Combine rugged good looks with a unique
sound – an unusual blend of country, old-fashioned
rock and roll, blues, and gospel – and there’s
little wonder that Trace Adkins has become one of country
music’s most beloved stars.
Born in the heart of Louisiana, Adkins started playing
the guitar as a child, and music quickly became his
focus. Following high school Adkins went to Louisiana
Tech, where he majored in music and became an integral
part of the university’s football team. However,
upon graduation, Adkins focus moved away from music
as he concentrated on his new job on an offshore oil
rig, a position he held for several years before he
was lured back to music.
Adkins founded a gospel band, “The New Commitments,”
and continued to hone his musical ability with his bandmates
until the early part of the 1990s, when he decided he
wanted to shift his focus to a solo career. Adkins immediately
began playing to audiences wherever he could, hoping
to gain a loyal following and catch a record producer’s
attention.
Like most country stars, Adkins knew that Nashville
would be his best shot for success, and he promptly
made the move from his home state of Louisiana to Tennessee,
a move that proved to be at just the right time. In
breakneck speed, Adkins found himself being offered
a contract with Capitol Records, the recording home
of such county superstars as Faith Hill, Alan Jackson,
and Brooks and Dunn.
In 1996, his debut album “Dreamin’ Out
Loud” hit store shelves and featured such hits
as “Every Light In The House,” “I
Left Something Turned on At Home,” and “This
Ain’t No Thinkin’ Thing.”
He followed with his sophomore release in 1997, “Big
Time,” which featured the Top Ten hit “The
Rest of Mine.” Adkins was a bona fide hit, making
Trace Adkins concert tickets a hot commodity.
Adkins continued to make music, releasing “More,”
in 1999. The album spawned only one hit single, “More,”
a disappointing release for the country superstar. Yet,
he was able to rebound in 2001 with “Chrome,”
which debuted in the Top Five of the country charts,
and netted the Top Ten single “I’m Tryin’.”
Since “Chrome,” Adkins has released “Comin’
on Strong” (2003), and “Songs About Me,”
(2005). Adkins has now been a bona fide country star
for almost a decade, and there’s little chance
of his star flickering any time soon.
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