Whether he’s singing one of his hit songs like “Ain’t that Kind of Cowboy,” or “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” or growling, “Pack your personals” to an unlucky contestant on Ultimate Cowboy Showdown, there’s no mistaking the deep, rich baritone voice of Trace Adkins. Born in Sarepta, Louisiana on January 13, 1962, Adkins showed an early interest in music. When he was 10, his father bought him a guitar and funded lessons. By the time he was in high school, he was singing with a Gospel group, and though he quit college to work on an oil rig, he continued to make music. He played honky-tonk bars in the Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas area for several years before he made the big move to Nashville. One night, Scott Hendricks from Capitol Records Nashville was in the audience at Tillie and Lucy’s Bar when Adkins performed, and a deal was struck right there. In 1996 Adkins released his debut album, Dreaming’ Out Loud to critical acclaim, and it was certified platinum.

Adkins’ commanding presence serves him well on stage—and in front of the camera. Some notable performances include a gritty biker in The Lincoln Lawyer with Matthew McConaughey, a tattoo artist in Moms’ Night Out with Patricia Heaton, and the band manager of MercyMe in the box office smash, I Can Only Imagine.

His Westerns include a 2014 version of The Virginian, Badland with Bruce Dern, Mira Sorvino, Kevin Makely, and Wes Studi, Desperate Riders with Tom Berenger, and Traded with Kris Kristofferson, among others. In 2022, Adkins starred in Monarch, a TV series in which he played Albie Roman, the head of the Roman family, a country music dynasty. Oh, the secrets and lies in that series!

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Trace Adkins Emoji Sing-Along Quiz

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