- Rodney Atkins
Infobox musical artist
Name = Rodney Atkins
Img_capt = Rodney Atkins performing on December 1, 2007 at theSchottenstein Center inColumbus, Ohio .
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Born = birth date and age|1969|03|28cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:gpfuxqehldse~T1 |title=Rodney Atkins biography |accessdate=2008-02-28 |last=Brown |first=Marisa |work=Allmusic ]
Origin =Cumberland Gap, Tennessee ,United States
Instrument = Vocals,acoustic guitar
Genre = Country
Occupation =Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 1997-present
Label = Curb
Associated_acts =Lee Greenwood
URL = http://www.rodneyatkins.com/Rodney Allan Atkins (born
March 28 ,1969 , inKnoxville, Tennessee ) is an Americancountry music artist. Signed toCurb Records since 1997, Atkins charted his first single on the "Billboard" country charts that year. However, he did not enter the charts again until late 2002, with the Top 40 single "Sing Along". Atkins eventually landed his first Top Five hit on the country music charts in 2003, with the single "Honesty (Write Me a List) " from his 2003 album "Honesty"."
If You're Going Through Hell ", his second album, was released in 2006. Its first two singles, "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows) " and "Watching You", each spent four weeks at the top of the country music charts. Both songs were also named as the Number One country song of the year by "Billboard" magazine ("If You're Going Through Hell" in 2006, and "Watching You" in 2007). The album, which has since been certified platinum in the United States, has since produced two more Number One singles in "These Are My People " and "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy) ", as well as "Invisibly Shaken" which peaked at #41.Biography
Rodney Atkins was born in Tennessee, and put up for adoption not long after his birth. As an infant at the Holston Methodist Home for Children in
Greeneville, Tennessee , he was so sick that two couples who had taken him home returned him a few days later. A third couple fromCumberland Gap, Tennessee , adopted him as well and, even though his ailments worsened, refused to give him up. His adoptive mother had been raised in a coal mining family near a tannery camp, and his dad survived an upbringing marked by poverty and episodes of abuse.During high school, Atkins played guitar in his spare time at events and festivals. He went to college at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tennessee, where he worked various jobs in order to pay for his education. He also went into Nashville to play gigs and write songs.
Musical career
Atkins was signed to
Curb Records in 1997. That year, he charted for the first time with the single "In a Heartbeat", which peaked at #74 on the "Billboard" Hot Country Singles & Tracks (nowHot Country Songs ) charts. He had also planned to release a self-titled debut album that year; however, after deciding that he was not satisfied with the album's contents at that point, he askedMike Curb (the label's president) to allow him more time to work on the album. For two more years, Atkins continued to work on his debut album, although it was never released."Honesty"
In 2002, Atkins released his second single, entitled "Sing Along". Both it and its followup, "My Old Man", peaked in the lower regions of the Top 40 on the country charts. Eventually, he cracked Top 10 for the first time in late 2003-early 2004 with "
Honesty (Write Me a List) ", which went on to peak at #4. The song was the title track to his album "Honesty", which was released by the end of 2003. "Someone to Share It With" and "Monkey in the Middle" were also issued as singles from this album, although the former peaked at #41, and the latter failed to chart."If You're Going Through Hell"
Having been absent from the country music charts for most of 2004 and 2005, Atkins returned in 2006 with a single entitled "
If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows) ", which served as the lead-off to his second released album, "If You're Going Through Hell ". The song went on to become not only his first Number One hit on the country charts, but also the Number One country song of the year 2006 according to "Billboard". This single's followup, "Watching You", earned him a second consecutive Number One; in 2007, it was also declared by "Billboard" as Number One country song of the year.The album went on to achieve RIAA platinum certification in the United States, in addition to producing two more Number One hits, for a total of four consecutive Number Ones: "
These Are My People " and "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy) ". A fifth single, "Invisibly Shaken" (previously found onLee Greenwood 's 2003 album "Stronger Than Time"), was released in mid-2008, but it fell one position short of the Top 40.Charitable efforts
Madeleine Rose Trudel (1999-2006), a young girl from
St. Clair, Michigan , was dying of cancer when on October 25, Atkins gave Maddie a private concert in her hospital room. Atkins learned about Maddie when somebody sent him a link to the Free Press series about Maddie and her illness. He sang "If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)", hissignature song as well as Maddie's favorite song.fact|date=June 2008 After Maddie's Passing, Rodney has stayed in contact with Paul (Maddie's father) and has taken part in events to benefit "Rebelsforacause.org"/ and the "Make a wish foundation", including Maddies ride for miracles coming up in late august of '08Family
Atkins is married to Tammy Jo and has a son named Elijah, who appears in the video for "Watching You". Atkins also has two step daughters, Lindsey and Morgan, from Tammy's previous relationship.
Awards
;Notes
*A^ Failed to chart.
*B^ "Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy)" also reached #84 on theCanadian Hot 100 .References
External links
* [http://www.rodneyatkins.com/ Official Website]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.