Rodney Atkins‘ teenage son was involved in a drunk-driving accident last week.
The country star, 49, recently revealed to Taste of Country that a “methed-out drunk driver hit” his 16-year-old son Elijah. Fortunately, Elijah sustained no injuries and he returned to high school earlier this month.
“He’s fine. Not a scratch on him, but it totaled his truck,” said Atkins, who is also father to 7-month-old son Ryder Falcon.
“I talked to him, and I said, ‘It’s okay, you walked away from this. It’s an opportunity to look around, and something good is gonna come out of it.’ And he said, ‘Oh, I know, Dad. I know from watching you,” the “Caught Up in the Country” singer recalled.
“I’ve learned that when the worst things happen in your life to keep your head up because that’s when some of the best things are gonna happen,” the proud dad said of what his son told him post-accident.
In late 2005, Atkins released his single “Watching You,” which was inspired by his parenting experiences and raising Elijah with his ex-wife Tammy Jo McDonald.
Atkins’ songwriting partner Brian White told The Boot in November 2015, “Elijah was standing in line going, ‘If you’re going through hell, hell, hell.’ And I said, ‘You know, you probably don’t want him saying that.’ Rodney said, ‘I want him to understand the sentiment of the song, but I have to teach him not to say that.”
“I told him, ‘Man, he’s just watching you. He’s picking up on what Dad does.’ Rodney’s eyes lit up, and he goes, ‘Wow. We need to write that,’ ” White remembered.
Atkins’ fifth album, his first new music project in seven years, is slated for later this year.
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