SkimIt
Country crooner Randy Travis is learning the hard way that you don’t mess with Texas. Charges were finally filed this week against the singer stemming from an August car accident where Travis was behind the wheel naked and belligerent. Without some careful lawyering here, the country veteran could find himself behind bars in 2013.
Rough Times
Even before the Texas incident, Travis has been having a tough time of it lately. He and his wife of nearly 20 years divorced in 2010, and in the divorce Randy lost not only his spouse but also his business guidance, as his wife was also his manager. He sued his former love, claiming breach of contract and damage to his career. In turn, she sought damages claiming that Travis had an armed guard and several other men take files from her office when he terminated their business relationship without notice. Clearly, they did not part ways amicably, and the only thing they seem to agree on is that Randy’s career is not going well.
Drinking and Fighting
This isn’t Randy’s first rowdy night, either. About a year ago, he was arrested after a drunken brawl, also in Texas. He later claimed that the incident was just a Super Bowl party gone wrong, but there were also indications that he may have been fighting with a current girlfriend’s husband. He had apparently vowed to marry his mistress as soon as they were both untangled from their respective marriages – perhaps the lady’s husband didn’t take that very well.
Career Troubles
After a successful country music career with twenty studio albums and numerous hits, Randy decided in 1997 that he should leave country music behind for his true calling, gospel music. Well, that hasn’t gone terribly well, and it has been largely radio silence for Randy since that decision. His side career as an actor has also hit the skids, and if he keeps racking up legal fees in addition to dividing his assets in the divorce, he may have financial concerns to add to his list of woes.
Looking to the Future
Randy’s legal mouthpiece claims that the singer is working with Texas authorities to resolve the current situation amicably, but there has been no real explanation offered as to why Travis was found naked on the side of the road after the accident. It’s a long road back to popularity from wearing a gray paper prison suit in Grayson, Texas, but if Randy cleans up his act, his fans may stick with him.
Still, it’s one thing for a cute young guy to go on a joyride, but Travis is over 50 and being drunk behind the wheel shows a reckless disregard for the safety of everyone on the road. Luckily, no one was hurt, but if Randy doesn’t stop this disturbing behavior, he may not be so lucky next time. His lawyer may be able to keep him out of jail for now, but it will take more than a few hummed hymns to salvage his career.
