NAMES IN THE NEWS : Finding Songs a Task for Travis

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A good song is hard to find is the new tune being sung by Randy Travis.

“It’s more competitive,” the country music star said in a recent interview. “They’re out there, but you really have to search for them.”

Travis, whose current hit is “Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart,” said that when he began recording five years ago, George Jones, Merle Haggard and George Strait were his only rivals for traditional country songs.

“Now you’ve got all those, and you got Ricky Van Shelton and Patty Loveless and The Judds doing some kinds of that music. . . . Just all kinds of people,” he said.