If you are a fan of country music, you might have wondered if Rodney Atkins and Thomas Rhett are related. After all, they share the same last name, Atkins, and they are both successful singers and songwriters in the genre. However, the truth is that they are not related by blood or by marriage. They just happen to have a common surname that is also shared by other country artists, such as Chet Atkins, Trace Adkins, and Rhett Akins. Here is a brief overview of who they are and how they are connected to each other.
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Rodney Atkins: The Adopted Son of Allan and Margaret Atkins
Rodney Atkins was born on March 28, 1969, in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was put up for adoption by his biological mother, who was 19 years old at the time and had a traumatic first date that resulted in her pregnancy. He was adopted by Allan and Margaret Atkins, who had lost a newborn a year before. Rodney had a difficult start in life, as he suffered from a respiratory infection and colic, and was returned by two other adoptive couples before finding his forever home with the Atkins family.
Rodney grew up in Claiborne County, Tennessee, where he developed a passion for music. He learned to play guitar and performed at local events and festivals. He moved to Nashville in 1992 to pursue a career in country music. He signed with Curb Records in 1996 and released his debut album Honesty in 2003. His second album If You’re Going Through Hell was released in 2006 and produced four number one singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart: “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)”, “Watching You”, “These Are My People”, and “Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)”. His third album It’s America came out in 2009 and featured another number one hit, “It’s America”. His fourth album Take a Back Road was released in 2011 and included his sixth number one single, “Take a Back Road”. His fifth album Caught Up in the Country was released in 2019 and set a record for the longest run on the country singles charts with its title track.
Rodney has been married twice. His first wife was Tammy Jo McDonald, whom he married in 1998 and divorced in 2012. They have one son together, Elijah. His second wife is Rose Falcon, whom he married in 2013. They have two sons together, Ryder and Scout.
Thomas Rhett: The Son of Rhett Akins
Thomas Rhett was born on March 30, 1990, in Valdosta, Georgia. His full name is Thomas Rhett Akins Jr., and he is the son of Rhett Akins, another country singer and songwriter. Rhett Akins was born on October 13, 1969, and signed with Decca Records in 1994. He released two albums for the label: A Thousand Memories in 1995 and Somebody New in 1996. He had his only number one hit with “Don’t Get Me Started” in 1996. He later released two more albums: What Livin’s All About on MCA Nashville in 1998 and Friday Night in Dixie on Audium Entertainment in 2002. He is also a prolific songwriter, having written or co-written songs for other artists such as Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Dustin Lynch, Jon Pardi, and more. He is part of the songwriting team The Peach Pickers, along with Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip.
Thomas Rhett grew up surrounded by music and learned to play drums at an early age. He also learned to play guitar and started writing songs with his father. He attended Lipscomb University in Nashville but dropped out to pursue music full-time. He signed with Big Machine Records’ Valory Music Group division in 2011 and released his debut single “Something to Do with My Hands” in 2012. His debut album It Goes Like This was released in 2013 and produced three number one singles: “It Goes Like This”, “Get Me Some of That”, and “Make Me Wanna”. His second album Tangled Up was released in 2015 and produced four number one singles: “Crash and Burn”, “Die a Happy Man”, “T-Shirt”, and “Star of the Show”. His third album Life Changes was released in 2017 and produced three number one singles: “Craving You” (featuring Maren Morris), “Unforgettable”, and “Marry Me”. His fourth album Center Point Road was released in 2019 and produced two number one singles: “Look What God Gave Her” and “Remember You Young”. His fifth album Country Again: Side A was released in 2021 and produced one number one single: “What’s Your Country Song”.
Thomas Rhett has been married to Lauren Akins since 2012. They have three daughters together: Willa Gray, Ada James, and Lennon Love. They are also expecting their fourth child, another girl, in 2021.
The Connection Between Rodney Atkins and Thomas Rhett
The only connection between Rodney Atkins and Thomas Rhett is that they are both country singers and songwriters who share the same last name, Atkins. They are not related by blood or by marriage, and they have different backgrounds and stories. However, they have both achieved success and recognition in the country music industry, and they have both collaborated with other artists, including each other. In 2011, Rodney Atkins and Thomas Rhett performed together at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville. They sang Rodney’s hit “Take a Back Road” and Thomas’s debut single “Something to Do with My Hands”.
Rodney Atkins and Thomas Rhett are two of the many talented and popular country stars who have the surname Atkins. They are not related, but they are both proud of their music and their families. They are also both fans of each other’s work and have shown respect and admiration for each other. They are examples of how country music can bring people together, even if they are not related.
