Always & Forever (Randy Travis album)

Always & Forever
Always & Forever
Studio album by Randy Travis
Released	May 4, 1987
Recorded	1986 at StarGem and Audio Media – Nashville, TN
Genre	Country
Length	30:31
Label	Warner Bros. Nashville
Producer	Kyle Lehning
Randy Travis chronology
Singles from Always & Forever
	"Forever and Ever, Amen"; Released: March 1987; "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)"; Released: August 10, 1987; "Too Gone Too Long"; Released: December 7, 1987; "I Told You So"; Released: March 21, 1988;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
Los Angeles Times	^[2]
Robert Christgau	B^[3]

Always & Forever is the second studio album by country music singer Randy Travis. It was released on May 4, 1987, by Warner Bros. Records. Released from this album were the singles "Too Gone Too Long", "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)", "Forever and Ever, Amen" and "I Told You So", all of which reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. On the award-winning podcast Never Not Funny, it was revealed that the album was comedian Jimmy Pardo's second-favorite album of 1987, just behind Don Dixon's Romeo at Juilliard.

The track "What'll You Do About Me" has been covered by several artists, including single releases by Steve Earle, The Forester Sisters and Doug Supernaw. "I Told You So" was covered by Carrie Underwood as a duet with Travis on her 2007 album Carnival Ride, from which it was released as a single in January 2009.

Track listing[]

"Too Gone Too Long" (Gene Pistilli) – 2:26
"My House" (Al Gore, Paul Overstreet) – 2:54
"Good Intentions" (Marvin Coe, Merle Haggard and Randy Travis) – 3:37
"What'll You Do About Me" (Dennis Linde) – 2:38
"I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)" (Max D. Barnes and Troy Seals) – 3:12
"Forever and Ever, Amen" (Overstreet, Don Schlitz) – 3:31
"I Told You So" (Travis) – 3:40
"Anything" (Ronny Scaife and Phil Thomas) – 2:41
"The Truth Is Lyin' Next to You" (Susan Longacre, Kent Robbins) – 3:24
"Tonight We're Gonna Tear Down the Walls" (Jim Sales and Randy Travis) – 2:38

Production[]

Engineer Outboard Gear Service: Studio Equipment Rental (co owner: Pamela M Jones)

Personnel[]

Baillie & The Boys – background vocals
Russ Barenberg – acoustic guitar
Michael Brooks – background vocals
Dennis Burnside – keyboards
Larry Byrom – acoustic guitar
Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar
Jerry Douglas – dobro
Paul Franklin – pedabro
Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Doyle Grisham – steel guitar
Sherilyn Huffman – background vocals
David Hungate – bass guitar
Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson – harmonica
Dennis Locorriere – background vocals
Larrie Londin – drums
Terry McMillan – percussion, harmonica
Brent Mason – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Mark O'Connor – fiddle
Paul Overstreet – background vocals
Lisa Silver – background vocals
James Stroud – drums
Diane Tidwell – background vocals
Randy Travis – acoustic guitar, lead vocals
Jack Williams – bass guitar
Dennis Wilson – background vocals
Photography – Empire Studio (Scott Bonner/Ron Keith)

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

Chart (1987–88)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[4]	97
Canadian Albums (RPM)	16
US Billboard 200^[5]	19
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[6]	1

Year-end charts[]

Chart (1987)	Position
US Billboard 200^[7]	74
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[8]	7
Chart (1988)	Position
US Billboard 200^[9]	46
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[10]	1
Chart (1989)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[11]	9
Chart (1990)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[12]	15

Certifications[]


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[13]	5× Platinum	500,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[14]	5× Platinum	5,000,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes[]

Comedian Jimmy Pardo (Host of the award winning podcast Never Not Funny) named this his second favorite album of 1987.^[15]

References[]

^ Always & Forever at AllMusic
^ Hochman, Steve (May 3, 1987). "Hollow Homage". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
^ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Randy Travis". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 313. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Randy Travis Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "Randy Travis Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "Canadian album certifications – Randy Travis – Always And Forever". Music Canada. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ "American album certifications – Randy Travis – Always & Forever". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
^ NeverNotFunny : 2807 - Terry Carnation, retrieved April 2, 2021

