Thomas Rhett grew up watching his dad, Rhett Akins, have a career as a country music artist in the 90’s, so he learned a lot from him back then, but TR says his dad is still a huge part of his career in terms of being a support system and a constant source of encouragement and reassurance. For instance, Thomas says, “Dad has always just been like such a constant when it comes to me and my live show. A lot of that comes from me just growing up watching him play so many shows as an artist. But he is the sole reason on a lot of shows where I have not completely had a panic attack. Like I’ll walk off stage and know that I did not play my best show and he’s always the first one to be like, ‘Yeah, you know, a couple of things were pretty rough. But overall it was good.’ He’s always been that calming presence and always been the guy that says, ‘Why don’t you try swappin’ these two songs and see what happens.’”
Rhett Akins provides that calming factor for Thomas not only on stage, but in every aspect of his career. Like when Thomas is working on an album and he feels like he’s missing that one song he needs, Thomas says, “(He’ll says), ‘It’s alright, we’ll write it. Don’t worry that we don’t have your first single, we will make it happen one way or the other.’ So always just really just being such an encouragement and somebody when I’m feeling like, ‘What is happening right now?’ he’s always that person to come in and be like, ‘It’s gonna be fine.”
Undoubtedly TR, who’s latest single, “Craving You,” is in the top ten and continuing to race up the charts, is also now getting great parenting advice and support from his dad, now that he is a father to 19-month-old Willa Gray and will welcome his second daughter in August.
Thomas Rhett – fatherly advice from dad :39
“You know dad has always just been like such a constant when it comes to me and my live show. A lot of that comes from me just growing up watching him play so many shows as an artist. But he is the sole reason on a lot of shows where I have not completely had a panic attack. Like I’ll walk off stage and know that I did not play my best show and he’s always the first one to be like, ‘Yeah, you know, a couple of things were pretty rough. But overall it was good.’ He’s always been that calming presence and always been the guy that says, ‘Why don’t you try swappin’ these two songs and see what happens,’ or ‘It’s alright, we’ll write it. Don’t worry that we don’t have your first single, we will make it happen one way or the other.’ So always just really just being such an encouragement and somebody when I’m feeling like, ‘What is happening right now?’ he’s always that person to come in and be like, ‘It’s gonna be fine.”