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The pastor will sometimes request certain songs because a lot of the pastors actually do listen to some country radio. So they're familiar with some of the hits from years back.

Are you ever asked to not sing those old songs?

Pickin' and grinnin'

Travis: No. From the beginning there hasn't been anything negative, anywhere. It has been complete and total acceptance. It is sort of surprising, how wonderfully the Christian community has accepted us. We've been treated like we are a part of that family from day one.

You've also done some acting. Any new movies coming up?

Travis: I have a couple of scripts. It just depends on if the timing works out right. If the right kinds of things come along and they seem like they would be fun to work on, yeah, I'll do them.

Compared to the acting business, the music business looks totally sane. I've gone to work on shows when they've not even finished casting and the writing's not been finished. I'll get rewrites under the door at 11:30 at night when I'm just about to go to sleep. So that business is crazy.

Critics have given harsh reviews of your films. So, with all your musical giftedness, why even bother with acting?

Travis: [Laughs] Here's how it started. There was a performance for troops coming home from the Gulf War, and Andy Griffith was on the show that night. I love the old Andy Griffith Show, so I just had to meet him. And my wife said, "Randy would love to do one of the Matlock episodes with you."

I had so much fun doing [Matlock], I wanted to do some other jobs. Believe me [laughs], I don't see myself as an actor. For me acting is just trying to figure out how. The things I've had the most fun with are things like working with Andy because I thought so much of him.

Country music seems to be experiencing a new wave of traditionalists, many directly influenced by your music. What wisdom do you hope to hand down to this younger generation?

Travis: Do what you love. My producer, Kyle Lehning, said to me, "I wanna help you make the best records that we can make. But ultimately it's you singing the songs every night on the stage. So if you don't love it, don't do the song." Call it wisdom if you want. It's just common sense to me.

On a personal level, try and find the time away from constantly working. For quite a few years, when we would take time off it was something that we had to do just to recuperate. So, find some rest time and enjoy doing things other than focusing non-stop on work, because life is short.

You're turning 50 this year, but I'm not sure if you want to publicize that.

Travis: [Laughs] I don't care. I'll be fifty on May 4. I can do anything I could do at 16—it just hurts a little bit more.

How have your perspectives changed over the years?

Travis: After having 20-plus years and the number of singles, hits, albums—all that combined—that you can look back on, that you can sing to a live audience, there's a comfort level there even if I never had another hit, I'd be fine.

But at the same time there's a competitive thing that still makes me want to record the best albums we can—and shoot for getting airplay. Christian radio's probably never going to play me because it's more pop-oriented music, and I'm not even in the ballpark. [Laughs]

What about life perspectives?

Travis: I'm far more at peace with myself, just having come to know more and more of the Word of God, and that assurance that I will spend eternity in heaven. There were a lot of drugs, alcohol and fighting at such a young age. I didn't know any peace of mind, so I had a lot of growing in that area to do.

It's nice to feel that peace of everything, in everything.

Read more on Randy Travis at our artist page.

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