Passing Through (CD - 2004)

Personnel: Randy Travis (vocals); Dan Dugmore (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar); Steve Gibson (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, gut-string guitar); Al Anderson (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, resonator guitar); Larry Beaird (acoustic guitar); John Jorgenson (electric guitar, slide guitar); Johnny Hiland, Kyle Lehning (electric guitar); Charlie McCoy (harmonica); John Jarvis (piano, electric piano, Hammond b-3 organ, Wurlitzer organ); Gordon Mote (piano); Tony Harrell (Hammond b-3 organ); David Hungate (bass instrument, upright bass); Viktor Krauss (upright bass); Kenny Malone (drums, tambourine, bells); Casey Wood (bass drum, tambourine); Dennis Linde, Lisa Silver, Vicki Hampton (background vocals); Pat Flynn (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Larry Franklin (fiddle); Paul Leim (drums); Eric Darken (percussion); Cindy Walker, Wes Hightower (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Kyle Lehning.

Recording information: Cartee Day Studios, Nashville, TN (09/2001-06/2004); Sound Emporium, Nashville, TN (09/2001-06/2004); The Electric Sandbox, Nashville, TN (09/2001-06/2004).

Photographer: Eric Swanson .

Well into his third decade as a country singer, Randy Travis continued to weather the changes in country music by remaining true to his own aesthetic. Travis was at the frontline of country's New Traditionalists in the 1980s, and, on 2004's PASSING THROUGH, he remains as roots-conscious as ever. For instance, the album's opening cut, the inspirational "Pick Up the Oars and Row," neatly splits the difference between Western Swing and barroom ballad, while the relatively up-tempo (Travis generally likes things slow and steady) "My Poor Old Heart" ventures into vintage George Jones honky-tonk territory. Travis retains one of the finest baritones in all of country music. On such ballads as the devotional "I'm Your Man" (not to be confused with the Leonard Cohen song of the same name) and the heart-on-a-sleeve "I Can See It in Your Eyes," he digs in deep to find every ounce of emotion in the song, twisting his captivating vocal chords around the melodies with an easy sense of mastery. That deceptively casual grace is the stuff of which true country legends are made. minimize