Trace Adkins

Tracey Darrell “Trace” Adkins was born January 13, 1962 Sarepta in Webster Parish in northern Louisiana. His parents were Aaron Adkins, a mill worker, and former Peggy Caraway. His musical interest began at the age of five when his father taught him to play the guitar. Later in high school he joined a gospel music group, New Commitments, where he sang bass and says he learned more there than anywhere else in his career. In college he played defensive end for Louisiana Tech’s Bulldogs team and although he never officially graduated he began working on an oil rig. While working on an oil rig he accidently severed his left pinky finger while trying to use a knife to open a bucket. He then asked doctors to reattach the finger at an angle so he may continue to play the guitar. It is permanently bent at an angle, which makes it difficult for him to play many of his guitar chords. 

After moving on from working on the rigs and spending time playing in honkey tonks in Nashville an executive spotted him and soon signed him to Capitol Records in 1996.In 1999, he changed his management team shortly before the relase of his new album which delayed it and consequently affected his sales. This third album became his first not to become certified gold. Some of his albums include “X”, “Chrome”, and “Dangerous Man”. Of all his albums his bestselling is “Songs about me” which has been certified 2X platinum having sold 1.5 million copies. The second single of the album created controversy as it is the first person account of a fictional soldier going to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This single was followed by “Honkey Tonk Badonkadonk” which is now a highly successful crossover hit bringing him into the Billboards top 40 for the first time.

Other interesting facts about him include, among other things, his pet peeves. He despises slow drivers, just like me, and is afraid of snakes even though he comes in at over 6’6”. He has five kids, two with his ex-wife Julie (the one who shot him in the chest during a domestic dispute) and three more with his current wife Rhonda Forlow. He says the worst gig he’s ever played was at a wedding reception. “We played the song for the bride and groom to dance to, and the next song was going to be for the grandparents and the parents and all that. So, we started the second song and about half way through, grandma fell dead on the floor,” Adkins said. “And we were still playing, and finally, the father turned around and yelled, “Stop! For God’s sake, stop playing. My mother’s dead.” He also loves to play golf and said if he could play any hole in the world it be the one in the de-militarized zone between North and South Korea.