Trace Adkins Talks Tempo and Toughness

Throughout his career, Trace Adkins has had his share of hits, including several No. 1's. And while there's no set formula for success in the music business, Trace stays keenly aware of what has worked for him in the past -- mainly staying truthful to his audience.

"I try to make albums that reflect real life, and real life is a mix of seriousness and fun times," the father of five tells Access Atlanta. "It depends on the mood and the situation. I enjoy doing all types of songs in the studio. As far as the response from fans and radio, the uptempo stuff seems to be more popular. When I'm on tour, I lean more towards the fun, uptempo stuff. If you're not enjoying what you do as much as the audience is enjoying it, you need to find something else to do."

Trace is currently sharing the bill with Toby Keith on the America's Toughest tour, but he's quick to point out the name of the tour is just that and shouldn't be taken too seriously.

"I don't worry about projecting an image, really, and I don't have that persona," he notes, adding, "of course, neither of us are worried about anybody challenging whether or not we are actually 'America's Toughest!'"

With Trace standing 6-foot-6 and Toby hovering at 6 feet 4 inches tall, we're pretty sure Trace is right about that!