Rhett Akins Hints At First New Project In 20 Years – With Thomas Rhett In The Mix [Exclusive]
“It’s been over 20 years since I released anything officially…”
Thomas Rhett & Rhett Akins; Photo by Chris Hollo
It’s been more than two decades since Rhett Akins officially released a record of his own, but that may be about to change.
Akins is one of modern country music’s most consistent hitmaking songwriters, with credits like “I Don’t Want This Night To End,” recorded by Luke Bryan; “Dirt On My Boots,” recorded by Jon Pardi; “Honey Bee” by Blake Shelton; and “Small Town Boy” by Dustin Lynch, along with countless other cuts recorded by a who’s who of country music.
Before becoming one of Nashville’s most in-demand writers, Akins also enjoyed a successful run as a solo artist in the 1990s, earning his first No. 1 hit with “That Ain’t My Truck.”
Throughout the past two decades, Akins has racked up numerous accolades for his songwriting, including being named BMI Songwriter of the Year multiple times and earning several CMA Triple Play Awards, which honor songwriters who chart three No. 1 singles within a 12-month span.
While the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee has spent the last several years dominating Music City behind the scenes, Akins recently revealed he’s considering releasing some of the thousands of songs he’s written that never found a home.
“It’s been over 20 years since I released anything officially, like record wise. There was no such thing as streaming back then. So I’m like the Flintstones,” he told Country Now with a laugh while backstage at the Grand Ole Opry during Conservation Aid. “I mean, I’m way, way behind on social media, putting songs out and things like that. But I have so … I bet I’ve written almost 2000 songs since I’ve been in Nashville. And there’s just a lot of ones that for whatever reason, nobody picked up or didn’t sing, but they deserve to be heard. And I got a lot of those that I want to put out.”
Akins also revealed that he and his son, Thomas Rhett, have been back in the studio together.
“Me and Thomas Rhett have been working on … Well, we’ve been working on songs since he’s five years old, but we’ve been working on some songs in the studio,” he shared. “When we can, he’s busy all the time going on tour, going to Africa for charity and stuff like that, having kids, which I think he might have his fifth kid tonight as we speak, my seventh grandchild. But yeah, we’ve written some songs this year.”
While Akins admitted he isn’t yet sure where the new songs will ultimately land, it’s clear that something is brewing, and it could involve a few familiar names.
“I don’t know. Maybe some of mine, maybe we do something together, maybe it’s for his. I always have a song or two on his albums, but I haven’t made an album in a long time. So I think that I probably would have some guests, Luke Bryan, Riley Green, Jason Aldean, people that I kind of came up with, but having Thomas Rhett, us doing something together might be happening,” he teased.
Despite his decades of success, Akins says the nerves that come with chasing a great song haven’t disappeared, and that’s exactly how he likes it.
“I don’t feel pressure about anything anymore. Except I will say this, as many songs as I’ve written, I don’t think there’s a day that I drive to town that I don’t get a little bit nervous. Like it’s your first time, you know what I mean? Because every song is its own thing. It doesn’t matter because you’ve been writing for 10, 20, 30 years, you still kind of get that chill when you know it’s the right title, you know it’s the right melody. It’s still like the first time. So I still enjoy that part of it, but I’ve written so many songs, played so many shows that I kind of don’t … I mean, I don’t really worry about it anymore.”
Fans can stay tuned to Rhett Akins‘ social media for updates.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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