Atkins tastes great

Caught Up in the Country

Careers don't see as many twists and potholes as the one Rodney Atkins has going - it took him six years between his first charted single just to release an album. While that did modestly well, it was 2006's "If You're Going Through Hell" that really put a crater on the charts: two consecutive singles for a total of eight weeks at number one and a platinum record. The next two recordings came in quick succession with big lead singles, but slow album sales. ...

Take a Back Road

Rodney Atkins' breakthrough album, "If You're Going Through Hell," produced the top singles of both 2006 and 2007. His moment in the spotlight was brief, with his follow-up album,"It's America," being largely ignored except for the title track. From the get go on "Take a Back Road," Atkins comes across as a regular guy, not a detached superstar. There are songs about hanging out on back roads away from the hustle of daily life, getting fatherly ...

It's America

When you've recorded Billboard's number 1 country song of 2006 (If You're Going Through Hell) and 2007 (Watching You), what do you do for an encore? Rodney Atkins is here to tell us: you don't mess with the recipe. As usual, the hook-seeking guitar licks lead the pop country charge, with the occasional appearance of fiddles and banjos for seasoning. Atkins tapped into the services of an army of writers for the 11 songs, including 3 he helped write. ...