Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins
was born Jan. 13, 1962, in Springhill, La. He first began
performing with a gospel quartet while still attending high
school in the nearby town of Sarepta. He continued to sing
gospel throughout his years at Louisiana Tech University,
where he studied petroleum technology. After working on
an oil rig for a few years after leaving school, he embarked
on what he calls his "true musical education"
-- playing one honky-tonk after another. While singing at
Tillie's & Lucy's Pub in Nashville, Adkins was spotted
by a Capitol Records executive and was signed to the label.
His
early singles steadily climbed the charts, and 1997’s
"(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing" became his first
No. 1 hit. After enduring a label shake-up at Capitol in
the late 1990s, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Adkins resurfaced
with the Top 10 hits “More” in 2000, “I’m
Tryin’” in 2001 and “Chrome” in
2003.
He released his Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 in
2003, a few months before being inducted into the Grand
Ole Opry. He also checked himself into a rehabilitation
center for a drinking problem, and concluded the year by
releasing the studio album Comin' On Strong.
