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Singer-songwriter Rodney Atkins went back to where it all started this past
Wednesday with "A Christmas With Rodney Atkins" concert benefiting Holston
United Methodist Children¹s Home in Greenville, TN. The show was presented
by WIVK, the local radio station in Knoxville that Rodney grew up listening
to.
Rodney was born in Knoxville and, at birth, placed with Holston Home where
he was given for adoption three different times during his first year of
life. When Rodney first arrived, Charles Hutchins was the executive
director of Holston Home and he initially placed Rodney with two different
families that each returned the infant saying he was too sickly to care for.
Hutchins then contacted the Atkins family, who took him in and attended to
his health problems. Rodney was raised by them in Cumberland Gap, TN.
In 2004, after a performance at the Greene County Fair, Hutchins found
Rodney backstage, and in their first reunion in more than 20 years, he
grabbed Atkins by the face and said, "I am the man who placed you in your
mama's arms many years ago. You are a big handsome man now." Hutchins is
currently the vice president of development at Holston Home and serves on
the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth as appointed by Governor Phil
Bredesen.
"I was adopted from here and I know how important a sense of family is
especially during the holidays," Rodney said. "It's great to have the
opportunity to come back and help bring awareness to Holton Home."
Atkins returns to Holston Home as one of country music¹s rising stars. The
latest hit single, "Watching You," which is #7 on the MEDIABASE Country
Charts is from his RIAA Gold certified album "If You're Going Through Hell."
The song was written about his son Elijah who co-stars in the music video
clip and is the only biological relative Rodney has ever known.
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