In 1996, Trace Adkins released his freshman “There’s A Girl In Texas” single. Written by Adkins and Vip Vipperman, the song, on his debut Dreamin’ Out Loud record, kicked off a career that is still going strong today.
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Adkins has released far too many hits to mention. But these three Trace Adkins songs prove that he is a genuine country music icon.
“You’re Gonna Miss This”
Adkins taps into his soft side with “You’re Gonna Miss This“. Out in 2008 on his American Man: Greatest Hits Volume II record, the song is written by Ashley Gorley and Lee Thomas Miller.
“You’re Gonna Miss This” says, “You’re gonna miss this, you’re gonna want this back / You’re gonna wish these days, hadn’t gone by so fast / These are some good times, so take a good look around / You may not know it now, but you’re gonna miss this.”
The sweet song, about a parent looking back on when their children were small, is based on a true story.
“‘You’re Gonna Miss This’ came from a real story,” Gorley tells American Songwriter. “The bridge of that song where the repairman comes over, the kids are running around, and he says he’s got two babies of his own, 36 and 23? That was real. That happened. He said that. So that song started from that place.”
“I’m Tryin’”
In 2001, Adkins released “I’m Tryin’”. On his fourth studio album, Chrome, the Top 10 single is written by Jeffrey Steele, Anthony Smith, and Chris Wallin.
“I’m Tryin’” is a powerful anthem of resilience. The song says, “But all I can do is all I can do / And I keep on tryin’ / And all I can be is all I can be / And I keep on tryin’ / But there’s always a mountain in front of me / Seems I’m always climbin’, and fallin’, and climbin’ / But I keep on tryin’.”
Ironically, it’s the second song the three wrote that day, after trying to write a song for another album.
“It was one of those things where you really felt like you weren’t being creative,” Steele tells The Boot. “We’d spent the day forcing these words together working on this [other] song, and then all of a sudden, we were in the middle of this incredible song.”
“Honky Tonk Badonkadonk”
“Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” is a humorous song that remains one of the biggest hits of Adkins’ career. Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, and Dallas Davidson wrote the tune. The 2005 single is on Adkins’ Songs About Me record.
“Honky Tonk Badakonkadonk,” about a woman’s posterior, says, “At that honky tonk badonkadonk / Keepin’ perfect rhythm, make ya wanna swing along / Got it goin’ on like Donkey Kong / And whoo-wee, shut my mouth, slap your grandma / There oughta be a law, get the Sheriff on the phone / Lord have mercy, how’d she even get them britches on / That honky tonk badonkadonk.”
It might not make sense, but it became a multi-platinum crossover hit for Adkins.
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
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