When It Comes to Scripts, Randy Travis Is Far From Lonesome

For several years, Hollywood has been courting award-winning country singer Randy Travis. He’s been reluctant, though, to take the plunge and star in a feature film.

“Gosh,” he says, “I don’t know how many scripts we have gotten into the office. Some of them wanted me to be the main character in a movie. I have never done anything like that. I was afraid to do that. I would rather be in something small and successful than the main character in a complete flop.”

Travis uttered the words “Kill him” at the conclusion of “Young Guns,” but his brief scene was cut. Last season, he played himself in an episode of the now-defunct NBC sitcom “Down Home.”

“I had a good time doing that, probably more so than ‘Young Guns’ because it was bigger and in a comedy situation too. That was a lot of fun.”

And next Friday, he guests on NBC’s “Matlock,” which stars Andy Griffith, as a hitchhiker whom Matlock gives a lift and a job. “He wants me to paint his house,” Travis says. “As it turns out I am not much of a painter.” But Matlock discovers he can sing and play the guitar and the two even perform a couple of numbers together.

“Something that’s funny about doing this show and listening to Andy is he says things and if you close your eyes, you could be on the set of the old ‘Andy Griffith Show.’ ”

Travis, who’s latest album, “High Lonesome,” is “doing real well,” will perform 100 concerts this year. “Those are strictly one-nighters,” says Travis, who lives in Nashville. But he says his performance schedule isn’t as grueling as it sounds.

“Unlike a lot of tours on the road, we don’t go out for a month at a time,” he says. “The only way we go out for a month is if we are on the West Coast. Usually, we are out for four days and then we’re back home.”