Thomas Rhett got to watch his father, Rhett Akins, fulfill a lifelong dream last month, when Akins became a member of the Grand Ole Opry. For Rhett, it was an unforgettable moment to watch.
“I’ve gotten to watch a lot of different versions of my dad,” Rhett says on SiriusXM‘s The Highway. “I mean, obviously from a young age, I got to watch him be Rhett Akins, the touring artist. Really, really tight Wranglers and mullet vibes. Moving on to him doing the Honky Tonk Tailgate Party Tour with Chad Brock and Daryle Singletary.
“And so I’ve gotten to watch him morph from being an artist into strictly being a songwriter,” he continues. “And then him meeting Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip and forming the Peach Pickers and literally writing the soundtrack of 2004 to 2008, between [Jason] Aldean and Luke [Bryan] and Blake Shelton and all these songs. … I think he’s written, don’t quote me on this number, but almost 40 No. 1 songs in country music, which is insane.”
What Thomas Rhett Says About His Father, Rhett Akins, Becoming a Grand Ole Opry Member
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Still, nothing will compare, for Rhett or his father, to his Grand Ole Opry induction.
“I remember finding out that he was going to be invited, and that night was so special, because Jon Pardi was there to tell him he was going to be a member,” Rhett recalls. “And I saw my dad get on a knee in the circle and just start crying. I’ve seen my dad cry maybe one time in my life. And to know how much that meant to him; he used to watch the Grand Ole Opry when he was seven or eight years old, when it was still on TV. And so it has been, honestly, his number one bucket list thing in his life was to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
“And watching him put his name on the wall. For me, I said this from the stage, but I’ve done a lot of cool things,” he adds. “But that was the coolest thing that I have ever been a part of being a country artist. Getting to watch your dad be inducted into the most iconic venue and club of all time, at least in our genre, was really special.”
When Rhett’s father was invited to join, he spoke out about the invitation on social media.
“I don’t have many words except for the fact that my dad has had a dream to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry since he was boy,” Rhett said at the time.. “He is a country music encyclopedia. There may be people out there that know it and have studied it extensively, but for people I know directly in my life, my dad knows it and loves it more than anyone I’ve ever known. He’s such a purist with music.
“He misses the days that people listened to records all the way through and didn’t just listen to the 20-second TikTok clip,” he continued. “He lives and breathes Hank Sr., Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, and all the above. Dad, I’m so proud of you. I love you. You deserve this! Can’t wait to celebrate this huge accomplishment.”