Happy Father’s Day! Country Stars Celebrate Dear Old Dad

Father's Day is this Sunday (June 17), and several country artists will either be celebrating their role as proud Dad, or honoring their own father. The Boot compiled thoughts on the big day by Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Hunter Hayes and several more.

Keith Urban is still adjusting to his role as a parent, along with actress Nicole Kidman, to three-year-old Sunday Rose and six-month-old Faith Margaret. "The first thing is probably just having someone call you dad. I'm like, 'Omigosh! I'm her dad! That's amazing,'" the singer-songwriter says. "That's probably the first thing to me. I don't know, I mean, the different personalities that our two daughters have, that's amazing. It's such a long list I think. I always say ... I think for the people that haven't had kids -- which I hadn't for a long, long time. I didn't have kids 'til later on, and being around it is not the same as having them, you know? I realize that it's not something that can be explained until you actually sort of have it, so I'm glad I got to experience that."

Dierks Bentley, who lost his own dad earlier this month, still has two reasons to celebrate Father's Day -- three-year-old daughter Evie, and one-year-old daughter Catherine. "My daughter Evie, she just loves being out and about and seeing stuff," the Arizona native boasts. "She's got a real gregarious personality and loves to be around music. It's everywhere she goes ... my daughter's exposure to music in general is crazy. It's always around. There's just music everywhere. She loves it, and I'm not trying to turn her into my 401k package down the road, but if she wanted to get into the business, I'd support her."

One-half of the duo Big & Rich, Kenny Alphin (aka Big Kenny), and father of two (including adopted son Dakota), is more grateful for his own dad, now that he wears the same title. "I've always been thankful on Father's Day that I have such a great father. Now I also find myself thankful that I am one. ...and Happy 82nd year to my Pop, hope the rain comes right after we get the hay up!"

Alan Jackson hopes he and his wife, Denise, have instilled values in their three girls that will help them succeed on their own."We try to be just not pushy hands on parents," the Grand Ole Opry member notes. "We let them live and be their own way. I'm not stern with them. You know, I'm funny and light, and try to give them guidance and let them live and learn their own ways. And that's something, I think, my parents did. It was accidental, but that's what they did."

Gloriana siblings Tom and Mike Gossin celebrate their dad year-round. "For Mike and I, every day is like Father's Day!" Tom maintains. "Our Dad lives with us in Nashville, so we get to hang every time we come home from our tour. He's a mentor, a drinkin' buddy, and our best friend. Incredibly grateful and blessed to have Steve Gossin Sr. in our lives!"

Hunter Hayes' father relocated to Music City from Breaux Bridge, La. to be closer to his son, but his favorite Father's Day memory occurred when the two were still living several states apart. "I remember one time I went to Louisiana to surprise my dad for Father's Day," the 20-year-old recalls. "I was working in Nashville and he was, at the time, still working in Louisiana so I drove back on Saturday and made him think I was at a convention in Nashville. It was pretty stealth, nobody knew about it. It was also the weekend I signed my record deal and he had been waiting for that and was so anxious to see it happen. So I took the contract home with me and surprised him Sunday morning, then showed him my signed contract. It is one of the coolest memories I have of Father's Day."

Darius Rucker knows his children enjoy spending time with him when he's off the road, but acknowledges he can still be stern when he needs to be. "I think if you asked my kids what kind of Dad I was ... [11-year-old daughter] Danny would say that I was a fun Dad," the platinum-selling singer says. "My little daughter would say that I was a fun dad; she thinks I'm a lot of fun. I think if you caught them at the right moment they would say I was mean because when I'm home I'm not afraid to discipline them. I'm all fun until it's not fun anymore and then daddy's not the fun guy. I think that they'd say that I was a fun Dad, I'm a loving Dad and I think they would say that. I'm gone so much that when I'm home, I just shower love upon my kids. I say 'I love you' probably fifty times a day. We hug, we kiss all the time. I'm always wanting them to know how much I love them. So I'd hope they'd say that I was a loving dad."

Eric Church, whose outspoken comments (including his recent remarks about reality TV talent shows) earn him plenty of attention, says his penchant for speaking his mind is in his blood. "My dad is a great guy, honest guy, very call it like he sees it, which is where I get a lot of that," the "Springsteen" singer says. "No BS. I'm gonna tell you how I feel whether you like it or not, I'm that guy, I'm me. And that's what a lot of what comes out of me, what I write about, what I sing about, in interviews probably saying some things I shouldn't, but it's me and that's what you get. My dad's that way, so I get a lot of that from him. There's also an honesty and an integrity that my dad carries himself with that I've always admired. I think the both of them combined, and they've been married for I think 40 years, to be together that long in this day and time is a feat in itself."

Little Big Town member Jimi Westbrook, who is married to bandmate Karen Fairchild, is still learning the ropes of parenthood, thanks to their two-year-old son, Elijah. "It's still such a new experience for us, and man, I'm telling you, people can tell you all day long how great it's going to be, but it still never touches it," he explains. "That little man looking back at me, it's the most unbelievable feeling. And every day, for me who hates mornings [laughs], waking up to a slap in the face; he's like pounding on me, then he's like kissing on me and stuff. It's unbelievable. It's absolutely beautiful."

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