Randy Travis Sings ‘Amazing Grace’ During Country Hall of Fame Induction [Watch]
Randy Travis shocked the audience at the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on Sunday night (Oct. 16) when he got up to sing "Amazing Grace." Video shows an absolutely quiet crowd coming to life to create a short singalong.
Of course, a standing ovation followed. Travis' wife, Mary, was by his side as he sang the familiar tune. According to the Tennessean, she asked those in attendance to sing with her 57-year-old husband. It's his first public performance of any kind since suffering a stroke in July 2013. The stroke limited his mobility and took his ability to speak, although he'd pledged to perform again one day.
Garth Brooks formally inducted Travis into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday. During his speech he joked that as you get older, things happen don't make as much sense. But on this night, for him, Travis joining him as a Country Hall of Fame member made perfect sense.
Fred Foster (Non-Performer category) and Charlie Daniels (Veterans Era category) were also inducted. Dolly Parton performed a song called "Dumb Blonde" from her Foster-produced first album, and Vince Gill inducted the 85-year-old.
ABC News reports that Jamey Johnson performed Daniels' song "Long Haired Country Boy," while Trace Adkins sang "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" with Andrea Zonn on fiddle. Brad Paisley sang a rendition of "Forever and Ever, Amen" in honor of Travis.
Alan Jackson had the honor of talking about the legend during the Nashville ceremony. He performed "On the Other Hand" before recalling the time he toured with the North Carolina native in the early '90s. Travis is widely credited for ushering in the return of traditional country music. Artists like Brooks, Jackson and Clint Black would follow.
See Randy Travis Through the Years:
Randy Travis' Most Unforgettable Moments Ever!