Randy Travis Uses AI For New Song

[TheBigA]

Randy Travis is one of country music's great traditionalists. His breakthrough record Storms Of Life changed the course of country music in the 80s. But when he lost his ability to sing 11 years ago due to a stroke, we thought his voice was lost forever. Then someone suggested he work with Artificial Intelligence. He got together with his original producer, some great musicians, and a computer. The results are amazing:

Randy Travis Releases New Single 'Where That Came From' — Crafted with the Help of AI: 'It's Still His Vocal'

Randy Travis has released his first new song since suffering a stroke in 2013.

people.com

Listen: Randy Travis releases first song since 2013 stroke - UPI.com

Randy Travis released "Where That Came From," his first recording since his near-fatal 2013 stroke.

www.upi.com

MSN

 

[DavidEduardo]

Impressive. I felt like I was back with our PD at WTNT listening to new music! Very emotional to hear what we loved back then.

 

[CTListener]

Looking forward to AI music from Linda Ronstadt next.

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

Randy Travis is one of country music's great traditionalists. His breakthrough record Storms Of Life changed the course of country music in the 80s. But when he lost his ability to sing 11 years ago due to a stroke, we thought his voice was lost forever. Then someone suggested he work with Artificial Intelligence. He got together with his original producer, some great musicians, and a computer. The results are amazing:

Randy Travis Releases New Single 'Where That Came From' — Crafted with the Help of AI: 'It's Still His Vocal'

Randy Travis has released his first new song since suffering a stroke in 2013.

people.com

Listen: Randy Travis releases first song since 2013 stroke - UPI.com

Randy Travis released "Where That Came From," his first recording since his near-fatal 2013 stroke.

www.upi.com

MSN

 THIS is what we should be using Artificial Intelligence for.

 

[rosecitymedia]

What is stopping record labels from using this technology to release new material from deceased artists?

 

[TheBigA]

What is stopping record labels from using this technology to release new material from deceased artists?

Depends on the artists. There isn't as much demand for new music as there is for the hits. Especially in the age of streaming. Used to be you could make money with a boxed set containing a new track. Not anymore.

The Beatles song from last year was one example. They took a cassette tape recorded in a noisy room, and used AI to isolate a clean vocal track that they augmented with the living Beatles.

Listening to the interview with Randy's producer, this wasn't easy to do. He had the full co-operation of Randy, and access to his unreleased material. It's interesting from an archival perspective, but the trick will be to monetize it.

 

[James Otto Sweet Heart]

What is stopping record labels from using this technology to release new material from deceased artists?

I wish that it could be done, but if it is done, we of course will never know if the picked songs are songs that the singer would sing on their own if they really were still here. Take Hank Williams Sr. for example. If that new "Texas" song had been pitched to him before his departure, would he have kept it or put it back in the songwriting stack for another singer to take?

God bless you always!!!

Holly

P.S. The following deceased singers are who I would love to hear new songs from.

Steve Sanders of the Oak Ridge Boys
Billy Joe Royal
Northern Calloway (David from the Sesame Street children's show)
Hal Ketchum
Toby Keith (What the heck is he doing on such a list already???)
Joe Diffie

 

[TheBigA]

P.S. The following deceased singers are who I would love to hear new songs from.
Joe Diffie

That name caught my eye. You might want to check out this new album. It was done with the co-operation of Joe's estate and family, and incorporates some of Joe's original tracks singing with current artists. One of them happens to be Toby Keith:

'Hixtape: Vol. 3: Difftape' Reimagines Joe Diffie Classics With Special Collaborations - MusicRow.com

Hixtape: Vol. 3: Difftape, a tribute to country legend Joe Diffie led by genre fusionist [...]

musicrow.com

 

[Larry]

Unfortunately (in my opinion) you can already hear on YouTube deceased artists “perform” (using AI) songs they never recorded in their lifetime. Tracks that were recorded are usually covered by a copyright and owned by a record label and/or estate of the deceased artist. Unanswered or unsettled question is who owns the rights to a deceased person’s voice or an AI generated form of their voice?

 

[Theater of My Mind]

This is really well done but -- correct me if I'm wrong -- from what I can tell the song was written by John Scott Sherrill and Scotty Emerick. It was produced by Kyle Lehning who, in an interview set to air on CBS Sunday Morning, will say he went through the recording line-by-line, syllable-by-syllable, to achieve the result.

So, if Randy Travis didn't write, produce or actually sing it, is it really his song? Or is it just the creation of the Nashville writers and studio producers who used an old vocal sample and AI to create it?

 

[TheBigA]

So, if Randy Travis didn't write, produce or actually sing it, is it really his song? Or is it just the creation of the Nashville writers and studio producers who used an old vocal sample and AI to create it?

