Country Music Hall of Fame member Randy Travis and rising country star Drew Parker teamed up to release a duet of the classic Christmas song “There’s A New Kid In Town” last week. Today, the pair of true country artists released an official music video for the song, filmed at Travis’ Texas ranch and his first music video since his 2013 stroke. The duet follows Travis’ release of his remastered Christmas album, An Old Time Christmas (Deluxe Edition) which included the song as a never-before-heard track from the vault. Premiered on CMT today, the video captures a heartwarming experience of the two reuniting and sharing the holiday spirit. Listen to the single here and watch the official music video here.
“I hope fans see the true reason for the season in this video. Jesus, our Lord, and togetherness. That’s what it’s all about! Not to mention the fact that Country music is alive and well in this new crop. Drew nails the vocals on this - I’m so glad he went in with Kyle Lehning to record alongside mine from all those years ago,” said Travis when asked what he hopes fans will take away from the video.
“There’s nothing like celebrating your favorite holiday by singing one of your favorite songs with one of your heroes. And that’s exactly how I’m spending this Christmas,” said Drew Parker.
“There’s A New Kid In Town” was written by Keith Whitley with Don Cook and Curly Putman.
Originally released in 1989, Travis’ Christmas album, An Old Time Christmas, is certified Gold by the RIAA. The remastered deluxe edition of the album included three tracks from the vault that are available to be heard for the first time.
About Randy Travis
With lifetime sales in excess of 25 million, Randy Travis is one of the biggest multi-genre record sellers of all time and a recent inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame class of 2016. His honors include seven Grammy Awards, 11 Academy of Country Music statuettes, 10 American Music Awards, two People’s Choice awards, seven Music City News awards, eight Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association and five Country Music Association honors. In addition, three of his performances earned CMA Song of the Year honors: “On the Other Hand” (1986), “Forever and Ever Amen” (1987) and “Three Wooden Crosses” (2002). To date, he has 23 No. 1 singles, 31 Top-10 smashes and more than 40 appearances in feature films and television shows to his credit. Four of his albums are Gold Records. Four are Platinum. One has gone Double Platinum. One is Triple Platinum and another is Quintuple Platinum. In 2004, Randy was honored with his own star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is honored on the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville, TN. He has been a member of the cast of the Grand Ole Opry since 1986. In 2017, Randy was honored with a wax figure at Madame Tussauds™ Nashville. Since his near fatal stroke in 2013, with the help of his wife Mary and rigorous physical therapy, Randy continues to make improvements in his speaking, walking, and yes, singing. With the help of author Ken Abraham, he released his critically-acclaimed memoir in 2019, Forever and Ever, Amen. Today, Randy is looking forward to releasing the remastering of his historic debut album Storms Of Life (35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) in September 2021. For more information please visit RandyTravis.com.
About Drew Parker
Drew Parker knows exactly what he’s about – and country fans already love it. Some just don’t know it yet. Now, after joining Warner Music Nashville to supercharge his artistic ambition, they’ll soon learn. A native of Covington, Georgia, schooled on ‘90s country giants like Ronnie Dunn, Travis Tritt, Randy Travis and Alan Jackson, Parker’s led a recent resurgence in organic country hits – they’ve just been for other artists. Tracks like Luke Combs’ CMA Song of the Year nominee “Forever After All” and Jake Owen’s “Homemade” have established his signature style, using whip-smart lyricism and actual country instruments to pen quality-driven Number Ones – a new- school-meets-old-school vision that’s proven itself at each turn. It’s that same wordplay that drives Parker’s solo work, too, and it’s all steeped in his love of the ‘90s. With a standalone single released in 2016 and a four-song collection following in 2018, Parker reached a creative high-water mark last year: The While You’re Gone EP – seven twangy, energy-filled lyrical masterstrokes that were too “him” for anyone else to sing. The title track recently became Parker’s first single at country radio, the most-added debut single upon impact. Co-written with Jameson Rodgers, the clever power ballad shows off everything that makes Parker stand out, from his powerhouse vocal to that unteachable Shakespearean spark – the ability to make people laugh while they cry. It’s the first true look at an artist who’s already developed a sound and style all his own, but it won’t be the last, as there’s much more in Parker’s tank, with unrecorded music waiting in the wings. But for now, the Georgia native is excited to have this batch of work out in the world. And his original dreams are coming true. In true Drew Parker double meaning, the tank is gassed up, and he’s finally ready to roll…both literally and metaphorically.
