Booklist Reviews
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. Copyright 2019 Booklist Reviews.
Publishers Weekly Reviews
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