Country Pop Bites: Rodney Atkins – July 30

Did you know that on this day in Country Music History in 2007 Rodney Atkins received a diploma from Tennessee Tech?

It's true! It was 14 years after he stopped taking classes. School officials discovered he'd racked up enough hours of credit to qualify for a newly created degree!

Check out this Rodney Atkins video!

Here are 5 interesting facts about Rodney Atkins.

• Rodney Allan Atkins was born on March 28, 1968 in Knoxville, TN, and not long afterwards was put up for adoption.
• He was a sickly infant, and two couples who had taken him home brought him back again. A third couple, Allan and Margaret Atkins adopted him, and even though he had medical problems, they would not give him up.
• It wasn't until he was in high school that he received his first guitar, and he began to play in events and festivals in the area.
• His musical influences are Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, ZZ Top and Ray Charles.
• His first single, "In a Heartbeat," released in 1997 failed to make the Top 40, peaking at No. 74.