Arti C POP .ROCK . R & B .RAP .DANCE .COUNTRY .LATIN .CLASSICALus .JAll .PRO AUDIO Randy Travis laps His Faith For Set Trìloka Looks Ahead Atlantic's 'Journey' Favors New Material Over Standards BY DEBORAH EVANS PRICE it's a chemistry or whatever; it's not "There are lines in that song that are On Anniversary NASHVILLE -When most country there with anybody else." just incredible." 10th artists record an album of' songs Travis says Lehning has a certain Travis co-wrote "I Am Going" with BY DEBORAH EVANS PRICE and, most recently, Sony in New expressing their faith, they turn to technique for recording his vocals. his friend and frequent collaborator NASHVILLE -A diverse catalog York, where he was managing the tried- and-true gospel standards such "Kyle won't record digitally with me," Buck Moore. "Buck and I wrote it and innovative marketing techniques actual construction and architecture as "In The Garden" or "Peace In The he says. "He records analog, then goes after his mom passed away," recalls are just two of the factors that have of the studios. So he brought to the Valley." On his new set, "Inspirational to digital. There's a warmth that you Travis. Travis co-wrote "The Carpen- made Triloka Records one of the table [the ability] to make high -qual- Journey," due Oct. 24, Randy Travis just can't get digitally." The warmth ter" with Chip Taylor and Ron Avis. country's most successful independ- ity recordings right off the bat with takes a more adventurous route. and resonance in Travis' voice comple- On the record, the song features vocals ent labels. Now, as the Santa Moni- high- quality engineers." Four years in the making, the album ments the songs on the album. The by guests Waylon Jennings and his ca, Calif.-based company celebrates That commitment to quality features three songs co- written by material ranges from the frisky `Beet wife, Jessi Colter. "I loved what they its 10th anniversary, label executives earned the label respect and success Travis as well as cuts penned by some did," enthuses Travis. "I've been a fan are preparing for the future by cul- with jazz artists such as Jackie of Nashville's top tunesmiths. "It's of Waylon's my whole life. It's really tivating new avenues for Native McLean and Chet Baker. As the something Lib [Travis' wife and man- neat to have him singing on there and American, world, trance, and other label grew, it veered from its jazz ager, Elizabeth Hatcher Travis] and I Jessi also. She's a true stylist, a very forms of musical expression that pro- roots into the world music arena. Its had been talking about doing for unique vocalist." vide the foundation for the RED -dis- first foray into the genre came with years," he says of the Christian direc- The retail album has 12 cuts, but a tributed label. the Tahitian Choir. The tion of the project. "And obviously we project with the album that's being As Triloka heads in- group was brought to talked about doing a lot of standards. marketed to TV by Warner's special to its second decade, the label by Walter But how many people have already projects unit via Chicago's Cornerstone business is being Becker of Steely Dan, recorded them, and how many differ- Productions will feature 20 songs, buoyed by a new part- who had produced ent ways can you possibly do them? It among them previous Travis hits with nership with Gold Cir- some of Triloka's jazz made more sense for me to find new inspirational themes such as `Point Of cle Entertainment. acts. The Tahitian material and approach it that way." Light," "Heroes & Friends," "He "Gold Circle has vari- Choir's label debut, "Inspirational Journey" is released Walked On Water," and "Forever And ous labels," says Trilo- "Rapa Iti," peaked at through Atlantic Records' Christian TRAVIS Ever Amen," plus standards such as ka president Mitchell Markus, "and No. 1 on Billboard's world music music division to the Christian Book- "Have A Little Talk With Jesus." they have an infrastructure that chart in 1993, making it Triloka's first sellers Assn. market and to the gener- Lusk says media plays a key role in includes marketing, promotion, pub- chart -topping album. (Billboard al market through Warner Bros. `When you listen the marketing of the albums. "Our licity, sales, etc. That infrastructure debuted that chart on May 19, 1990.) Nashville, the label where Travis spent marketing effort in both Christian and is what we use to get our product 'We went full-force into the world most of his career. (He recently left lyrically to these mainstream is publicity- oriented, marketed, sold, and promoted. We music arena," says Markus, noting DreamWorks after two albums.) songs, you're just which is the reason we brought [Min- have our own art director, and Tom that the label signed such artists as Barry Landis, VP /GM of Atlantic's ing Point Media president] Brian Frouge is the VP of marketing, so Ali Akbar Khan and Jai Uttal. "At Christian division, is excited about tak- totally moved' Smith on board," says Lusk. `The fact he works with the marketing per- that time we also started the `Trance ing Travis to the Christian market. "I that a superstar artist like Randy is son from the music group." Planet' series, which I've done with am just overwhelmed with what he's - MARK LUSK - willing to tell his story -he really The label was founded by studio Tom Schnabel of KCRW Santa Mon- done, and how he did it, and couldn't be emphasizes aspects of his wilder days wiz Paul Sloman and artist K.D. ica, one of the great NPR stations in happier," says Landis. Mark Lusk, when he was younger and the beauty Kagel, who records under the name the country." Atlantic Christian's VP of marketing On The Rock" to the emotionally stir- of forgiveness that comes with faith in Krishna Das. "The original idea "Trance Planet" is a series of com- and sales, agrees. "When you listen ring `Baptism." Christ -Christian media is really they had was to actually record pilations featuring music gleaned lyrically to these songs, you're just "Baptism" is the first single, going to going to be interested in his personal some of the old jazz artists that the from Schnabel's radio program. "He totally moved," says Lusk. country radio under the alternate title story along with the music." majors had kind of sidestepped at gets music sent to him from around After working with James Stroud of "Down With The Old Man." Travis Tower Records Nashville GM Jon the time," says Markus, who joined the world, a lot of it not available in and Byron Gallimore on his recent had previously recorded the song with Kerlikowske feels the album will be a the label as president during its America," says Markus. "We just DreamWorks offerings, Travis on Kenny Chesney, and `Baptism" is fea- strong seller. "I think there's a real mar- start -up phase. released volume five a couple weeks "Inspirational Journey" reunited with tured on Chesney's just- released great- ket for that record, especially with his "Paul Sloman brought about 30 ago. It's been a consistent series that his longtime producer, Kyle Lehning. est-hits package. "It's a brilliant piece fan base," Kerlikowske says. "I think years' experience in the music busi- has sold well into the six figures. We "I had fun working with James and of writing," says Travis of the Mickey [Travis' album] will sell well." ness heading up record studios," have a boxed set we just released of Byron, and I felt good about the songs Cates -penned lyric, which vividly Travis is currently performing cuts Markus adds. "He helped build At- the first four volumes." we recorded," Travis says, `but there's describes a country baptism right down from "Inspirational Journey" on his fall lantic in New York, A &M in L.A., (Continued on page 86) something special with Kyle, whether to the mud under the young man's toes. tour dates, which are booked by ICM. 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