Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins is a country music singer and songwriter that will appear on this season’s Celebrity Apprentice. He made his debut in 1996 and since then has had more than 20 singles on the Billboard charts. Trace is known for writing and singing songs that deal with the realities of love, loss, and the blue collar way of life.

Tracy Darrell “Trace” Adkins was born in Sarepta, Louisiana on January 13, 1962. Trace’s father taught him at an early age to play the guitar. After briefly working on an oil rig, he moved to Nashville to play honky tonk bars around town. When an executive from Capital Records noticed Trace, the record company signed him to a deal.

In 1996, Trace released his first single, “There’s a Girl in Texas.” It reached the top 20 of Billboard’s Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart. Later that same year, he released his first album, Dreamin’ Out Loud. That album produced his first number one single “(This Ain’t) No Thinkin’ Thing” as well as several other hits. Dreamin’ Out Loud was later certified Platinum.

In 1997, he released his second album, Big Time, which produced one Top 5 single “The Rest of Mine.” Big Time was certified Gold. He didn’t release his third album, More, until 1999. It is the only album Trace has released that failed to be certified Gold.

Trace ran into a bit of trouble in 2001. He was charged with DUI and spent 48 hours in jail, paid a fine of $350, and had his driver’s license suspended for a year. He had to cancel his tour after being injured on a tractor. He entered a rehab program shortly before the release of his next album, Chrome. Chrome reached the Top 5 on the Billboard Country Album chart, Trace’s first album to do so.

Trace released two albums in 2003 – a Greatest Hits collection and Comin’ On Strong. Comin’ On Strong produced a Top 5 single (“Hot Mama”) and another single that reached #13 (“Rough & Ready”) on the charts. He also received the honor of being inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2003.

Trace’s song “Arlington,” released on his 2005 album Songs About Me, was a fictional account of a soldier who was being buried at Arlington National Cemetery. This caused some controversy and many radio stations refused to play the song. However, another single from the album, “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” became a big crossover hit, reaching the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Trace released his seventh studio album in 2006. Dangerous Man produced the singles “Swing” and “Ladies Love Country Boys,” the latter becoming Trace’s first number one single since 1997. In December 2007, Trace released his second compilation album, American Man: Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.

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