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Country Throwback: Randy Travis Performs ‘1982’ for Hank Williams Special in 1987

Thirty-four years ago country music legend, Randy Travis performed his song “1982” for a television special.

Travis performed the song to an enthusiastic crowd during the TNN special, Hank Williams Jr. And Friends. The song is about a man who realizes that he took the love of his life for granted. Now, she’s moved on and he’s left reminiscing about their time together in 1982. During the song, Travis sings, “It’s that same old lost love story. It’s sad but it’s true. There was a time when she was mine. In 1982.”

“1982” spent 24 weeks on the Hot Country Songs chart peaking in the number six spot. Travis released the song in 1985 as the second single from his album Storms of Life. 

Randy Travis Changed His Name To Honor His Favorite Country Artist

Born, Randy Traywick, Travis used his real name for a while. He even recorded a few singles under his birth name including, “Dreamin’” and “She’s My Woman.” However, the songs didn’t make it on the charts. Nevertheless, Travis continued making music. Soon, he changed his name to Randy Ray before settling on Randy Travis. Travis changed his name in honor of one of his musical heroes, country musician Merle Travis. Travis never got to work with Merle Travis who passed away in 1983 – two years before Randy achieved success with the new name. However, Travis worked with countless legendary country performers including George Jones and Hank Williams Jr.

Randy Is Still Releasing New Music

Sadly, Travis has not been able to record new music since he suffered a stroke in 2013 and lost most of his speech. However, he’s still finding ways to release music for fans. Most recently, Travis released the single, “Fool’s Love Affair.” Travis originally recorded the song in the early 80s but never released the song. Charlie Monk, who co-wrote the song, asked Travis if he could release the song a few years ago. However, no one could find the original recording. During an interview, Travis’s wife, Mary, shares the details.

“He looked for three years,” Mary said. “He said, ‘I turned everybody upside down in Nashville that I thought might have it.’ … Nobody had it,’” she said.

However, Monk found the recording last year while moving boxes. A day before sending a bunch of old boxes to the Country Music Hall of Fame, Monk tripped over the master recording the box and shook a few old recordings from the box. There, he found the master recording of “A fool’s Love Affair.”

The song was sent to Travis’s longtime producers for some modern adjustments. Travis released the song last year to appreciative fans.

“It’s a simple song where, after years without new material, fans hear a voice that’s so, so pure and true,” Mary said. 

“For it to all come together the way that it did, it’s kinda magical,” Mary said. “So many times it could’ve fallen through the cracks and disappeared,” she said.