Editing Randy Travis (section)

==Musical style==
Travis is noted as a key figure in the [[neotraditional country]] movement, a shift in mainstream country music sound toward a more traditional style after the [[country pop]] crossovers of the early 1980s. Brian Mansfield wrote in AllMusic that "At a time when most were still pursuing the pop-oriented sound of the ''[[Urban Cowboy]]'' craze, Travis's strong, honest vocal style and relatable songs of everyday life helped launch the New Traditionalist movement".<ref name="allmusic"/> In the ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Country Music'', Colin Larkin wrote that Travis "was the first modern performer to demonstrate that country music could appeal to a wider public, and perhaps [[Garth Brooks]] owes him a debt."<ref name="virgin"/> Alanna Nash similarly stated that Travis was a "standard bearer" for the genre's shift toward neotraditional country through later acts such as Brooks and [[Clint Black]], whom she stated "immediately began to surpass Travis at the awards shows and in record stores."<ref name="nash lonesome"/> Regarding his physical appearance, Gary Graff stated that "his hunkish, weight-pumping good looks have established a physical sexuality that had been missing from many of country's male stars."<ref name="graff"/>

[[File:Joshua Otis Turner.jpg|thumb|left|Josh Turner (pictured in 2010) cites Travis as an influence.|alt=Josh Turner strumming an acoustic guitar]]

Writing for AllMusic, Mansfield found influences of [[Merle Haggard]] and [[George Jones]] in Travis's singing voice,<ref name="allmusic"/> and Mark A. Humphrey compared his voice to Lefty Frizzell on the same site.<ref name="storms of life"/> Nash called his voice a "glass-rattling [[baritone]]".<ref name="nash lonesome"/> Cusic found influences of [[Waylon Jennings]] and [[Ernest Tubb]] in tracks from ''Storms of Life'', highlighting conventionally country lyrical themes of "lost love" in "1982" and infidelity in "Reasons I Cheat".{{sfn|Cusic|1990|page=99}} Critics have also noted Lehning's long-time role as Travis's producer, with Jurek stating in a review of ''High Lonesome'' that the "production is unobtrusive and clean, setting Travis in perfect balance with a band that feels live."<ref name="jurek high"/> In a review for Country Standard Time, Karlie Justus referred to Travis as having a "trademark baritone" and "steel [guitar]-laced, storytelling catalog."<ref name="justus"/> Robert L. Doerschuk said that Travis has a "familiar unforced, relaxed style".<ref name="robert"/> Reviewing ''You and You Alone'', Jeffrey B. Remz wrote that "He generally remains tried and true to his roots dishing out ballads with his usual great vocal phrasing...Travis doesn't rush through the songs, delivering them in a passionate, understated singing style".<ref name="remz alone"/> Of his shift to gospel music at the beginning of the 21st century, Erlewine wrote that such albums were "fruitful, producing a series of good, heartfelt records, yet they also had a nice side effect of putting commercialism way on the back burner, as the gospel albums were made without the charts in mind".<ref name="bend"/>

Travis has been cited as an influence on later generations of singers. Travis and Hatcher booked [[Daryle Singletary]] as an opening act and member of their touring band after hearing his vocals on the demo of "An Old Pair of Shoes", and he would often join Travis in this capacity to sing "It's Just a Matter of Time". After Singletary signed a recording contract with [[Giant Records (Warner)|Giant Records]] in 1995, Travis co-produced Singletary's [[Daryle Singletary (album)|self-titled debut album]].{{sfn|Travis|Abraham|2019|pages=135, 136}} Nash referred to Singletary as a "protégé" of Travis's with a "sonorous baritone".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ew.com/article/1998/03/06/aint-it-truth/ | title=''Ain't It the Truth'' | publisher=Entertainment Weekly | date=March 6, 1998 | accessdate=January 20, 2024 | author=Alanna Nash}}</ref> [[Josh Turner]] cites Travis as an influence, and said that "Diggin' Up Bones" was the first song he performed in public. The two collaborated in 2006 on the show ''CMT Cross Country''.{{Sfn|Travis|Abraham|2019|page=159}} Travis contributed a guest vocal to Turner's cover of "Forever and Ever, Amen" on his 2020 covers album ''[[Country State of Mind (album)|Country State of Mind]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/country-state-of-mind-mw0003396588 | title=''Country State of Mind'' | publisher=AllMusic | accessdate=January 20, 2024 | author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref> Turner and [[Chris Janson]] both cited "Diggin' Up Bones" as an influence when interviewed for a 2017 tribute concert.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tasteofcountry.com/randy-travis-tribute-concert-stars-remarks/ | title=Country Stars Celebrate Randy Travis' 'Timeless' Legacy Backstage at Tribute Concert | publisher=Taste of Country | date=February 9, 2017 | accessdate=January 20, 2024 | author=Cillea Houghton}}</ref> Justus also noted Turner as a successor to Travis in a review of ''Anniversary Celebration'', where she also thought the themes of musical aspiration in "A Few Ole Country Boys", originally a duet with George Jones, were a "full circle moment" when Travis sang the same song with [[Jamey Johnson]].<ref name="justus"/>