Thomas Rhett Bio
Thomas Rhett Akins Jr. (born March 30, 1990) is an American country music singer-songwriter who records under the stage name Thomas Rhett. The oldest son of country singer Rhett Akins, he grew up surrounded by Nashville’s songwriting community and built a career that blends traditional country storytelling with modern pop production. Over more than a decade in the industry, Thomas Rhett has released seven studio albums for Big Machine Records’ Valory Music imprint, earned four Grammy Award nominations, and collected one of country music’s highest honors, the Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year award in 2020.
Known for hits such as “Die a Happy Man,” “Marry Me,” and “Life Changes,” Thomas Rhett has become a defining voice of his generation in mainstream country. Beyond performing, he has penned songs for major acts including Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, and Lee Brice. He is married to Lauren Akins and the family lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Early Life and Background
Thomas Rhett Akins Jr. was born on March 30, 1990, in Valdosta, Georgia, to Paige (née Braswell) and country singer Rhett Akins. His father had scored 1990s hits with singles like “That Ain’t My Truck” and “Don’t Get Me Started” before transitioning into a successful songwriting career at the turn of the century. Music was a daily presence in the household, and Thomas Rhett later described growing up in a creative environment shaped by his father’s profession.
Although born in Georgia, Thomas Rhett was raised in Hendersonville, Tennessee, where he came to know other country stars including Tim McGraw and Brooks & Dunn through his father’s industry connections. He has one younger sister and two younger half-brothers, one on each side of his family. As a junior high student, he learned to play drums and began joining his father onstage, an experience that gave him his earliest taste of live performance.
In high school, Thomas Rhett played in a band called The High Heeled Flip Flops, sharpening his stage skills in local shows. He later enrolled at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, to study communications. At twenty years old, he decided to leave college and pursue music full time, accepting a publishing deal with Big Machine Label Group to write songs for other artists.
Path to Country Music
Thomas Rhett’s professional journey began in the writing rooms of Nashville rather than on stage. He co-wrote “I Ain’t Ready to Quit” for Jason Aldean’s 2010 album My Kinda Party, a record that spent twenty-one weeks in the top 40 of the Billboard 200 and sold 1.7 million copies in its early years. The success of that collaboration positioned him as a promising new songwriter and led to a recording contract with Big Machine Records’ Valory Music Group in 2011.
As a songwriter, Thomas Rhett also co-wrote Jason Aldean’s 2013 single “1994,” Lee Brice’s “Parking Lot Party,” and Florida Georgia Line’s “Round Here.” During the chart week of September 21, 2013, five songs in the top ten of the Country Airplay chart had been co-written by Thomas Rhett or his father, including the title track of his own debut album. That crossover success between writing and performing set the foundation for his artist career.
Thomas Rhett Career
Early Career (2012–2015)
Thomas Rhett released his debut single, “Something to Do with My Hands,” in early 2012, followed later that year by “Beer with Jesus.” Both reached the top thirty on the Hot Country Songs chart, and his third single, “It Goes Like This,” topped the Country Airplay chart. His debut album, also titled It Goes Like This, arrived on October 29, 2013, and produced additional number-one singles “Get Me Some of That” and “Make Me Wanna.”
While building his own catalog, Thomas Rhett also collaborated with peers, including guest vocals on Brantley Gilbert’s “Small Town Throwdown” alongside Justin Moore. His early work earned respect from both fans and industry insiders, establishing him as a reliable hitmaker in a competitive era of country music.
Breakthrough (2015–2020)
On April 7, 2015, Thomas Rhett released “Crash and Burn,” the lead single from his second album, Tangled Up, which arrived on September 25, 2015. The album’s second single, “Die a Happy Man,” became one of his signature songs, reaching number one on the Country Airplay, Hot Country Songs, and Canada Country charts and remaining atop Country Airplay for eight weeks, the second song in the chart’s history to do so. The album’s third single, “T-Shirt,” also hit number one on Country Airplay.
Thomas Rhett’s third album, Life Changes, was released on September 8, 2017, and included the chart-topping singles “Craving You” with Maren Morris, “Unforgettable,” and “Marry Me.” In 2019, he released his fourth studio album, Center Point Road, with the lead single “Look What God Gave Her” arriving March 1, 2019, and a high-profile performance of “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time” on Saturday Night Live. That same year, his albums earned him Best Country Album nominations at the Grammy Awards.
In 2020, Thomas Rhett released the charity single “Be a Light,” featuring Reba McEntire, Hillary Scott, Chris Tomlin, and Keith Urban, with proceeds going to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. He capped the year by winning Entertainer of the Year at the 2020 Academy of Country Music Awards, the most prestigious individual honor of the ceremony.
Recent Career (2021–2024)
In March 2021, Thomas Rhett announced a two-part project. The first installment, Country Again: Side A, was released April 30, 2021, and included the singles “What’s Your Country Song” and “Country Again.” Six songs on the record were co-written with his father, Rhett Akins, marking a deliberate return to his country roots. He later released his sixth studio album, Where We Started, on April 1, 2022, led by the single “Slow Down Summer” and including collaborations with Katy Perry, Tyler Hubbard, and Russell Dickerson.
On September 29, 2023, Thomas Rhett released “20 Number Ones,” a greatest hits album celebrating “Half of Me” becoming his twentieth number one single. The collection included the bonus track “Mamaw’s House” featuring Morgan Wallen. On August 23, 2024, he released his seventh studio album, About a Woman, preceded by the single “Beautiful as You.” In September 2024, he co-hosted the Canadian Country Music Awards alongside MacKenzie Porter.
Notable Works and Milestones
Across his seven studio albums, Thomas Rhett has placed 21 singles on the Billboard Hot Country and Country Airplay charts, with 20 reaching number one on Country Airplay, a tally that places him among the format’s most successful hitmakers of the past decade. Signature songs such as “Die a Happy Man,” “Marry Me,” and “Crash and Burn” have become staples of country radio. His career has also been defined by four Grammy Award nominations, including Best Country Album nods for Tangled Up in 2017 and Life Changes in 2019, and the 2020 ACM Entertainer of the Year trophy.
Thomas Rhett Award Nominations
Thomas Rhett has received four Grammy Award nominations across his career, with two of his albums, Tangled Up (2017) and Life Changes (2019), earning Best Country Album nominations at the Grammys. These recognitions from the Recording Academy reflect his consistent commercial and critical success within the country genre.
Thomas Rhett Awards Won
Thomas Rhett was named Entertainer of the Year at the 2020 Academy of Country Music Awards, one of the most prestigious honors in country music. The award recognized his chart dominance, packed touring schedule, and broad cultural impact during a year highlighted by the charity single “Be a Light.”
Thomas Rhett Family
Thomas Rhett is the son of country singer Rhett Akins and Paige (née Braswell) Akins. He has one younger sister and two younger half-brothers, one on each side of his family. His father has been a frequent collaborator, co-writing six songs on the 2021 album Country Again: Side A and shaping Thomas Rhett’s early exposure to the Nashville music industry.
Personal Life
Thomas Rhett married Lauren Akins (née Gregory) on October 12, 2012, and the couple reside in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2017, they adopted a daughter from Uganda, born November 1, 2015, and have since welcomed four biological daughters, born in August 2017, February 2020, and November 2021. In August 2025, the couple announced they were expecting their fifth child, and in February 2026, they announced the birth of a son.
A practicing Christian, Thomas Rhett has spoken openly about his faith, and it has shaped songs such as “Beer With Jesus” and a collaboration with worship artist Chris Tomlin. His personal story, including the international adoption of his eldest daughter, has been a recurring theme in his songwriting and public life.