Trace Adkins: Near-Death Stories, Oil Rigs, And 30 Years In Country Music :: Ep 43 Circling the Drain Podcast

Country legend Trace Adkins joins Circling the Drain for a raw, funny, and unfiltered conversation about survival, success, and the scars he picked up along the way.

Trace opens up about growing up in small-town Louisiana, singing bass in church, working dangerous oil rigs in the Gulf, getting shot by an ex-wife, flipping a tractor, multiple open-heart surgeries, and why he still prefers hard work on the farm to life on the tour bus. He also talks about his breakout in Nashville, label politics, 30 years in country music, and how acting and voiceover work have kept him relevant.

Along the way you’ll hear wild stories featuring Gene Simmons, Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Donald Trump, Blake Shelton, and more – plus why the national anthem still makes him nervous every single time.

This is Part 1 of our Trace Adkins series on Circling the Drain.

1:56 – Trace walks in like a superstar and why everyone respects him

2:26 – The only “tangible result” of being on stage: applause and then back to the bus

3:03 – Farm life, physical work, and needing something real to show for the day

3:50 – Taking down massive ash trees and chasing a chainsaw voiceover gig

4:30 – Losing a Steel commercial because he didn’t wear gloves

6:09 – 12+ years as the voice of Firestone and other national campaigns

6:42 – KFC, Farmer Boys, and ongoing work with Wounded Warrior Project

7:30 – Five daughters, Lululemon bills, and the idea of Trace voicing an athleisure brand