Thomas Rhett Says His First Job “Taught Me Persistence”

Thomas Rhett learned the definition of hard work at a very young age and it wasn't always thanks to his music. The country hitmaker is this week's guest host on Shawn Parr's Backstage Country. Host Shawn Parr talked to the singer/songwriter about his first job.  It was one of many other topics they discussed throughout the week. But this one brought us into our feels here for a minute.

"My very first job was laying hardwood floors for my uncle here in Nashville. He owned a company where, you know, we'd go into people's houses or to businesses and lay hardwood floors. And I think... I did that for three or four summers in a row. I really think that job taught me persistence. It really taught me how to be a perfectionist, in all the best ways. And I think it just really taught me what hard work truly meant.  I definitely appreciate that time in my life, because I think it's translated a lot in my career today," Rhett explained. 

We would have to say he's right on the money. His hard work and persistence through those summer months led him to now have twenty number-one songs to date.

Rhett is fresh off the release of his brand new collection which celebrates all of those hits. It is titled 20 Number Ones. It features songs like "It Goes Like This," "Get Me Some Of That," "Crash And Burn," "T-Shirt," "What's Your Country Song," and many more.

Not only has Rhett earned two GRAMMY nominations throughout his career but he has also been honored with eight ACM awards including Entertainer of the Year.

Click here to find out where to listen for more from Thomas Rhett on Shawn Parr’s Backstage Country.

Thomas Rhett celebrates his 33rd birthday today (3/30) and is also celebrating the first anniversary of his Where We Started album on Saturday (4/1). Thomas reflects on where he and his wife Lauren started over a decade ago.

Rhett told us, "Just kinda looking back at the last decade of our lives … Shoot, 2012, when I was playing 600 shows a year, and Lauren was with me on the tour bus with nine other dudes, it felt like we were never going to get out of that. And my wife, being like, 'Man, how many times have we been to Wisconsin this year?'"

He continued, "I wake up now, and I'm like, we have four children; so much has changed in my career from just success to bigger rooms to getting to do neat collaborations with people. And sometimes you wake up, and you're like, man, today is tough. And you look back at your past, and you're like, yeah, but think about where we were. And I think whether you do music, or whatever you do, I think anyone can look back at their past, and be like man, looking at where we are now, compared to where we were, the future looks pretty bright."