Inside Randy Travis' Health Journey After Suffering a Near-Death Stroke in 2013

Emily Blackwood, Samantha StutsmanTue, April 7, 2026 at 3:48 PM UTC

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Randy Travis in 1988; Randy Travis in 2024.Credit: Oscar Abolafia/TPLP/Getty; Jason Kempin/Getty -

Randy Travis suffered a stroke in 2013, leaving him unable to speak or sing

Travis' wife, Mary Travis, is his primary caretaker

The country singer is currently on a multi-city tour that began in 2025 and has extended into 2026

Randy Travis has never let his health issues extinguish his love for music.

The Grammy Award-winning country artist suffered a stroke in July 2013 after being hospitalized for presumptive cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure. Randy's wife, Mary Travis, explained to PEOPLE in May 2019 that the entire “speaking, writing and reading” section of his left brain was affected by the stroke, a condition known as aphasia.

"I could understand what Mary said to me, but I could not respond in anything close to a sentence," Randy wrote in his 2019 memoir Forever and Ever, Amen: A Memoir of Music, Faith and Braving the Storms of Life. “All this was extremely frustrating for me; I felt like I was trapped inside the shell of my body."

Though he never officially retired from country music, Randy's condition left him unable to perform as he once had, requiring him to relearn basic skills, according to Mary. Over time, his prognosis steadily improved — and he has since returned to releasing music and touring alongside his original band. In April 2026, the country star shared an Instagram video of a particularly moving tour moment, in which he can be seen in a wheelchair, pushed onto the stage to a standing ovation.

This year, a biopic about his life — starring Clay Walker as Randy — is slated for release.

Here’s everything to know about Randy Travis' health journey.

What happened to Randy Travis?

Randy Travis onstage at the American Giving Awards on December 7, 2012 in Pasadena, California.Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty

On July 6, 2013, Randy went to the emergency room after he experienced trouble breathing and was diagnosed with walking pneumonia, per The Tennessean. The following morning, he told Mary that he couldn’t “breathe at all.”

When the singer returned to the hospital, both of his lungs had filled with fluid, and he later flatlined. Doctors revived Randy and put him on life support with a diagnosis of a viral heart infection called cardiomyopathy. The couple later theorized that he had picked up the virus five weeks earlier while filming a movie in an old chemical and feed store in Louisiana.

It wasn’t until Randy woke up from his coma two days later that his doctors realized he had also had a stroke. Life-saving surgery was required, and Mary was told that her husband’s chances of survival were slim.

“At this point, the 1 to 2 percent chance is 100 percent chance over zero,” Mary told The Tennessean. “I prayed hard, ‘God, please let me have him back, any way, shape or form.’ ”

The surgery was a success, but Randy wasn’t out of the woods. He spent close to six more months in hospitals and had three tracheotomies, two brain surgeries and dealt with a litany of other infections and procedures.

After switching doctors and being prescribed a more powerful antibiotic, he was finally able to go home in November 2013.

What was Randy Travis diagnosed with?

Randy Travis attends the 2019 Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony on October 20, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee.Credit: Terry Wyatt/Getty

Randy was initially diagnosed with presumptive cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

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Because of his stroke, the country star was later diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that significantly impacts a person’s speech. Mary told the Houston Aphasia Recover Center in March 2021 that even though they were initially told Randy wouldn’t see much improvement in his ability to speak, he has continued to say “a new word or two words put together” every day.

Did Randy Travis retire?

American Country singer Randy Travis.Credit: Beth Gwinn/Redferns

Though his career was put on pause following his stroke in 2013, Randy never retired from country music. Only a year after his stroke, he released Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am, which was recorded in 2012, per Music Mayhem Magazine, and gave his first performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016.

In September 2019, Randy announced that he would return to touring, featuring guest vocalist James Dupré as the lead of his band.

Where is Randy Travis now?

Randy Travis and Mary Travis attend Opry 100: A Live Celebration at Grand Ole Opry on March 19, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty

Randy's ability to walk and speak has greatly improved since his initial diagnosis in 2013, but he still uses a walker or a wheelchair to get around. Mary also assists him with speaking in interviews and at events.

In May 2024, he released his first single in over 10 years with the help of artificial intelligence. The song, “Where That Came From,” debuted at No. 45 on Billboard’s Country Airplay.

"I remember watching him when he first heard the song after it was completed. It was beautiful because at first, he was surprised, and then he was very pensive, and he was listening and studying," Mary told the of the making of the song. "And then he put his head down and his eyes were a little watery. I think he went through every emotion there was, in those three minutes of just hearing his voice again.”

Less than a year later, in March, Randy and Walker announced that a biopic of Randy’s life was in the works, titled Forever and Ever, Amen. Walker will portray the country icon and serve as an executive producer alongside Randy and Mary.

“This is what we prayed for — for somebody who would tell Randy’s life story just as he lived it,” Mary told PEOPLE.

Forever and Ever Amen is set for theatrical release in 2026.

Can Randy Travis still sing?

American Country singer Randy Travis plays guitar as he performs onstage on December 13, 1986 in Dallas, Texas.Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty

Though the stroke he suffered in 2013 severely impacted his speech, Randy has still found a way to sing. The country icon has utilized AI technology to recreate his voice and make new music.

During his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016, Randy performed a verse of “Amazing Grace.” He’s also sung the final “amen” of his hit song “Forever and Ever, Amen” live during multiple appearances on tour and with Carrie Underwood at the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th birthday celebration in March 2025.

Currently, Randy is traveling for the "More Life" tour with his original band and Louisiana country singer Dupré, who performs Randy's most iconic hits.

While Randy can’t perform like he once did, he still makes onstage appearances, interacts with the audience and spends time connecting with fans.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”