Rodney Atkins notches third straight number one
Wednesday, August 29, 2007 – Rodney Atkins notched his third consecutive number one single this week because "These Are My People" took over the top of the Billboard song chart, which will be officially released Thursday.
Atkins previously had chart toppers with "If You're Going Through Hell" and "Watching You," inspired by his 5-year-old son Elijah.
Atkins took over the top from Kenny Chesney's "Never Wanted Nothing More," which had been first for four straight weeks.
"These are My People" was written by Dave Berg and Rivers Rutherford.
"The best songs are the ones that you see yourself inside of even if you didn't write it. I swear to ya'll, I grew up down by the railroad tracks shooting BB's at everything. It was us boys at the Shawanee railroad tracks and then going to Barnard's or Buford's. School was exactly what this song says. I still like a good game of church league softball... Brother Ralph Berry, the man who baptized me was the most tenacious softball player ever! He was in his sixties back then," Atkins said.
After compiling a 10-year career with Curb Records with modest success, Atkins received the encouragement of Curb chairman Mike Curb to be more hands on with his music.
"Mike Curb encouraged me to learn about songwriting, how to write songs, how to go in and produce those songs," Atkins said. "He allowed me to get in the studio and experiment and learn the process.
Atkins' platinum selling album helped earn him the ACM Award for "Best New Male Vocalist" in May after being signed to a record deal nearly 10 years prior.
Atkins joins the "Bonfires and Amplifiers" tour opening for Brad Paisley after wrapping up his summer on the road with Martina McBride.
More news for Rodney Atkins
CD reviews for Rodney Atkins
It's America
When you've recorded Billboard's number 1 country song of 2006 (If You're Going Through Hell) and 2007 (Watching You), what do you do for an encore? Rodney Atkins is here to tell us: you don't mess with the recipe.
As usual, the hook-seeking guitar licks lead the pop country charge, with the occasional appearance of fiddles and banjos for seasoning. Atkins tapped into the services of an army of writers for the 11 songs, including 3 he helped write. »»» |
If You're Going Through Hell
You know, kids, believe it or not, back in the day, country singers didn't have to sing about how country they were. When they opened their mouths and sang - even if they were singing about being chairman of General Motors and living in the big city - you knew it was a country song. But nowadays when country and pop rock are all but indistinguishable, artists have to waste a lot of valuable time establishing their country credibility.
Take Rodney Atkins for instance. »»» |
Rodney Atkins
Tim McGraw may not have a twin brother, but from listening to the debut of Rodney Atkins, that would seem to be the case. McGraw is the most obvious reference point vocally in song after song. Atkins seems to have gone to the School of Tim McGraw in recording this. Time after time, he bears an extremely strong vocal resemblance, and at least McGraw (and Atkins) has a voice that is soothing enough. "What's Left of Me" is typical in that it contains the Atkins/McGraw drawl, the elongated syllables »»» |
Editorial: American Idol's Carrie Underwood can sing –
If anyone saw the Super Bowl – what a great great game that was – they would have heard American Idol winner and country superstar Carrie Underwood sing the National Anthem. Underwood did with her voice what Kelly Clarkson did last week with her written words – give it to Scott Borchetta, the head of Big Machine Records,, who tried defending Taylor Swift by knocking American Idol performers. »»»
Concert Review: McBride, Adkins shine sometimes –
As Martina McBride pointed out, the pairing of the country singer with Trace Adkins on their current jaunt was surprising. After all, she's of diva-quality voice, petite, non-controversial unless you call singing songs that empower women controversial. Adkins, on the other hand, has not been afraid to speak his mind with a kick butt attitude.... »»»
Concert Review: Eilen Jewell wears her musical hats well –
Eilen Jewell wears a lot of musical hats. The Idaho native, who now lives in Boston, fronts the Eilen (ee-lin) Jewell Band, a pretty much traditional country band. She's a member the Sacred Shakers, an octet doing gospel country with a country beat. And she has yet another project, Butcher Holler, covering Loretta Lynn songs.... »»»
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Haywire
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Somewhere in Time
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As He Wanders
Fans of country - and we're using a definition starting just west of real country and stopping a bit south of alt.-country - who aren't sold on Austin's Texas Sapphires four songs in can be suspected of unnecessary stubbornness. Just look what that first third offers. You get both male and female voices: Billy Brent Malkus' is handsome yet tough and wiry enough for a bar fight, and Rebecca Lucille Cannon's is lovely yet, well, tough and wiry enough for a bar fight. »»» |
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