to where it came from and made it bigger than it has ever been before.”
Randy Travis Inspires with “Amazing Grace”
Even after years of therapy, Randy Travis still couldn’t form sentences. However, he had partially regained his ability to sing. His wife, Mary Travis took the podium to give a short speech before passing him the microphone.
“Randy stared death in the face and death blinked,” she said of his steely resolve. “Today, God’s proof of a miracle stands before you,” she said in part.
Silence filled the room as Travis took the microphone and began to sing “Amazing Grace.” While his voice was not as clear as it once was, his baritone was still as moving as ever. As he sang, Mary stood at his side beaming, a combination of pride, and love painted across her face for the world to see.
In that moment, Travis proved he was more than an award-winning recording artist who helped to usher in a movement of traditional country music. He proved that the fire inside him to keep pushing forward was stronger than death or medical setbacks and that his greatness and importance to the country music world couldn’t—and still can’t—be measured by hits, RIAA certifications, or awards. Nearly a decade later, Randy Travis continues to inspire people to fight for their dreams, no matter what stands in their way.
