When country music legend Randy Travis suffered a debilitating stroke that came amid other serious health setbacks, the doctors said his odds weren’t good: The prognosis was initially less than a 1% chance of survival, per Today.
But step by step, through extensive physical and speech therapy, Travis defied expectations as he embarked on a path of recovery that continues today, more than 10 years later.
Although the 66-year-old Travis can no longer sing his country hits of the 1980s and ‘90s that remain staples today, like “Deeper Than The Holler” and “I Told You So” (which he wrote when he was 19), he can still be with fans.
More importantly, he wants to be with his fans.
He just needs someone to be his voice.
That responsibility currently falls to James Dupré, a singer out of Louisiana whose baritone range bears a resemblance to Travis’ style.
Since 2019, Dupré has been the voice of Travis’ “More Life” tour, which stops in Salt Lake City on Friday.
Ahead of the show at Kingsbury Hall — Dupré’s first trip to Utah — the country singer spoke about how he ended up stepping into a role of this magnitude, and what it means to act as a musical liaison of sorts between Travis and his fans.
‘What did I just sign on for?’
When aphasia resulting from Travis’ stroke in 2013 severely limited his ability to speak and sing, the artist’s public appearances became sparse.
Outside of his 2016 Country Music Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, where the seven-time Grammy winner stunned the crowd by singing one verse of “Amazing Grace,” there wasn’t much in terms of performing.
Eventually, Travis got the itch to go back out on the road.
In 2019, Dupré found himself on the receiving end of a career-altering phone call from Travis and his wife, Mary.
“Would you be willing to come on the road with us to present his music as the vocalist?” Dupré recalled being asked. “And I was like, ‘Of course, absolutely.’”
But shortly after that phone call, Dupré, who hadn’t hesitated for even a second in his response, began to really think things over.
“What did I just sign on for?” he thought, starting to feel the weight of what he had been asked to do, and struggling to figure out how he should do it.
Flash forward a few years, and Dupré has settled into his role.
He’s not onstage to do a strict impersonation of Travis — no one could ever replicate that, he said.
But, with Travis and his wife onstage, interacting with fans, Dupré is there to sing the classic songs of the country artist who has been a source of comfort and inspiration for the fans who flock to theaters to see this show.
And who happens to be one of his own musical heroes.
‘He is just resilient’
“As far back as I can remember ... Randy’s music was always around,” Dupré says while sitting on his tour bus in Butte, Montana.
As a boy, Dupré had a high vocal range akin to country artist Vince Gill. But when his voice deepened around the age of 13, shifting down to a baritone register, Dupré found compatibility in Travis’ sound.
“His voice and his music influenced me from a very early age,” he said with a light Southern drawl.
Although music has long been his first love, since his childhood, Dupré didn’t believe it to be a feasible career path — “It was just a dream,” he said.
So he turned to his other passion: the weather.
Dupré studied meteorology at the University of Louisiana Monroe for a couple of years, but came to realize pretty quickly that “music is a lot more fun than the weather is.”
He quit school and decided to invest his time into learning how to write songs, play the guitar and perform — all while working as a paramedic to pay the bills.
As a budding musician in the early days of YouTube, he posted song covers from a number of artists (including Travis) that gained traction online, landing him on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and helping him to secure a record deal.
His first album was produced by Kyle Lehning — Travis’ longtime record producer — but rather than connecting in a studio, Dupré and Travis formed a friendship when they starred together in “The Price,” a film about a country music legend (played by Travis) who tries to make amends with his son, an aspiring musician (played by Dupré).
“We’ve been friends ever since,” Dupré said.
Just a few months after filming, Travis would suffer a stroke.
Dupré stayed connected with the country singer over the years, as Travis endured physical therapy and strived to get better.
He is just resilient. I don’t know how he does it. He just continues to have a big smile on his face, and he does not want to sit around and stay still, or stay at home. He still wants to get out and see his fans.
— James DuPre on Randy Travis
So while getting a call from Travis and his wife, Mary, in 2019 wasn’t completely out of left field, the idea of hitting the road with them did catch him a bit off guard.
But it also inspired him.
“He is just resilient,” Dupré said. “I don’t know how he does it. He just continues to have a big smile on his face, and he does not want to sit around and stay still, or stay at home. He still wants to get out and see his fans.”
‘It’s still very much a Randy Travis show’
Throughout the show, Dupré sings all the songs. But he is quick to remove himself from the spotlight.
“It’s still very much a Randy Travis show,” he said.
The “Forever and Ever, Amen” singer is seated on the stage for the whole show alongside his wife, serving as a director of sorts as he interacts with the musicians (his original touring band) and the fans, Dupré said.
On a production level, these shows are more complex than anything Dupré has done in his career. Rather than being just about the music, the “More Life” tour also celebrates Travis’ career and extends opportunities for the country star to stay connected to his fans.
I am at least doing his songs some justice. ... Just trying to present it in that casual yet profound way that Randy always delivered his music.
— James DuPre
Being a vessel for that can come with a lot of pressure, but the consistent support and enthusiasm from audiences while on the road has helped to give Dupré a boost of confidence.
“People are crying, people are laughing,” he said. “It’s a highly emotional show, a lot of ups and downs. It’s like watching a live documentary of Randy’s life. It’s incredible to see grown men crying, and the audience during these songs. ... That will never get old to me.
“And it makes me feel better because I am at least doing his songs some justice, right?” he continued. “Just trying to present it in that casual yet profound way that Randy always delivered his music.”
Dupré — who competed on “The Voice” in 2015 and made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2023 — also has his own original music and recently released a new album. But for now, he’s enjoying sharing this ride with Travis, traveling to theaters across the country and learning lessons from a legend that he can put to use later on down the road.
“It’s a huge honor to be asked, and it’s just been so much fun,” he said. “Randy has had such a fulfilling career. He can, if he wanted to, stay home. He doesn’t want to. He’s still out there doing his thing. And I think that’s just incredible.”