Introduction
“On the Other Hand” is a neotraditional country song written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz, first recorded by Randy Travis in 1985 as his debut single on Warner Bros. Nashville. The initial release peaked at a modest No. 67 on the charts, serving more as an introduction than a hit (Wikipedia)
However, the single took on new life following Travis’s breakthrough second release, “1982,” which reached No. 6 and prompted the re-release of “On the Other Hand” in April 1986. This time, the song soared to No. 1 on both U.S. and Canadian country charts, becoming Travis’s first chart-topping hit and formally announcing him as country’s next major star (Wikipedia, The Boot, Wikipedia – Storms of Life).
The single was also featured on Travis’s debut album Storms of Life (1986), an influential work in the neotraditionalist movement that emerged later in the decade. The album was certified triple-Platinum in the U.S. and produced multiple No. 1 hits, solidifying Travis’s position in country music history.
At the 22nd Academy of Country Music Awards on April 6, 1987, held at Knott’s Berry Farm in California, “On the Other Hand” earned the prestigious Single Record of the Year award. The songwriters, Overstreet and Schlitz, also received the Song of the Year honor. That year, Travis swept ACM categories, winning Top Male Vocalist and Album of the Year (Storms of Life) as well