Trace Adkins Celebrates a Charitable Veteran’s Day, Discusses New Music and Acting Plans
This Veteran’s Day, Trace Adkins commemorated the holiday by playing the “Vets Rock” concert inside Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut – an all-day event starting with a career fair and workshops to provide veterans with valuable resources and capped with an arena benefit concert. Ticket sales from the even supported Till Duty is Done – an organization that helps to restore and improve the lives of veterans.
Adkins, who has a long history of involvement with military-related charities (he’s played 10 USO tours as well as served as a spokesman for the Wounded Warrior Program) spoke with Yahoo Music about his latest endeavor. “It’s been a lot of fun,” he noted, adding, “It certainly is rewarding.
"I’ll never forget the first time I was going to do a USO tour,” Adkins mused. “I was just a baby act…I had the opportunity to talk to Wayne Newton. I was at an event and he was there. I’d never met him, so I wanted to meet Wayne – ‘cause you know, he was the USO guy. When I did, I said, 'Tell me what I should expect when I go over and do this USO tour.’ And he said 'expect to feel guilty when you come home.’
"That’s all he said, and I was like ’what was he talking about?’” he added. “And when I got home I realized, ’That was what he was talking about.’ Because no matter how hard you try, as much as you try to give them while you’re there, it just seems as if you leave feeling that they gave you more. They are the most appreciative audience you’ll ever play in front of and they just won’t stop telling you how grateful they are that you came. But then … you get to go home."
The singer recalled a particular veteran that made a tremendous impression on him while playing a Christmas show in Memphis, Tenn.: "He was a Marine, and he was in Korea. I can’t remember his name, shame on me. But he came to the show that night and I was just in awe. Being in this old gentlemen’s presence, and the spirit that he had. I’ll never forget that. I can’t remember how many times he got shot – it’s just an incredible story.”
While playing for the military crowd, Adkins had an opportunity to try out some fresh music, as he’s scheduled to release a new album next year – his first in three years. Created during a period of some considerable personal turmoil, Adkins noted that he’s “very proud” of the new set. “It was an album we really had the luxury of taking our time to do,” he related. “I’ve worked on this project on and off for the last couple years. There was no real sense of urgency from anybody. I just took my time, and came up with the best songs that I could and sang the best that I could. I’m very proud of it.”
When asked if there will be anything on the new record that might surprise fans, Adkins chuckled. “At this point in my career I don’t think there’s a whole lot I could do to shock anybody,” he said. “Folks know that I’m gonna do what I wanna do, record what I wanna record, and sing about what I wanna sing about.”
The Grammy-winning musician is not only forging ahead with new tunes, he assures those fans who may know him best for his turn on TV and movies (All-Star Celebrity Apprentice, the Lincoln Lawyer, among others) that he’s not giving up his acting career anytime soon. “I’m very fortunate – some people mistakenly believe I can act, and they call me to come do it, and I love it. I get a kick out of that. The whole movie sets, television sets, that environment, those incredibly talented creative people—it’s stimulating.
"I have another movie coming up in January, and when those parts come along and I can fit them into my schedule, I’m more than happy to do them. “
