Country music superstar Randy Travis underwent heart surgery Monday and is in critical condition, USA Today reported.

"We have been told he has had surgery," Travis' sister-in-law, Teresa Traywick, said in a statement. "Our prayers are going out to him because my husband just had a heart attack last year, so it is in their family. "Their mother passed away at an early age with her heart, so it is like these boys are following right in their footsteps. My prayers are with them."

Travis, 54, was at a Texas hospital after being admitted Sunday for viral cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscles caused by a viral infection, USA Today reported.

Travis was at the forefront of the "New Traditionalist" country music movement in the 1980s and 1990s, CNN reported. He made a comeback after turning to gospel music in 1999. His "Three Wooden Crosses" won Song of the Year awards from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music in 2003.

As one of country music's top-selling artists, Travis' six inspirational albums have sold more than 2 million copies, winning seven Dove Awards and three GRAMMY Awards, according to Word Records. He has also appeared in several Christian films, including Jerusalem Countdown and The Wager.

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