Randy Travis appears at Grammys on the Hill, wife credits AI song for 'whole new energy'
WASHINGTON – Nearly 12 years ago, Randy Travis flatlined three times in the midst of a stroke.
The debilitating effects of the medical trauma left him mostly unable to speak and walk.
But the country singer whose career thrived from the '80s to the '00s with No. 1 hits including 'Diggin' Up Bones,' 'I Told You So' and 'Forever and Ever, Amen,' made an unexpected return to the charts in 2024 through the use of artificial intelligence.
'Where That Came From' was created using software to recreate Travis' distinctive twang and merge it with a 2011 recording of the song.
On Tuesday, Travis was hailed as the 2025 Creators Leadership Award honoree at the annual Grammys on the Hill event, which pairs the music industry with Congress to advocate for artists' rights.
The topic of AI – which also took the spotlight at last year's gathering – sparked conversation among musicians and producers including Pentatonix singer Scott Hoying, who hosted the event, singer/producer Kenyon Dixon and renowned producer/composer Giles Martin.
But while most discussions focused on the negative aspects of AI – stealing the vocals, notes and likenesses of public figures without permission – Travis represents a productive use of the technology.
With wife Mary Davis holding his arm, a bright-eyed Travis, who still struggles to walk and talk, said it felt 'wonderful' to be recognized while Davis expounded on Travis' return.
'It's so important for him to give back to music what music gave to him,' she said as the pair stood on the red carpet at The Hamilton in D.C. 'I wanted so bad to hear his voice again and when we had the opportunity, not only did I want to do it selfishly, but to see him at the soundboard working elbow to elbow with his producer, there was a whole new energy out of Randy.'
Travis is expected to be on Capitol Hill Wednesday to help reintroduce the bipartisan No FAKES Act (Nurture Originals, Foster Art and Keep Entertainment Safe). First proposed in 2023 by Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del.; Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., the legislation has been tweaked and aims to protect Americans from deepfakes and voice clones, allow platforms to promptly remove unauthorized deepfakes and protect First Amendment use for news reporting and satire.
Along with Travis, Reps. Linda Sánchez, D-Calif., and Ron Estes, R-Kan., were also honored for their efforts to assist independent artists with the HITS Act (Help Independent Tracks Succeed), which allows tax relief for the cost of sound recordings.
The 90-minute event featured performances from several artists including Paul Overstreet, who co-wrote 'Forever And Ever, Amen' and urged the crowd of about 200 to sing along as he played guitar; soul/gospel singer DOE, who moved listeners with her tender ode to a friend in need, 'I'm So Glad We Met'; and Hoying, who ended the night with an impressive medley of 20 songs that won Record of the Year at the Grammys, including the Eagles' 'Hotel California' and Roberta Flack's 'Killing Me Softly With His Song.'
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Randy Travis represents a positive use of AI at Grammys on the Hill
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