Here's how it was explained in the People article I linked:

According to the outlet, Lehning crafted a song using audio tracks that Travis had previously recorded as a way in. Another singer then used a special AI program overlaid with Travis’s voice to create a new recording, which Lehning and Travis then melded together into the new song.

According to the producer, Randy was there approving every note. Seems to me they could ask that question about IVF. If the mother doesn't carry the baby, is it still her child? I don't know. So far, the record label is giving credit to Randy.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

According to the producer, Randy was there approving every note. Seems to me they could ask that question about IVF. If the mother doesn't carry the baby, is it still her child? I don't know. So far, the record label is giving credit to Randy.

The technology is quickly blurring the lines between reality and fiction. For starters, I can't look at a sensational photo anymore without questioning its authenticity. And now we have similar questions surrounding a (soon-to-be) hit song.

Of course the label is giving credit to Randy, that's the whole point. They will likely make a fortune off people wanting to believe it's really him. And since Randy was in the studio, that should lend the required credibility to that claim. But this is the tip of the iceberg. There are so many ethical questions to come from AI's capabilities. @Larry already posed a good one....

Unanswered or unsettled question is who owns the rights to a deceased person’s voice or an AI generated form of their voice?

I guess we'll find out in court, sooner or later.

 

[KeithE4]

According to the producer, Randy was there approving every note. Seems to me they could ask that question about IVF. If the mother doesn't carry the baby, is it still her child? I don't know. So far, the record label is giving credit to Randy.

He's still with us, so I have to guess that he still owns the rights to his own voice.

But I'm torn here. I'm sympathetic toward Travis and others in his situation (see also: Linda Ronstadt), but this is something that is ripe for abuse. Who's to say that, for example, whoever owns the rights to Elvis' performances and voice these days might want to use his voice to produce a song that he never could have recorded (written post-1977) but might sound good if he'd lived to sing it? His voice may be able to be recreated via AI, but it couldn't be an Elvis song. I can see a lot of legal issues coming up in such cases.

 

[TheBigA]

His voice may be able to be recreated via AI, but it couldn't be an Elvis song. I can see a lot of legal issues coming up in such cases.

Funny you should mention Elvis:

Elvis Evolution: Presley to be brought to life using AI for new immersive show

A new show features holographic projections of the rock star as well as thousands of photos and home-videos.

www.bbc.com

A few years ago there was the Roy Orbison Hologram Tour

30 Years After His Death, Roy Orbison Is Going On Tour Again — In Hologram Form

The tour is titled "In Dreams," named after Orbison’s hit single, and the hologram will make its first-ever public appearance at the APAP Conference this Sunday (Jan. 14).

www.billboard.com

 

[KeithE4]

Holograms are seriously creepy. I remember a holographic TV commercial from the 1990s that featured Orville Redenbacker that was a total freak-out. I just can't see anyone pay money to see one on-stage, but apparently many have. In Orbison's case, I believe his family put that together.

In a few years, holograms and AI will be put together. Even if I'm still around to see it, I don't want to.

 

[TheBigA]

In Orbison's case, I believe his family put that together.

Correct. His family owns everything. As you can see in the video, attendees saw a live band, orchestra, and singers, plus the hologram. People who saw Brad Paisley's show about ten years ago were treated to a Carrie Underwood hologram who joined him for their duet.

 

[KeithE4]

Correct. His family owns everything. As you can see in the video, attendees saw a live band, orchestra, and singers, plus the hologram.

Scary. He looks like he's ready to be beamed up to the Enterprise. I'm glad (I hope) that the surviving members of the Traveling Willburys (Jeff Lynn and Bob Dylan) don't have any plans to do something like this. And let's not even go there with two live and two holographic Beatles!

People who saw Brad Paisley's show about ten years ago were treated to a Carrie Underwood hologram who joined him for their duet.

Why? She's still alive and well. What was the point?

 

[TheBigA]

Why? She's still alive and well. What was the point?

It was just one song, and they're both headliners. So she can't physically appear at all of his concerts. Most people accomplish the same thing with video tracks synced up to the live music. But this was something extra. They tell me it's very expensive.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

In a few years, holograms and AI will be put together. Even if I'm still around to see it, I don't want to.

On that note, this Randy Travis song is already reminding me of that time Cher's vocals were put through AutoTune to create a new kind of sound in 'Believe'. Now, you can hardly hear a pop song that doesn't use it, if you can see where we're going with this...

 

[KeithE4]

On that note, this Randy Travis song is already reminding me of that time Cher's vocals were put through AutoTune to create a new kind of sound in 'Believe'. Now, you can hardly hear a pop song that doesn't use it, if you can see where we're going with this...

Yes, that's the ultimate disservice to music. Cher didn't need Autotune then, and nobody who's worth listening to needs it now. Autotune sucks, and AI sucks worse.