[1] Always & Forever at AllMusic

[2] Hochman, Steve (May 3, 1987). "Hollow Homage". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[3] Christgau, Robert. "CG: Randy Travis". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[aus-4] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 313. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[ac_Billboard200_Randy_Travis-5] "Randy Travis Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[ac_BillboardCountry_Randy_Travis-6] "Randy Travis Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[7] "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[8] "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1987". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[9] "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[10] "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1988". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[11] "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1989". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[12] "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[CanadaRandy_TravisAlways_And_ForeveralbumCertRef-13] "Canadian album certifications – Randy Travis – Always And Forever". Music Canada. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[United_StatesRandy_TravisAlways_&_ForeveralbumCertRef-14] "American album certifications – Randy Travis – Always & Forever". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[15] NeverNotFunny : 2807 - Terry Carnation, retrieved April 2, 2021

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show v t Randy Travis
Albums Singles
Studio albums	Storms of Life Always & Forever Old 8×10 No Holdin' Back Heroes & Friends High Lonesome Wind in the Wire This Is Me Full Circle You and You Alone A Man Ain't Made of Stone Inspirational Journey Rise and Shine Worship & Faith Passing Through Glory Train: Songs of Faith, Worship, and Praise Around the Bend Anniversary Celebration Influence Vol. 1: The Man I Am Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am Precious Memories (Worship & Faith)
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits, Volume One Greatest Hits, Volume Two The Very Best of Randy Travis I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits of Randy Travis
Holiday albums	An Old Time Christmas Songs of the Season
Notable singles	"1982" "On the Other Hand" "Diggin' Up Bones" "No Place Like Home" "Forever and Ever, Amen" "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)" "Too Gone Too Long" "I Told You So" "Honky Tonk Moon" "Deeper Than the Holler" "Is It Still Over?" "Promises" "It's Just a Matter of Time" "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" "He Walked on Water" "A Few Ole Country Boys" (with George Jones) "Heroes and Friends" "Point of Light" "Forever Together" "Better Class of Losers" "I'd Surrender All" "If I Didn't Have You" "Look Heart, No Hands" "An Old Pair of Shoes" "Cowboy Boogie" "Before You Kill Us All" "Whisper My Name" "This Is Me" "The Box" "Are We in Trouble Now" "Would I" "Out of My Bones" "The Hole" "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" "Stranger in My Mirror" "A Man Ain't Made of Stone" "Baptism" "Three Wooden Crosses"
Other songs	"Singing the Blues" "Somewhere in My Broken Heart" "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)"

show v t CMA Album of the Year
1967−1970	There Goes My Everything (1967) Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison (1968) Johnny Cash At San Quentin (1969) Okie from Muskogee (1970)
1971-1980	I Won't Mention It Again (1971) Let Me Tell You About a Song (1972) Behind Closed Doors (1973) A Very Special Love Song (1974) A Legend in My Time (1975) Wanted! The Outlaws (1976) Ronnie Milsap Live (1977) It Was Almost Like a Song (1978) The Gambler (1979) Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
1981-1990	I Believe in You (1981) Always on My Mind (1982) The Closer You Get (1983) A Little Good News (1984) Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind (1985) Lost in the Fifties Tonight (1986) Always And Forever (1987) Born to Boogie (1988) Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two (1989) Pickin' on Nashville (1990)
1991-2000	No Fences (1991) Ropin' the Wind (1992) I Still Believe in You (1993) Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles (1994) When Fallen Angels Fly (1995) Blue Clear Sky (1996) Carrying Your Love with Me (1997) Everywhere (1998) A Place in the Sun (1999) Fly (2000)
2001-2010	O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2001) Drive (2002) American IV: The Man Comes Around (2003) When the Sun Goes Down (2004) There's More Where That Came From (2005) Time Well Wasted (2006) It Just Comes Natural (2007) Troubadour (2008) Fearless (2009) Revolution (2010)
2011-2020	My Kinda Party (2011) Chief (2012) Based on a True Story... (2013) Platinum (2014) Traveller (2015) Mr. Misunderstood (2016) From A Room: Volume 1 (2017) Golden Hour (2018) Girl (2019) What You See Is What You Get (2020)