Always & Forever (Randy Travis album)

Always & Forever
Always & Forever
Studio album by Randy Travis
Released	May 4, 1987
Recorded	1986
Venue	StarGem and Audio Media – Nashville, TN
Genre	Neotraditional country ; honky-tonk ;
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;

Last updated July 30, 2025

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

Always & Forever is the second studio album by American 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.

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.

Comedian Jimmy Pardo (host of the award-winning podcast Never Not Funny ) named it his second-favorite album of 1987.^[4]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Too Gone Too Long"	Gene Pistilli	2:26
2.	"My House"	Al Gore Paul Overstreet	2:54
3.	"Good Intentions"	Marvin Coe Merle Haggard Randy Travis	3:37
4.	"What'll You Do About Me"	Dennis Linde	2:38
5.	"I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)"	Max D. Barnes Troy Seals	3:12
6.	"Forever and Ever, Amen"	Overstreet Don Schlitz	3:31
7.	"I Told You So"	Travis	3:40
8.	"Anything"	Ronny Scaife Phil Thomas	2:41
9.	"The Truth Is Lyin' Next to You"	Ronny Scaife Susan Longacre Kent Robbins	3:24
10.	"Tonight We're Gonna Tear Down the Walls"	Jim Sales 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)^[5]	97
Canadian Albums ( RPM )	16
US Billboard 200 ^[6]	19
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[7]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1987)	Position
US Billboard 200^[8]	74
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[9]	7
Chart (1988)	Position
US Billboard 200^[10]	46
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[11]	1
Chart (1989)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[12]	9
Chart (1990)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[13]	15

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[14]	5× Platinum	500,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[15]	5× Platinum	5,000,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1 2 3 Hochman, Steve (May 3, 1987). "Hollow Homage". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 24, 2013.
↑ Always & Forever at AllMusic
↑ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Randy Travis". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
↑ NeverNotFunny : 2807 - Terry Carnation , retrieved April 2, 2021
↑ 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.

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[hochman-1] 1 2 3 Hochman, Steve (May 3, 1987). "Hollow Homage". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[2] Always & Forever at AllMusic

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

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

[aus-5] 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-6] "Randy Travis Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[ac_BillboardCountry_Randy_Travis-7] "Randy Travis Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[CanadaRandy_TravisAlways_And_ForeveralbumCertRef-14] "Canadian album certifications – Randy Travis – Always And Forever". Music Canada . Retrieved January 2, 2021.

[United_StatesRandy_TravisAlways_&_ForeveralbumCertRef-15] "American album certifications – Randy Travis – Always & Forever". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved January 2, 2021.

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v t e 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
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	"On the Other Hand" "1982" "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" "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" "King of the Road" "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" "Where That Came From"
Other songs	"Voices That Care" "Singing the Blues" "Somewhere in My Broken Heart" "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)"
Related articles	Awards and nominations Filmography

v t e CMA Album of the Year
1967−1970	There Goes My Everything – Jack Greene (1967) Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison – Johnny Cash (1968) Johnny Cash At San Quentin – Johnny Cash (1969) Okie from Muskogee – Merle Haggard and the Strangers (1970)
1971−1980	I Won't Mention It Again – Ray Price (1971) Let Me Tell You About a Song – Merle Haggard and the Strangers (1972) Behind Closed Doors – Charlie Rich (1973) A Very Special Love Song – Charlie Rich (1974) A Legend in My Time – Ronnie Milsap (1975) Wanted! The Outlaws – Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser (1976) Ronnie Milsap Live – Ronnie Milsap (1977) It Was Almost Like a Song – Ronnie Milsap (1978) The Gambler – Kenny Rogers (1979) Coal Miner's Daughter – Various artists (1980)
1981−1990	I Believe in You – Don Williams (1981) Always on My Mind – Willie Nelson (1982) The Closer You Get – Alabama (1983) A Little Good News – Anne Murray (1984) Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind – George Strait (1985) Lost in the Fifties Tonight – Ronnie Milsap (1986) Always And Forever – Randy Travis (1987) Born to Boogie – Hank Williams Jr. (1988) Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (1989) Pickin' on Nashville – The Kentucky Headhunters (1990)
1991−2000	No Fences – Garth Brooks (1991) Ropin' the Wind – Garth Brooks (1992) I Still Believe in You – Vince Gill (1993) Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles – Various artists (1994) When Fallen Angels Fly – Patty Loveless (1995) Blue Clear Sky – George Strait (1996) Carrying Your Love with Me – George Strait (1997) Everywhere – Tim McGraw (1998) A Place in the Sun – Tim McGraw (1999) Fly – The Dixie Chicks (2000)
2001−2010	O Brother, Where Art Thou? – Various artists (2001) Drive – Alan Jackson (2002) American IV: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash (2003) When the Sun Goes Down – Kenny Chesney (2004) There's More Where That Came From – Lee Ann Womack (2005) Time Well Wasted – Brad Paisley (2006) It Just Comes Natural – George Strait (2007) Troubadour – George Strait (2008) Fearless – Taylor Swift (2009) Revolution – Miranda Lambert (2010)
2011−2020	My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean (2011) Chief – Eric Church (2012) Based on a True Story... – Blake Shelton (2013) Platinum – Miranda Lambert (2014) Traveller – Chris Stapleton (2015) Mr. Misunderstood – Eric Church (2016) From A Room: Volume 1 – Chris Stapleton (2017) Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves (2018) Girl – Maren Morris (2019) What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs (2020)
2021−2030	Starting Over – Chris Stapleton (2021) Growin' Up – Luke Combs (2022) Bell Bottom Country - Lainey Wilson (2023) Leather - Cody Johnson (2024)