Coarse voice of perseverance

Roll that 401(k) money
June 12, 2014
Terrebonne Juneteenth hosted at new Houma locale
June 12, 2014
Roll that 401(k) money
June 12, 2014
Terrebonne Juneteenth hosted at new Houma locale
June 12, 2014

At his level of success, acting like a “big shot” is almost expected. But Rodney Atkins remains as humble as ever, a champion of the people and passionate about music and life.


Atkins debuted with the 2003 album “Honesty,” whose title track peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Country chart. And he was just getting started. His second album, 2006’s “If You’re Going through Hell,” produced four chart-toppers, including the title track. That same year, the Academy of Country Music named him the best new male vocalist. Two more number-one singles arrived by way of his third and fourth albums, “It’s America” (2009) and “Take a Back Road” (2011).

“It still is pretty surreal,” he said of his fame. “I don’t know if I’ve ever thought, ‘I’ve arrived.’”

A lifelong baseball fan, Atkins said his childhood dream was to play in the major leagues. He also grew up around music, with his dad directing the church choir.


“I started playing guitar when I was in high school,” he recalled. “As soon as I learned three chords, I wanted to start trying to write songs. … I never really planned on standing up in front of people and performing; it was just writing the music that I wanted to do.”

Since entering stardom, Atkins has performed with icons such as Charlie Daniels and George Jones. “The Bourne Legacy” featured his hit song “Cleaning This Gun.” His second album went platinum, as did three of his singles: “Watching You,” “Farmer’s Daughter” and “Take a Back Road.” Despite these accolades, Atkins said he focuses more on building his career and making a lasting impact on music.

“If something goes number one and then in two weeks, nobody can remember the words, the song kind of goes away,” he said. “The goal is not necessarily shooting for chart positions or awards but (producing) songs that will be around.”


Atkins counts Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson among his music idols, partly because of their kindness toward others. He hosts the “Music City Gives Back” concert in Nashville, raising money for a different cause each year, from tornado victims to children studying music. In the patriotic country spirit, he held an “America’s Heroes” celebration in August and has performed for troops in Kuwait and Afghanistan.

“That is the dream,” Atkins said. “Not to be a celebrity or anything like that, (but) to have songs that touch people.”

Atkins has written or co-written much of his music. His son, Elijah, inspired the wholesome “Watching You.” The song describes a man driving with his 4-year-old, who repeats a curse word his father utters after hitting a red light. The man realizes how much he influences his son, who later shows that he has also learned to pray like his dad.


Atkins prides himself on music listeners can relate to, and that connection is a main factor when he decides which songs to release. One fan’s response to his first No. 1 song is ingrained in his mind. A man wrote to him, describing how he had recently lost his job and gotten divorced. Prior to contacting Atkins, he had sat in his church’s parking lot, holding a pistol.

“He happened to have the radio just barely on, and he heard the song ‘If You’re Going through Hell,’” Atkins said. “He said in his email, ‘That was 20 minutes ago. I’m home now. I was contemplating suicide this morning, and when I heard “If You’re Going through Hell,” it made me realize that was a permanent solution to some temporary problems.’ He said, ‘That song just saved my life.’”

Atkins plays Cypress Bayou Casino June 13, with tickets starting at $50. His plans for the future are straightforward: keep performing, writing and improving. He is currently working on an album, which he hopes to release in the fall. He said some tracks challenge him as a singer, but he is continuing the themes of previous records.


The album’s first single, “Doin’ It Right,” was released in October. It describes ways of handling life and proclaims that all are acceptable. The song includes lyrics about people with different personalities, needs, appearances and habits. An anthem for perseverance, it emphasizes the importance of moving past mistakes.

“People come up and tell you that one of your songs is ‘their song,’ that it’s a song that got them through a tough time or it’s a song they share with their kids or their spouse or their friend,” Atkins said. “Those are the biggest and best things that you get to hear.”

In November, Atkins wed fellow country musician Rose Falcon, with Elijah serving as his best man.


“We don’t have the TV on a lot around here; we play songs, sing,” he said of his marriage. “We’re always kind of popping around song ideas.”

However, Atkins is not likely to start writing simple romantic ballads anytime soon. Instead, his songs continue to focus on the reality of struggles and hardship as well as the value of hope and determination.

“They’re not about life being perfect,” said Atkins, but about “the times in life that you kind of push through. They’re tough, but really I think that’s when we’re the most alive, when we get through those situations.”


Popular country music star Rodney Atkins performs June 13 at Cypress Bayou Casino at Charenton. Atkins, though newly married, said an upcoming album will stay true to his roots, focusing on struggles and hardships rather than romance.

COURTESY PHOTO