Randy Travis just released his first album of nothing-but-new material in 18 years. Same Old Way is a project his fans wouldn’t risk dreaming of after his 2013 stroke.
It’s remarkably dynamic, and there’s a reason for that. Travis recorded these 12 new songs between 1986 and 2013. That’s 27 years of physical and emotional change as he shed the new artist label and became an icon.
He’s confident in some places, vulnerable in others. There are songs of faith that almost surely came from his early 2000s dive into Christian and gospel music.
Others recall the glossy shine popular in the mid-’80s, while one or two rely on blues influences a casual fan may have never explored. Find Same Old Way wherever you stream music.
We recommend starting with these three songs:
“Mission of Love” (Written by Larry Cordle and Leslie Satcher)
Sonically, “Mission of Love” is a good ol’ fashioned country waltz. Travis does those vocal bends he and Keith Whitley became so famous for. It’s vintage Randy Travis even before you get to the story he’s telling.
That story is what makes the new song unique. He’s a father bringing his little girl to her mother, a woman this singer clearly thinks very little of post-breakup. Her sins aren’t clear, but it’s enough to build a wall of resentment.
Travis is not a father, but more broadly speaking this is the kind of song you’re used to hearing from a female voice. Depending on when it was recorded, “Mission of Love” was ahead of its time. That may be why it stayed in the vault.
“Same Old Way” (Written by Kyle Lehning and Randy Travis)
The album’s title track is a Chicago blues song, plain and simple. Travis’s voice has the ache, and he finds a team of musicians to pick a guitar clean.
He’s no Buddy Guy, but who is? This song serves as a reminder that — like so many great artists — Travis was more than just the songs he released.
“Fish On” (Randy Travis, Ron Avis)
There are two, very different songs about fishing on Same Old Way, but this country-picker is the better of them. Travis’ voice moves around like fingers on a guitar neck, never straining and always in control.
It’s a simple lyric about the joys of fishing (written with his bus driver), and it’s the sort of two-stepper missing in 2026.
Honorable Mention: The smokey “Just Read the Signs” will catch you off guard, but “There’s No Getting Over You” gets the nod for honorable mention. This heartbreaker would have made a great duet in any decade. It’s recorded like an American standard, with the singer having no trouble selling his hurt.
See 50 Essential ’80s Country Songs
It’s 50 country songs from the 1980s, from 50 different 80s artists. Check out this list of essential 80s country music, curated by the Taste of County team.
