Trace Adkins Deals with Sin and Redemption in a Unique Way with "Jesus and Jones"

Country music veteran and committed Christian Trace Adkins has been quiet for a while.  But now he is back in a big way.  His new single "Jesus and Jones" is already casusing a stir among crtics and fans alike.  The song tells of our daily struggles with sin and santification.  With lots of reality doses, the song speaks of the difficulties of living right.

According to Trace, the subject hits close to home. "This is a song that's autobiographical," he says. "The first thing I ever did behind a microphone was singing bass in a gospel quartet. At the same time, I was playing guitar and singing in honky-tonks, so, that's when the struggle began-the wrestling match between 'Jesus' and 'Jones'-and I still struggle with that." 

Written by Casey Beathard, Tyler Farr and Jim McCormick, the song came about from the normal course of a writing appointment. According to McCormick, the title was Beathard's idea. "Tyler and I responded to it immediately," he tells Taste of Country. "I totally related to what he had in mind, throwing that title out. Of course, both those guys are great writers, and it helps to have great co-writers. We got after it real fast, we really did."

McCormick hopes the message of the song will resonate with a wide cross-section of listeners. "You're not alone if you're going through it. You're not alone in that struggle," McCormick says. "I think it's just learning how to balance your life and find moderation, and get a hold of your wild side without letting go of having a great time in life. And living a life of balance, which is an ongoing process."

"When I'm up on the wagon I'm a hell of a saint / But I'll be damned if there ain't another town to paint / Just down the road, man it's a game that I can't win," the "Jesus and Jones" lyrics proclaim, followed by a chorus that ends with, "Been a tug o'war since I was a kid between Jesus and Jones."

Jesus and Jones" is the first single from an album Trace hopes will be out this year.

Adkins first made his way into the music scene in 1995 with the release of his album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released ten more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations. In addition, he has charted more than 20 singles on the Billboard country music charts, including the Number One hits "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing", "Ladies Love Country Boys", and "You're Gonna Miss This", which peaked in 1997, 2007, and 2008, respectively. "I Left Something Turned on at Home" went to No. 1 on Canada's country chart.

All but one of his studio albums have received gold or platinum certification in the United States; his highest-selling to date is 2005's Songs About Me, which has been certified 2× Multi-Platinum for shipping two million copies.  

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