Trace Adkins has led quite the interesting life. He’s been present on country music charts since 1996, following the release of his debut album ‘Dreamin’ Out Loud’. But surrounding his musical fame is a life full of extreme variety that has found the roughneck crooner in some of the most unexpected places. Check out the facts we’ve complied below for an alternative view into the life of one of country’s most exciting names.
10. He’s A Damn Good Author. Trace wrote a book in 2007 called A Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck. Besides the long title, it has received great reviews and is rated 5 out of 5 stars at amazon.com.
9. Trace Adkins is 6’6″.
Ever wondered how tall Trace actually is? With some research we can confirm that yeah… he’s a big dude.
8. His ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ charities were very personal.
During his first appearance on ‘Celebrity Apprentice,’ Adkins played for the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network because his daughter Brianna suffers from severe allergic reactions to peanuts, milk and eggs. His second time around, he played for the American Red Cross, an organization that came to his family’s rescue after their 2011 house fire.
7. He’s a big fan of ’80s rock and roll.
Adkins idolizes country stars like Merle Haggard and Ronnie Milsap, but also rock bands like the Eagles, Journey and Lynyrd Skynyrd. He believes that “the best rock ‘n roll was made between ’75 and ’85.” He also prefers the Rolling Stones over the Beatles. Adkins once said that he “was never a Beatles fan.”
6. He’s scarred — literally.
He was shot by his second wife through the heart. During a domestic dispute in 1994, his second wife Julie shot him. The bullet passed through both chambers of his heart and through both lungs. He crawled into the bathtub while waiting for help so he wouldn’t bleed all over the new carpet (in Trace’s own words). He believes the reason he survived is because he lived near a Trauma Center. He never pressed charges against Julie, but the pair divorced shortly after. He has a number of scars on his chest from this and other incidents.
5. No, seriously … he’s really scarred.
Trace lost his pinky finger on his left hand. After he graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in petroleum technology, Adkins’ left pinky was cut off while he was working on an oil rig cutting open a bucket with a knife. Doctors were able to reattach the finger, but it is permanently bent at an angle so he could still play the guitar. This makes it difficult for the singer to play many guitar chords.
4. He’s animated.
He voiced the recurring handlebar-mustached character Elvin Mackleston on the animated series ‘King of the Hill.’ He also voiced Big John in the episode ‘Livin’ on Reds, Vitamin C and Propane.’ In addition, Trace has starred in his own comic book series playing superhero Luke McBain.
3. Tractors are his guilty pleasure.
Adkins says that the best piece of advice he’s been given that he actually follows is “don’t spend your own money” — except if it’s on tractors. He loves tractors, and he cites them as his guilty pleasure. “I’ve got three [tractors], and I can’t justify having three. I guess that’s a guilty pleasure,” he dishes.
2. As far as his hair, it’s all or nothing.
If Adkins ever cut his hair, he says he’d choose a buzz cut because it’s a similarly low-maintenance ‘do. He’s been growing his mane since 1991.
1. Worst. Gig. Ever!
The worst gig Trace Adkins ever played was at a wedding reception. “We played the song for the bride and groom to dance to, and the next song was going to be grandparents and the parents and all that. So, we started the second song and about halfway through, Grandma fell dead on the floor,” Adkins spills. “And we were still playing, and finally, the father turned around and yelled, “Stop! For God’s sake, stop playing. My mother’s dead.”
Special thanks to B105 and Taste of Country for providing these outrageous Trace Adkins facts!
