Rodney Atkins Discusses ‘Watching You’ at Country Jam 2019
Rodney Atkins stopped by to chat with us at Country Jam last week. I had to ask Rodney about the impact his #1 hit "Watching You" has had on his career.
"Watching You" was released in September 2006, the second single from the album If You're Going Through Hell. The tune was written by Atkins, Steve Dean and Brian Gene White. The lyrics were inspired by Atkins' son, Elijah. As it turns out, Elijah had been singing his dad's hit tune "If You're Going Through Hell" to his teachers, and Atkins had to explain to his son it "might not be appropriate for him to be singing that in school."
The song went to #1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It also finished at #1 on the Billboard's Year-End chart for 2007.
While speaking with Atkins, I had to ask about "Watching You." To this day I get more calls for that tune than any other Gold song on KEKB. I've been sitting in that studio since well before 2006, and I can't recall ever getting so many calls for any one song. Here's what Rodney Atkins had to say about the song and it impact with the fans.
Did you hear what he said at 1:06? When I explained to him the Grand Junction fans were going to go bonkers when he played "Watching You," he replied with "You're giving me chills, man."
I've had the pleasure of meeting Rodney Atkins several times. He is about as nice as they make them. We were truly glad to have him back at Country Jam.