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Country superstar, Trace Adkins, will be filling the America’s Fair Grandstand Thursday, August 9th with his rowdy take on love and romance songs, his no- holdsbarred smash hits and his down- to- earth standards. Adkins is having a blast touring and it’s a good thing since he has a show almost every night from now through the end of October. Lucky for us he took some time out of his hectic schedule to talk to us about his career, the pride he feels when performing for the troops, his very personal reason connecting him to the FAAN (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) which has named him the Honorary Chair of the Nationwide Food Allergy Fundraiser Walk and why he is “odd man out” at home. In talking with Akins we wondered if he looks at life as one big adventure. “Well it has been so far,” said the singer. “And probably someday when I’m towards the end of it I’ll look back and probably consider that it was somewhat of an adventure. But having said that, I’ve lived my life in a responsible manner too. I have other people’s needs I’m responsible for and people I’m responsible for looking after,” he added. Having released eight albums in ten years including his debut album, “Dreamin’ Out Loud” in 1996 and his current album “Dangerous Man” with all but one being certified Platinum, Double Platinum or Gold he is taking his permanent place in country music history. His current album, “Dangerous Man” was certified Gold in just five weeks. Photos: Kristin Barlowe Trace Adkins A Cowboy That Rides For The Brand A conversation with Trace Adkins  

H&K: You are a very busy man these days. Having just about a show every night from now through the end of October, we’re thrilled you took some time to talk to us today.

ADKINS: I’m happy to do it.  

H&K: Touring like you do and doing that many performances in a row do you get to the point of burn out or does the adrenalin keep you going full speed?

ADKINS: I stay burned out until about thirty seconds before I walk on stage. 

H&K: Then you get that pick up, uh?

ADKINS: Yeah, that’s right.  

H&K: OK… we have to bring up the number two status you have been appointed to as Country’s Sexiest Men. Any words for Toby Keith, who finished first, that you’d like to pass along?

ADKINS: (slow laugh) Yeah… yeah… Well he deserved it about as much as I did. (laughs) Which wasn’t very much.  

H&K: Your big break came three years after your move to Nashville. Had it not come along, would you have been satisfied playing Honky Tonks, and how long would you have waited for that break to come?

ADKINS: No I wouldn’t have been satisfied with that. I’d have went back to work in the oil field.  

H&K: You started out in a gospel group. Would you consider returning to that type of music?

ADKINS: No. I might consider recording a gospel song someday just to get back into my momma’s good graces.  

H&K: How’s your new single, “I Wanna Feel Something”, doing?

ADKINS: It’s doing alright. It’s going a little slow for my taste. So we’re probably going to move on to the first single off the next project. Put our foot back on the gas.  

H&K: And when is the next project?

ADKINS: We’re hoping to get it out by the end of the year so we’re going to move fairly quickly.  

H&K: How much songwriting, if any, do you do?

ADKINS: Not much anymore. I don’t really know how to explain that. It could be I have a little burn out… but I do know I haven’t written a song since I went to rehab almost five years ago.  

H&K: Do you have a certain tone in mind when you start working on a new album, or do you set the tone as you go?

ADKINS: Yeah, it just kind of works itself out as I go along. You know I don’t set out to do theme records. The songs dictate where the project ends up. And it’s always a lot of fun you know… because you go into it and you have absolutely no idea how this things gonna turn out, so there’s that unknown that makes it exciting. And when we put the word out on the street that we’re making a new album and those great tunes start flooding in from around town from publishing companies and song writers from all quarters, it’s a lot of fun.  

H&K: You used baseball metaphors in the song “Swing” on your current album, “Dangerous Man”. Who is your favorite baseball team?

ADKINS: You know, most pro sports are kind of like NASCAR for me… I tend to pull for the guys I know. The guys I’ve become friends with over the years. As far as baseball, I know a lot of the guys on the Cardinals team through a friend at Capital Records who’s tight with a lot of the players on the team. So I pull for them.  

H&K: So you don’t pull for the Yankees?

ADKINS: I never really have pulled for the Yankees, well because… their name.  

H&K: You took part on an ABC Radio Veterans Day Special. Have you had the chance to perform for the troops?

ADKINS: Yes I have a few times and it’s been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. That’s the most appreciative audience you’ll ever play for. They just leave you with such an overwhelming sense of pride. I really enjoy doing those shows.  

H&K: That must be an amazing feeling walking off the stage after performing for them.

ADKINS: It is. And before I went on my first USO trip I had a chance to talk to Wayne Newton about it. You know he’s “Mr. USO”. I asked him what I could expect. He said, “I’ll tell you what you can expect. You going to come home and you’re going to feel guilty because you’re going to feel like they did more for you than you did for them.” Then he said, “ Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it. You did your job and you entertained them the best you could and it can’t be helped. You’re just going to come home and your heart is going to be so full and your chest is going to puffed up because you’re going to be so proud of them. And it’s going to give you that… I know it sounds trite, but that renewed sense that you’re so proud to be an American.” He was right!  

H&K: You’ve also been named “Honorary Chair Of Nationwide Food Allergy Fundraiser Walk” for this year. We know that’s something different from performing for the troops but that level of satisfaction must be off the charts when you find you can use your name to better other peoples lives.

ADKINS: Yeah it is. And being the Honorary Chair is a very personal thing for me. My five year old daughter has severe food allergies and not enough people are aware of the severity of that condition. They think you get a hold of something you’re allergic to and you break out in hives. They don’t realize it can be deadly. So I’m proud to be a part of that.  

H&K: Having a wife and five daughters do the women rule the house?

ADKINS: Absolutely! Yeah! I like to think that I have veto power and I think they let me feel that I do, but I think we’re all aware that it’s not true. (laughs)  

H&K: (laughs) The key word there is “think”.

ADKINS: (laughs) Yeah!  

H&K: We read that you are an avid movie goer. What’s your favorite movie?

ADKINS: I haven’t seen an adult movie since “Cold Mountain”.  

H&K: (laughs) Wow… it’s been a while.

ADKINS: I went to see “Ratatouille” the other night.  

H&K: Trace, was there a moment when you knew without a doubt this is it… this is what I’ve been working for, this is me living my dream?

ADKINS: Well… Cletus Judd did a parody of one of my songs and I thought… “Well, that’s it!”  

H&K: (laughs) That meant you arrived, uh?

ADKINS: My father thought I finally made it a couple of years ago when they had the NASCAR Busch Series Trace Adkins Chrome 300 at Nashville Super Speedway. I mean I had platinum records, became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and all that kind of stuff, but not until they named a Busch race after me did my father think I finally made it. (laughs)  

H&K: (laughs) Oh God! That’s funny!

ADKINS: Then I did an episode of “Higglytown Heroes” and I was finally a star in the eyes of my four year old. (laughs) By Melanie Hulick & Lynda King We covered a lot of ground in our conversation with this Louisiana native and shared a few laughs along the way. But we got a kick out of how the singer summed up what he’s tremendously proud of… his long term relationship with his record company, Capital Records. “I’m a cowboy that rides for the brand,” he said in true Adkins style. “I’ll ride and stay with the ranch through thick and thin.”