Randy Travis marked a career milestone by releasing his first song in over a decade, "Where That Came From." The 64-year-old country music icon, who suffered a near-fatal stroke in 2013, released the tune on Friday, showing his unwavering passion for music.
Travis posted on Instagram about his thankfulness for returning to music creation. He said, that 11 years ago, he thought working again in music production would be impossible, "but by God's grace and the support of family, friends, fellow artists, and fans," Travis made music he "dearly" loved, per UPI.
Moreover, the music icon expressed his appreciation for Kyle Lehning and Warner Music Nashville, describing his collaboration with them as "special and nostalgic."
A Story of Perseverance
Travis' "Where That Came From" statement shows his perseverance. He has been recovering and rediscovering after his stroke, which left him with aphasia and hampered his communication. Rolling Stone reports that the song's composition may have involved AI technology.
Mary Travis, Travis's wife, said Cris Lacy, Warner Music Nashville co-president, proposed the proposal in a Zoom meeting last week. Randy and Mary Travis were excited when Lacy suggested utilizing AI to reproduce Travis's voice.
London developers created a customized AI model for the project. Longtime producer Kyle Lehning noted that the models included 12 and 42 vocal stems from Travis's 1985-2013 career. Lehning chose "Where That Came From," co-produced, to capture Travis's distinctive singing style.
After entering a demo vocal into the AI models, Lehning called the initial analysis "stunning," with the AI-generated performance approximating Travis's, as reported by AP News. To achieve realism, Lehning and engineer Casey Wood adjusted vibrato speed and phrasing to fit Travis's laid-back delivery.
In addition to his current album, Randy Travis and his wife Mary have engaged with fans and the music industry. She stressed the project's human element and the emotional impact of hearing Randy's voice again. She and Lacy expressed optimism about AI in music and sought to ensure that musicians retained control.
Travis is widely known for classics like "Forever and Ever, Amen," "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)," and "Too Gone Too Long."
Debates in The Music Industry on The Use of AI
Discussing Randy Travis' recent release and AI-generated music's wider ramifications, opinions remain divided on AI's music business transformation potential.
Some fear that artificial intelligence poses risks to conventional music composition techniques, but others see it as a testament to AI technology's potential when used wisely. Travis's song and Warner Music Nashville Co-president Cris Lacy's comments have aroused discussion.
Lacy stressed that AI-generated approximations may approximate musicians like Travis, but they lack the depth and authenticity of human performance. According to her, Warner Music Nashville's AI strategy promotes "AI for good."
Over 200 musicians signed an Artist Rights Alliance open letter urging appropriate AI usage in the music industry. Stevie Wonder, Miranda Lambert, Billie Eilish, and others signed to defend artists' rights online.
Concerns over AI mimicking artists' voices have prompted legislative action like Tennessee's ELVIS Act, which takes effect on July 1. This law provides labels with legal tools to prevent the copying of artists' voices, per The Verge.
Travis's newest song shows how AI may boost musical inventiveness without compromising authenticity. It also raises concerns about the music industry's larger consequences, notably the digitalization and marketing of deceased artists' cataloged works under label control.
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