Randy Bruce Traywick, best known to the world as Randy Travis, is an American country music singer, gospel singer, and songwriter. He was born on May 4, 1959, in Marshville, North Carolina to a hardworking middle-class family. Ever since he was young, Travis has always had a troubled relationship with his family. While his father encouraged his musical career, they often quarreled, which resulted in Travis dropping out of school and pursuing music full-time.
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In 1975, 17-year-old Travis won a singing contest at a nightclub and caught the eye of the owner, Elizabeth “Lib” Hatcher. The latter then hired him as a cook and gave him a sideline job as a singer for the club. As the young musician’s encounters with the law piled up, Hatcher managed to convince a judge to place Travis under her custody. She then became his manager and helped him forge his country music career.
From his debut in 1978 until his stroke in 2013, Travis was an active singer and musician and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He has released 20 studio albums with at least 50 hit singles on the Billboard charts. Travis is also credited with “saving country music” thanks to his groundbreaking 1980s album “Storms of Life”. The country singer has won seven Grammy Awards, ten AMA Awards, and 11 ACM Awards.
Travis’ private life is just as eventful as his professional career. With two very public marriages, a cheating scandal, and countless lawsuits, fans are spared no details when it comes to the country singer’s relationships. Aside from his tumultuous romances, there’s also the question of Travis’ sexuality. So, is Randy Travis gay? Here’s what the singer has to say.
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The Country Singer’s Controversial Relationships and Sexuality
Randy Travis has only been married twice with both relationships being embroiled in scandal. He was first married to his former manager, Elizabeth Hatcher, before their bitter divorce in 2010. Travis then married his second wife, Mary Davis, in 2013. Here’s a quick recap of how it went down, including a very scandalous affair.
Randy Travis and Elizabeth Hatcher (1982-2010)
Travis was only 17 years old when he met Hatcher, who was then 33 years old. After winning a singing contest, Hatcher took Travis under her wing to build his professional career. She then became his manager and legal guardian, eventually leaving her husband and moving to Nashville with the aspiring singer to pursue his dreams.
After their move to Nashville, the pair’s personal relationship developed. Although the rumor mill caught wind of their affair, it wasn’t until 1991 that Travis announced that they had been married. This was after the National Enquirer published a report claiming that the country singer was gay and that his link to Hatcher was platonic. Travis was outraged and wasn’t shy when it came to sharing his thoughts about the piece.
Yeah, I’ve heard that I’m supposed to have AIDS, that I’m supposed to be gay, that I’m supposed to be seeing Dolly Parton, all this ridiculous stuff. You know, you try not to let that stuff bother you, and usually it doesn’t. I figure, I’ve got a good life. I’ve got my cows and horses and I’m happy, so let ’em talk.”
Randy Travis to Greensboro, 1991
In the same interview, Travis expressed his frustrations about wanting to sue the publication.
The only thing that really made me mad was when that gay article came out. I was so mad that I actually thought about going to their office, to confront them in person. I wanted to sue them so bad, but my lawyer talked me out of it. They had the article worded in such a way that it would be hard to sue them, so we just let it drop.”
Randy Travis to Greensboro, 1991
Despite their controversial age gap, Travis credited Hatcher with keeping him from spiraling down due to drugs and alcohol. She managed his career until their divorce was settled in 2011.
Randy Travis and Mary Davis (2013-Present)
Travis and Davis’ relationship is especially scandalous due to the fact that the latter was the main cause for the breakdown of the singer’s first marriage. According to reports, Hatcher was suspicious that Travis was having an affair, so she installed a spy camera on his tour bus. She then discovered that her instincts were right and Travis was sleeping with Mary Davis, who was also married and had two children.
The affair was all over the front-page news and was the center of the divorce filings between Travis and Hatcher. Although the public was judgmental of Davis, she soon proved that she was in it for the long haul. When Travis suffered a massive stroke in 2013, she stood by his side and nursed him back to health. The couple then exchanged vows during a private ceremony in 2015.
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Randy Travis On Drugs And The Law
When it comes to his misdeeds, Travis is open about his experiences and repents for his past wrongdoings. According to the singer, his drug addiction was so bad that he often resorted to burglaries to fund his fix. In a 1991 interview, he talked candidly about the struggles in his youth.
You can’t believe how many drugs there were in Marshville and how easy they were to get. and I did anything I could get my hands on: PCP, MDA, LSD, THC. I had a mean streak and a terrible, terrible temper that I inherited from my dad, but we’ve both gained control over it through the years.”
Randy Travis to Greensboro, 1991
Travis also shared his gratitude that cocaine wasn’t around during his time. The singer believed that his fear of needles and not dealing with crack is what probably saved him from self-destruction.
While the country singer was able to overcome his drug addiction, it wasn’t as easy to let go of alcohol. As recent as 2012, Travis was apprehended by police officers for intoxication and multiple counts of public indecency. He also threatened an officer, which led to his arrest. The singer eventually pleaded guilty to the charges and received two years’ probation.
Is Randy Travis Gay?
No, Randy Travis is not gay. There were rumors of his sexuality circulating in the early 90s, but the singer directly denied them by announcing his marriage to his manager, Elizabeth Hatcher. The couple divorced in 2011 and Travis went on to marry his affair partner, Mary Davis. He is assumed to be straight and his views on the LGBTQ community are unknown.