Post-near-fatal stroke, country star Randy Travis records song using AI
Country music legend Randy Travis, who suffered a near-fatal stroke over a decade ago, has made a remarkable comeback with the release of his new song Where That Came From. What's truly remarkable is that the song features an AI-generated version of his voice, created using two AI models trained on vocal stems from Travis's extensive discography dating back to 1985. The result is a near-perfect replication of the singer's iconic voice.
Travis's speech remains limited even now
Mary Travis, Travis's wife, expressed her joy at hearing her husband's voice again through the AI-generated song. "All I ever wanted since the day of a stroke was to hear that voice again," she told The Associated Press. After his stroke in 2013—which was caused by a virus attacking his heart—Travis had to relearn basic skills like reading, writing, and walking. Unfortunately, his speech remains limited due to aphasia, a language disorder that leaves a person unable to communicate effectively.
Travis's longtime producer described AI-generated voice as 'stunning'
The concept of using AI to continue Travis's musical legacy was developed by Warner Music Nashville co-president Cris Lacy. She collaborated with London-based developers to train the AI models on vocal samples. Lacy told CBS that the project aimed to highlight the positive potential of AI in music. Kyle Lehning—Travis's longtime producer—was amazed by the quality of the AI-generated voice, describing it as "stunning" and estimating the first version to be about 70-75% as good as the final product.
Check out the song here
Otherwise, use of AI in music production has been controversial
In a parallel realm, AI integration in music has been problematic. Major labels grapple with viral tracks featuring AI-cloned vocals of artists without consent. Drake faced legal backlash from Tupac's estate for utilizing AI to mimic the late rapper's voice. Over 200 artists—Billie Eilish and Katy Perry included—called for tech companies to stop using AI in music production. FKA Twigs even testified in the Senate about unregulated AI use. Meanwhile, Travis is considering releasing more tracks featuring AI-generated vocals.
