Randy Travis “More Life” Documentary On The Way

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In 2012, producer and director Shaun Silva started working on a made-for-television special about Country Music Hall of Famer Randy Travis. Little did he know that while the project was ongoing, Randy Travis would go through a series of health issues in 2013 that ultimately resulted in a debilitating stroke, taking away most of Randy’s ability to speak and sing, and almost taking his life.

After the health setback, the TV special was initially shelved. But now Shaun Silva has revitalized the project, chronicling the life and career of Randy Travis leading right up to his stroke, his life after, and his career before. Called More Life, distribution for the film is expected to be announced in early 2022.

One of the features that makes the film remarkable is that it captures Randy Travis in the final moments of his career right before the stroke. Hours of performances and interviews were collected, including the last footage of Randy Travis performing signature hits such as “Deeper Than The Holler,” Diggin’ Up Bones,” “Three Wooden Crosses,” and some of Randy’s last moments before he was impaired by the stroke.

Along with Randy and his wife Mary appearing in the film, Warner Music Nashville executive Martha Sharp who gave Randy his first record deal also makes an appearance. So does Randy’s longtime producer Kyle Lehning, who was on hand at a pre-screening of the film recently at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“When we made the first album, neither of us knew we were going to sell 5 million albums. Forty thousand was my target.” Lehning said in a panel discussion about Randy and the film. He also told the story of the time Travis charted on the pop charts. When he first heard about it, Randy was infuriated, and tried to get his name removed before being told it was only due to the chart cataloging all types of popular music.

“Randy Travis would have rather been a traditional country failure than he would have been a success in any other kind of music,” said Kyle Lehning.

But of course, the bigger focus of the film is the perseverance of Randy through his health issues, from doctors advising Mary in the hospital that they should just let him go, to battling back to continue to represent country music as an elder statesman.

“What he’s achieving right now goes way beyond a career,” said Shaun Silva. “This is the will and strength of a man to get better … It went from a TV music special to a documentary about the toughest man I’ve ever met in my life. That’s the story.”

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