Thomas Rhett Akins was born on October 13, 1969 in Valdosta, Georgia. With his early hits such as the number one smash hit "That Ain't My truck," "She Said Yes," and the number one "Don't Get Me Started," Rhett Akins continues to be thought of in country music circles as true country original. He has a style like no other, and likes it that way. He likes a style that reflects his own independent nature. His first album, A Thousand Memories, actually was about his own life experiences. He co-wrote nine out of ten songs on that album. He feels that he was very lucky in that situation, as most new artists do not get to co-write even one on their first albums.
Rhett still applies his hometown values to everything he does. It is only to be expected. Even his current album, What Livin's All About, had its photo session on the farm where Rhett grew up. This was intended to bring about a lot of visuals of farm life in rural Georgia, and in turn, country music in its purest form. When you see his hometown simple farm, you realize that his home, his farm, and his music is what Rhett is all about.
And this is one reason that Rhett has such a down to earth attitude. He finds satisfaction by merely doing his best, whether it be at home, on stage, or working on his album. He's staying focused on his dream while keeping his priorities straight in front of him at the same time. Rhett has said that "I think it starts out with the way I was raised. My family has always been very humble, from both sides of my grandparents down to my parents. They started out with nothing and worked their way up to get where they are today through hard work and being nice people, being respectful people. And I think that's in my blood. I grew up in a Christian family that believes no matter where you are in life, you're not any better than anybody else."
During the past year, he was on the road touring at over 200 performances. A schedule like that would be grueling for even the most seasoned of performers, even more so for relative newcomers like Rhett. Not only does a performer have to work with schedules, but with managers, publicists, record label execs, and other management personnel which leaves precious little time for personal fulfillment. You just can't stop a tour bus, hop off, and unwind whenever you want to. It has a tremendous effect on country performers. Rhett has a philosophy on this. Whatever I do, I'm not only thinking about how this is going to affect my career, but how it's gong to affect my family, the guys in the band. It's not all about me even though it's Rhett Akins that people come to see. I'm making decisions based more on how everyone will be affected, more than how it will be a hit song and how to sell a million records."
His form of reflection has allowed him to put everything into a deeper focus. On the one hand, he is ecstatic about all his successes he's had with the release of his first two albums. On the other hand, he's careful not to let that excitement go to his head or to cloud judgement in his future endeavors. "I realize that I have so much more to learn, and every week I feel like I'm growing and hopefully getting better. I don't think that you ever peak in this business unless you decide to.
The singer that had an incredible first hit with the number has matured into a young man who fully understands the responsibilities of life, one who has developed a keener appreciation for what life has to offer. He now has a family of his own, wife Paige and two kids, Thomas Rhett, age 9, and Kasey Lee age 5. They and numerous crew and management members rely on him to bring it all in. He understands that there is more to an entertainment career than just going out and having a good time on stage. He thought long and hard about how his current album could let him stretch his creative wings. Rhett chose the award winning producer James Stroud to be captain of his ship for this album, a change from Mark Wright, who produced his first two albums. "It was just a gut feeling that it was time to do something else. It was a hard choice to make. Not only had we had success together, but we are close friends. But something was telling me it was time to make a change and to try something new," Rhett concedes.
Rhett has been active for some time with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. He had been named the National Music Industry Spokesperson for them. While on tour, he makes every effort to meet with each club in every town his tour stops. Quite often, he makes a day of it, rather than just a short speech. Tournaments, games, prizes, and of course some singing makes each stop a unique experience for Rhett and especially for the children. Who knows, he may have inspired some of them to become country stars themselves. He certainly has tuned them in to how great country music has become.
