Carrie Underwood took to social media to share a heartwarming interaction between her and country icon Randy Travis. "Congratulations Randy Travis on the release of #WhereThatCameFrom! I had no idea what you had up your sleeve when we recently met, but I'm so honored that you included me to preview this song...it's amazing," the caption reads with the two of them warmly grinning in the studio.
The release of "Where That Came From" marks Travis' first song in over a decade. Back in 2013, he suffered a debilitating stroke that left him unable to walk or speak. He very slowly regained those abilities, though his wife Mary still does a majority of the heavy lifting, according to CBS Sunday Morning. Regardless, it didn't take away Randy's strong desire to return to music.
The release of "Where That Came From" has led to a lot of mixed feelings. On one hand, the use of AI has gifted Travis his sense of creative expression again. For so long, it seemed as though he could never truly be able to speak, let alone release another song again. In that sense, it has been a blessing.
The Backstory and Reactions to "Where That Came From"
On the other hand, there has been reasonable skepticism. As much good as it might have led, the track lacks the distinct warmth that you get from true human expression. AI could only ever come to a close approximation of how Randy Travis would deliver such a ballad. One country fan expressed a similar sentiment, writing, "I think it is [a] slippery slope for people who can't verbally speak to release songs for them, even if they approve of it."
Despite the naturally hesitant nature to the use of AI in the music, it clearly struck a chord with his family and country artists like Carrie Underwood. On Facebook Watch, you can see his loved ones weep tears of joy at the familiar sound of his voice. Similarly, country artist Clay Walker got emotional being able to witness his friend reclaim a sense of his career and agency as a man and artist. Even if AI can give way to some harmful industry practices, it is clearly a good tool for those like Randy Travis to recapture a lost part of themselves.
