Thirty years in country music, twelve USO tours, and over 65,000 service members visited overseas. If anyone has earned the right to release a song called “American Made,” it’s Trace Adkins.
Adkins announced that his brand new single “American Made” drops June 26, and this one carries weight. It’s his first new single in five years, described as “an uplifting anthem honoring the patriotism, ideals and contributions of generations of Americans.”
That alone would be news. But the way he’s choosing to unveil it makes it even bigger.
Adkins will deliver the exclusive national television debut of “American Made” on PBS’s “A Capitol Fourth: 250th Weekend Celebration,” broadcasting live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Friday, July 3, from 8 to 9:30 p.m. ET. Jack Everly will conduct the National Symphony Orchestra during the broadcast, and the concert finale will feature a fireworks display over George Washington’s Mount Vernon, billed as the largest ever at the historic site.
“I have been fortunate enough to have played a small part in several of the A Capitol Fourth celebrations over my career,” Adkins said. “But to be invited to join the 250th birthday of our great country is an honor beyond all others.”
The Right Man at the Right Time
This isn’t an artist chasing a patriotic moment for streams. Trace Adkins has been showing up for this country long before anyone was watching.
Since 2002, Adkins has completed 12 USO tours, visiting over 65,000 service members in Bahrain, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Japan, Germany, and beyond. He’s been a spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior Project since 2010 and has songs like “Arlington,” “Still a Soldier,” and “The Empty Chair” in a catalog that reads like a love letter to the m𝐞n and wom𝐞n who serve.
For You
His military advocacy has earned him the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award, the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Award, the Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Entertainment, and the USO Merit Award, among others. Most artists put a flag in their music video and call it patriotism. Adkins has been boots-on-the-ground in war zones for over two decades.
RELATED: From Service to Stardom: Country Music Artists with Military Backgrounds
2026 also marks his 30th year in country music. His debut album, “Dreamin’ Out Loud,” dropped in June 1996, and three decades later, that deep Louisiana baritone hasn’t lost a thing. Four No. 1 hits, over 11 million records sold, and songs like “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk,” “You’re Gonna Miss This,” and “Every Light in the House” have made him one of the most consistent voices in the genre.
He’s currently out on his 30th Anniversary Tour, and he’s clearly not slowing down.
Fans can pre-save “American Made” now on all streaming platforms ahead of the June 26 release. The A Capitol Fourth broadcast will also stream on YouTube and be available on demand from July 3 through July 17.
Five years between singles is a long time. But Trace Adkins didn’t come back with a throwaway. He came back with a song built for the biggest birthday this country has ever thrown, and a stage that matches it.
