Rodney Atkins bringing new music to Cedar County Fair in Tipton

Rodney Atkins not only enjoys performing in Iowa City, the singer/songwriter loves working with a country songsmith who has some pretty significant ties with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

“The finest songwriter I know is Casey Beathard,” Atkins said while calling from his Nashville home. “Casey was the first songwriter I met when I moved to town here and he’s the best songwriter I ever met. If I ever have the chance to work with him, I’m all in.”

Atkins, 55, will perform about 30 miles northeast of Iowa City when he headlines the Cedar County Fair in Tipton on Saturday night, July 13, 2024.

And he isn’t blowing smoke about Beathard. Atkins raves about the father of former Iowa Hawkeyes star quarterback C.J. Beathard and country artist Tucker Beathard. The elder Beathard penned the initial single from Atkins’ next album, “Years are Short,” which most likely will be previewed at the fair.

“That song just kills me,” Atkins said. “It’s another great song by my good friend. It just fits me perfectly.”

Atkins has a penchant for writing and/or performing tracks that are deep. Cuts like “Honesty (Write me a List),” “These Are My People” and “Watching You” are relatable tunes about life.

“A lot of people just record these fluffy songs,” he said. “I was never drawn to that. I was attracted to these bigger songs. I was told that if I had hits with these type of songs, I would have a long career.”

Still going strong

Atkins focused on music in 1996 but didn’t record an album until he crafted “Honesty” in 2003. “I look back at those early days when I delivered firewood to make ends meet and I appreciate that initial struggle,” Atkins said. “I didn’t appreciate it then. I watched some guys come to Nashville and have immediate success and I thought, ‘That just isn’t fair.’ But a lot of those guys who had that success were gone in three years and I’m still going strong more than 20 years later.”

“Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy),” “If You’re Going Through Hell” and “Farmer’s Daughter” are just a few of Atkins’ songs to go Top 5 on the Country chart.

“What I love is how the songs have been embraced by fans,” he said. “They’ve been embraced like love songs. But to me the songs ‘It’s America’ and ‘Cleaning Your Gun’ are love songs. They’re life songs and that’s kind of the same thing as a love song to me.”

The fans often belt out the hits along with Atkins at his shows.

“That's the biggest blast to me,” he said. “I look out and everyone knows the words and it just kills me, since it’s the coolest thing in the world. I don’t want to go out and sing those songs when I go onstage. What I want to do is hear and watch the audience sing along to my songs. There is no better feeling.”

When push comes to shove, Atkins admits that raising his three sons eclipses his interaction with the audience.

“There's no doubt about that,” he said. “I love my family more than anything. I’m raising three men who I want to be capable, confident and caring.”

Atkins’ sons are 4, 6 and 22 years old. The latter, Eli, is an emerging musician who recently recorded a duet with his dad. The Atkins pair belted out “Watching You” on Father’s Day.

“My wife urged us to do it and Eli sung the chorus to ‘Watching You.’ and it got 11 million views on TikTok. The experience brought tears to my eyes.”

The Knoxville, Tenn., native, who reached the top of the country music chart with “It’s America” in 2009, acknowledges that the vibe of the country feels very different today.

“It’s weird how very divided Americans are,” he said. “The people are hard-core on both sides. They’re locked-in, refusing to hear what the other side is saying. It shouldn’t be about taking sides. I’m a conservative Christian and I wish we could come together. Look at what's happening in Europe and those people are sacrificing, and all Americans seem to do is bicker. I’m hoping that changes.”

Iowa nice

What won’t change is Atkins’ drive to record and tour.

“I’m so passionate about what I do,” he said. “This is what I love to do. I’ve been fortunate to have this success, but what I value most is well-written songs.”

Atkins’ forthcoming, but as yet untitled album, will drop in late 2024 or early next year.

“It’s being mixed now,” he said. “I don't know exactly what new songs I’ll play in Iowa. Maybe I’ll do a few of the new songs acoustic. You got to show up to see what I do. It’ll be fun.

“It’s always a blast in Iowa, since there is no place that is more about hospitality than Iowa. It reminds me of how I grew up in eastern Tennessee. I enjoy going back there since I feel so comfortable in Iowa.”