Trace Adkins, Reality TV's Cowboy
This interview written by TheShowBuzz.com's Judy Rosen
Trace Adkins had no interest in doing a reality show when he was first approached to appear on NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice."
"I said, 'I'm not a reality fan, I don't watch that stuff. I don't have any reason to do this, I don't need to, my career's going great.' But then when they came back to me again and really stressed what an opportunity it would be to raise awareness for my charity of choice, that's when I really decided that this is something that I should look into."
That charity is FAAN (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network), which Adkins says is very personal for him, his wife and his family. His 6-year-old daughter Brianna suffers from severe food allergies, as do millions of other school-age children. Adkins said representing the charity made him approach the game with purpose.
"I kept that in the forefront of my mind: I'm not representing myself, I'm representing somebody much bigger and much nobler than I am," he said. "I tried to conduct myself in that way and not do anything that would bring shame on those good people."
The singer made some unexpected new friends on "Celebrity Apprentice": boxing champion Lennox Lewis and ultimate fighting phenom Tito Ortiz. Adkins said that despite the fact that each man makes his living beating people up, they're both gentlemen.
"Lennox Lewis is a great guy; we hit it off and became friends. I was surprised about how I found Tito: a very well-mannered, very polite, reserved kind of individual, which is such a contrast with what the man does for a living," he said.
At 6'5" and with a deep-voiced, Southern drawl, Adkins knows what it's like to be misjudged.
Photos: "Celebrity Apprentice"
"I walk in with the hat, and the first thing people think is 'here comes the dumb cowboy,'" he said.
Chicks dig the cowboy image, though. "That's what Marilu Henner told me," he laughed, referring to his fellow contestant on "Celebrity Apprentice."
Is Omarosa one of the chicks who dig him? According to Adkins, he and the abrasive reality star got along just fine on "Celebrity Apprentice."
"I've been married three times," he said. "I know how to deal with a woman like her. You just stay out of her way. When she's on the warpath you just vacate the premises, just get away from her."
The country star said he applies the same principles at home, where he lives with his wife Rhonda, the couple's three little girls under the age of 10, and a 19-year-old daughter from his first marriage.
"(My wife) calls most of the shots. I just retain veto power," he said, "I know what my duties are and try to perform them to the best of my ability so I don't get in trouble."
Adkins is currently out on tour through the middle of March in support of his album, "Greatest Hits Volume II: American Man." The album includes three new tracks which he'll perform along with fan favorites.
"I have to be able to do some new stuff, some fresh stuff and kind of put some twists and new arrangements on the old stuff too," he said.
Although some artists struggle with trying to recreate the sound of their albums when they perform live, Adkins is known for being even better on stage.
"I think one of the reasons for that is you go in the studio and (the song) is fresh. Either you've just written it or you've just gotten it from another great writer in town and you go in and you cut the song. Then after you've been singing it for six months or so you've really learned it; you've really made it your own. It's a shame that I don't go back and cut 'em then," he said.
A live DVD just might be the solution. "I was discussing that with someone the other day, that I think it's about time that I do that."
In the meantime, Adkins plans to go back in the studio in April to record new material for his next album.
"Celebrity Apprentice" airs Thursday on NBC. In this week's episode, Adkins and his team will go up against the ladies in a challenge to create a window display for a line of Vera Wang mattresses.
By Judy Rosen