As music icon Randy Travis prepared to celebrate his 65th birthday, the legendary vocalist shared a gift with fans that could only be explained as magic. On Friday, May 3, Travis and Warner Music Nashville released “Where That Came From” and for the first time in over a decade, the music-loving world was hearing a brand-new song with those unforgettable, signature vocals.
The Grammy Award-winning Country Music Hall of Famer has had limited speech for over a decade, after surviving a devastating stroke in 2013 that left him with aphasia.
But how?
In early 2023, artificial intelligence was exploding to the forefront of discussion within the music world, and with it came a new frontier of opportunities and obstacles impacting the artist community. The need to protect artists rights, and issues like copyright infringement and proper legislation were key conversation drivers when Warner Music Group executives came together to tackle the question, “what would AI for good look like?”
Warner Music Nashville Co-Chair & Co-President, Cris Lacy, answered with: “AI for good would be giving Randy Travis his voice back.”
Lacy immediately connected with Travis and his longtime producer, Kyle Lehning, who were excited by the prospect of making music together again. Lehning remembered “Where That Came From,” a song originally recorded – but not released – by James Dupre. The lilting ballad, written by Scotty Emerick and John Scott Sherrill, proved the perfect starting point.
Lehning and Travis remained constantly at the helm throughout the entire process. Together, they spent months working with Travis’s vocals and putting a human touch, millisecond by millisecond, on every note of “Where That Came From.” It marks an important moment in history as the first steps toward removing the “artificial” in artificial intelligence and replacing it with authenticity.
“Eleven years ago I never thought I would be able to have a hand in music production of any kind,” shared Travis. “But by God’s grace and the support of family, friends, fellow artists, and fans, I’m able to create the music I so dearly love. Working with Kyle Lehning and Warner Music Nashville again has been so special and nostalgic, and I’m so excited to share my new song “Where That Came From” with you today. Many thanks to my wonderful team and the best fans in the world for putting me back in the saddle again! I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.”
The creation of “Where That Came From” is an example of how the music industry can rewrite the rules of technology-use within the creative community and harness the power of AI in a positive, fair and honest way.
“The motivation behind a musical recording is specific to each individual artist,” explains Lacy. “The genesis of this particular track came from a visceral desire to restore what was taken away from someone we know and love – Randy Travis. It was inspired by his courage to continue as a vital contributor to the music community. In working with him to make new recordings, the byproduct is a gift that goes straight to our hearts. AI may have been a tool that helped us along, but it was a group of dedicated and passionate humans, including Randy himself, that brought this beautiful song to life.”
