The iconic country singer will accompany James Dupré, who’ll perform Travis’ familiar hits on the ‘More Life’ tour stop at Muskegon’s Frauenthal Center on Thursday. The back story on this unusual show.
‘More Life’ Tour for Randy Travis: James Dupré on stage with Travis as a video backdrop. (YouTube Screenshot)
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When Louisiana country singer James Dupré first met Randy Travis through his producer Kyle Lehning in 2009, he never could have imagined how important their relationship would become.
As Dupré embarks on the 2026 leg of the “More Life Tour” alongside Travis and his original touring band, he is given the opportunity to honor the life and legacy of a country music icon who has been an inspiration for Dupré throughout his career. Dupré called it “a huge honor” and “a major responsibility” to take on this role.
“Growing up, I didn’t really care about guitars, or drums or anything else. I just listened to voices and people like Randy, and Vince Gill and just really powerful vocalists like that were really who I honed in on,” Dupré explained.
After suffering a stroke in 2013, Randy Travis lost his ability to sing. But in 2019, Travis and his wife, Mary, came to Dupré with the initial idea for the “More Life Tour.” Travis would be present on stage for the shows and Dupré would take the lead on vocals. The call came after Travis and Dupré bonded through acting in the 2015 film, “The Price.” Travis and Dupré play a father and son in the movie which was filmed in 2012, just months before Travis’s stroke.
Honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame: Travis with his wife, Mary (Courtesy Photo)
“This was my first time acting and Randy, of course, being a seasoned actor, really kind of showed me the ropes. It was really incredible to work with him and just get to know him and talk about music. We really hit it off pretty quickly,” Dupré recalled.
The “More Life Tour” makes a stop at Muskegon’s Frauenthal Center on Thursday (March 12). Tickets for the show, $48.75-100.75, can be purchased online here.
With Travis and his wife on stage as Dupré sings, fans can expect a moving and emotional show that honors Travis’ career milestones and biggest hits. With several platinum and multi-platinum albums, countless awards and honors and an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, there’s no shortage of achievements to celebrate on this tour.
“Basically, imagine a live documentary about Randy Travis and his legacy, his music and his films. There’s a lot of video involved in the show and it’s just really a celebration of a country music icon,” Dupré said.
TRAVIS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE SHOW & FINDING HIS VOICE VIA AI IN THE STUDIO
Although the concept of the tour is unconventional and fans may not know what to expect, Dupré told Local Spins that Travis is very much a part of the show and even interacts with fans and his band while on stage despite his inability to sing and perform the way he once did.
“There are a lot of people at the end of those shows that I see that are in tears, so it’s really a moving show,” Dupré said.
Beyond the tour, Dupré has recently taken on an even bigger role in preserving Travis’s legacy. Travis and Dupré’s producer Kyle Lehning, who introduced the two singers, has been using AI technology and Dupré’s vocal talents to release brand new Randy Travis music.
James Dupré
The track “Where That Came From,” released in 2024 under Travis’ name as his first new single in over a decade, was written by Scotty Emerick and John Scott Sherrill, recorded by Dupré, and later processed through an AI model to make it sound like Travis is singing. (View the video below.)
“To play even a small role in that was really amazing and I know that there are talks for other songs in the future,” Dupré said.
While Dupré recognizes that the use of AI can be controversial in the music industry, he values the fact that Travis was involved in every step of the process. Dupré also cleared up any confusion about whether or not AI is used during the live shows by explaining that the performances on tour will purely be a tribute to Travis with no editing or AI used on Dupré’s voice.
“I remember when we first got into the process, everybody was really on edge because we didn’t really know what the reaction would be, but the only thing that kept us moving forward, the only reason that we felt it was OK in this particular circumstance, was because Randy was still here with us, present with us, and gave his approval,” Dupré said.
VIDEO: Randy Travis and James Dupre (Live at Arlington Music Hall)
VIDEO: Randy Travis Sings Again, Courtesy of AI (CBS Sunday Morning)
VIDEO: Randy Travis, “Where That Came From”
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