"My house burned down," was how a jocular Trace Adkins greeted the room of press representatives before his performance at LP field Saturday (June 11) during CMA Music Fest.

Amidst a greeting of applause and laughter in response to his opening statement about the recent loss of his home, he went on to relate how his wife Rhonda, a former publicist for Arista Records, responded when he finally got the message about the fire. When it happened, the singer was on his way to Alaska for a couple days of fishing before playing two shows there.

"I told her after the plane refueled I would head back and she told me just to stay there, that there was nothing I could do in Nashville," Trace related. "I told her to just put on her publicists' hat a minute and think about that headline: 'Trace Adkins' House Burns, His Family Is Homeless and He Goes Fishing in Alaska.' So I came home and she was right, there was nothing I could do but hug them."

Earlier in the day, a more serious Trace told The Boot, "After you realize everyone is OK, all the rest of it is just stuff. My kids are good, Rhonda's good, we have place to stay."

Trace said the family has moved to the their farm near Nashville, where they have a weekend retreat.

Trace went on to explain why he is asking his fans, who have shown so much sympathy and generosity to his family, to focus those feelings instead toward the victims of tornadoes and floods that swept through various parts of the country in the past months.

"We are blessed, we are fortunate," Trace said. "We are not destitute, we are not homeless, and there are other people who aren't as fortunate as we are who need a lot of help. In light of all the tornadoes and everything, we just wanted to make sure that my fans direct their generosity that way. We have a place to stay, and the kids are healthy and that's all that matters anyway."

The singer says he has not had a chance to sit down with his and Rhonda's three girls, Mackenzie, Brianna, and Trinity, to talk to them about the importance of channeling his fans' charitable donations to the Red Cross. "I'm ashamed to say I haven't had that discussion with them yet," he admits. "We are still trying to get over the shock of the whole thing and helping them deal with relocating and being away from their friends."

He said the girls are handling the relocation well. "It was traumatic, but they are not dealing with it as if it were a huge traumatic experience, like it might have been if they had seen someone get hurt," Trace said. "They are kids, and their puppies are fine, and to them that was most the most important thing."

The farm where Trace, Rhonda and the girls have moved has a cabin with plenty of room for them to live until they can make the decision whether to rebuild on the site where the house was destroyed or find another location to build. In a previous interview, Trace related that it was a favorite place for him to go when he had time off, because he loves to be outside and working on the land when he has the opportunity.

When the fire broke out in the couple's home, Rhonda was not there either. Mackenzie, Brianna, Trinity and their two dogs reached safety along with a babysitter and a couple of their friends. It was the babysitter who called 911 and got the girls out of the house. At the time, Rhonda was on her way home and saw the smoke in her neighborhood and rushed home home to find everyone safe and the Brentwood fire department desperately trying to save their house.

Rhonda later said that she and Trace and set up a plan for the family in case of any emergency, and the girls had followed it to the letter. The family had chosen a tree that was far enough from the home where they would be safe, and everyone was to go to that tree and wait for help. When Rhonda arrived home, she learned that the girls had done exactly what their parents had taught them, and she urged other families to think of setting up similar plans in case of emergencies.

It has been determined that the cause of the fire was an overheated and/or loose electrical connection in a power strip located under a work bench in the garage.

Trace has a new album coming out August 2, titled 'Proud to be Here.' He admits it is an ironic title but says it was named that several weeks before the fire occurred. He says the title song is autobiographical even though it was written by three of his songwriting buddies, Chris Wallin, Aaron Barker and Ira Dean.

"You know, I've had several near death experiences that everybody knows about, and these guys know me very well, so they wrote the song for me," Trace said.

Trace is scheduled to resume his tour schedule at the Steamboat Festival in Burlington, Iowa on June 14, followed by Show-Me Music and Arts Festival in Ozark, Mo. on June 17.

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