Randy Travis Honored With Randy Travis Day In State Of Tennessee, Point Amen Dedication In Hendersonville

RANDY TRAVIS HONORED WITH RANDY TRAVIS DAY IN STATE OF TENNESSEE, POINT AMEN DEDICATION IN HENDERSONVILLE, ON 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF DEBUT ALBUM STORMS OF LIFE

HENDERSONVILLE’S MORNINGSTAR SOUND STUDIO SITE PRESENTED WITH TENNESSEE MUSIC PATHWAYS MARKER

 

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 2, 2026) – Earlier today, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, the City of Hendersonville, and Sumner County Tourism unveiled a Tennessee Music Pathways Marker outside Moby Dicky’s Restaurant, 155 Sanders Ferry Rd., the former site of Morningstar Sound Studio, honoring the studio’s extraordinary contribution to Tennessee music history.

June 2, 2026, marks 40 years to the day since Randy Travis’s debut album, Storms of Life, recorded at Morningstar, was released and stopped Country music fans in their tracks. To celebrate the occasion, Governor Bill Lee declared it Randy Travis Day, and the waterfront location was officially dedicated as Point Amen.

Located on a peninsula overlooking Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, the former recording studio served as the birthplace of 25 No. 1 hits and countless other recordings by some of country music’s most iconic artists, including Randy Travis, Dan Seals, Anne Murray, George Jones, and more, including “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “Bop,” two of the most played songs of the 1980s.

In addition to Randy Travis and his wife Mary, Morningstar Sound Studio co-founders Kyle Lehning and Tony Gottlieb, members of the Dan Seals family, Warner Records Nashville Chair and President Cris Lacy, local and state government officials, tourism leaders, and members of the music community gathered for the celebration and dedication ceremony. Lauded songwriter Paul Overstreet performed the massive hit he co-wrote with the late Don Schlitz, which Randy made famous, “Forever and Ever, Amen.”

“Wonderful things, wonderful communities, events like this, are built when older gentlemen plant trees under whose shade they know they will never sit. Without everyone here today, and without all those who came before us, laid the groundwork, and helped shape the music industry into what it is, none of this would be possible. They talk about all his awards and accolades but Randy always said ‘these awards are built out of blood, sweat, and tears there, not metal and crystal.’ And Randy sure put the work in and it’s been a beautiful journey and it’s been such an honor to walk alongside him and be able to enjoy this incredible honor today.” said Mary Travis.

Following the presentation, guests attended a luncheon reception at Moby Dicky’s featuring a playlist of songs recorded at Morningstar Sound Studio.

About Randy Travis
With lifetime sales exceeding 23 million, Randy Travis is one of the most successful multi-genre artists of all time and a 2016 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1986, his accolades include seven Grammy Awards, 11 Academy of Country Music Awards, 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 Awards. 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 earned 23 No. 1 singles, 31 Top 10 hits, and more than 40 appearances in feature films and television shows. His discography includes four Gold albums, four Platinum albums, one Double Platinum album, one Triple Platinum album, and one Quintuple Platinum album. In 1992, Travis was recognized by the USO for his support and dedication to U.S. troops, including five USO tours, and received the Bob Hope Entertainment Award. He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004 and is celebrated on Nashville’s Music City Walk of Fame. Since suffering a near-fatal stroke in 2013, Travis—through the support of his wife, Mary, and rigorous physical therapy—has made remarkable strides in recovery, including improvements in speaking, walking, and singing. In 2019, he released his critically acclaimed memoir Forever and Ever, Amen, co-authored with Ken Abraham. In 2021, CMT named Travis the CMT Artist of a Lifetime. In 2022, he released his award-winning documentary More Life, which garnered six Telly Awards.

In May 2024, with the assistance of cutting-edge AI technologies, Travis and Warner Records Nashville released “Where That Came From,” marking his first new recording in over a decade and showcasing his signature vocals. The single debuted at No. 45 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and was met with enthusiastic praise from fans and country radio. The release also sparked a new chapter of advocacy, as Travis and his wife began working to promote creators’ rights in Washington D.C. and across the nation, championing fair compensation and protections for artists in the evolving digital age. Randy received the Academy of Country Music’s Milestone Award at the 2025 ACM Honors ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee, and was previously presented with the ASCAP Founders Award at the 57th Annual ASCAP Country Music Awards in 2019. In 2026, Travis has returned to the road with his “More Life Tour,” celebrating his enduring legacy and connection with fans across the country. For tour dates and tickets, visit randytravis.com.

About Dan Seals
Dan Seals was never one to follow convention. Born and raised in Texas, he played a right-handed, 12-string guitar with his left hand and eight strings— “upside down and backwards,” as he liked to say. This unconventional approach carried over throughout his career, as he seamlessly transitioned from pop stardom to country success. Seals first gained fame as “England Dan” in the pop-rock duo, England Dan & John Ford Coley. The pair’s 1976 hit “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” cemented their place in pop history, followed by other classics, “Nights Are Forever Without You” and “Love Is The Answer.” When the duo disbanded, Seals faced financial struggles as he worked for years to rebuild his career. Determined to find a new path, he embraced his country roots. In 1984, “God Must Be a Cowboy” gave him his first country top 10 hit. This paved the way for an astonishing run of eleven No. 1 Billboard country hits. Hits such as “Bop,” “Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold),” and “Meet Me in Montana,” featuring Marie Osmond, showcased his ability to blend emotional depth with commercial appeal. His work earned him 2 CMA awards, multiple GRAMMY nominations, and a loyal fanbase. Seals was known for his artistic integrity, only recording songs that stirred him emotionally. His producer, Kyle Lehning, recalled how he pursued excellence with “light-hearted seriousness” in the studio. When the radio hits slowed, Seals remained a beloved touring act, later performing with his brother Jim (from Seals & Crofts) as Seals & Seals, bringing their respective catalogs to audiences worldwide. Diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma in 2007, Seals faced his final days with the same grace he brought to his music. He passed away on March 25, 2009, at 8:30 p.m.—”Showtime,” as his manager put it. Seals was posthumously inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2025. His legacy remains one of versatility, authenticity, and an enduring impact on both pop and country music. A duets album, Dan Seals & Friends: The Last Duet, featuring Seals’ vocals with a cavalcade of respected musicians, will release Summer 2026.

About Tennessee Music Pathways
Launched by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development in 2018, Tennessee Music Pathways is an online planning guide connecting visitors to the state’s rich musical heritage at tnmusicpathways.com. From the largest cities to the smallest communities, Tennessee Music Pathways stretches across all 95 counties and features hundreds of landmarks from the seven genres of music that call Tennessee home.

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