Biography
After five years away from the studio, Tommy Atkins is revisiting the project that launched his career. Truth Be Told... is set for re-release in September 2026 as Atkins originally envisioned it, with new recordings of Wild Honey and There Ain't Enough to complete the album's story.
The re-release also sets the stage for a companion project arriving later this autumn: The Summer of 2016, a “prequel” album curated from the glossy pop-country songs Atkins was writing long before Truth Be Told... Originally penned with other artists in mind, the collection captures a younger songwriter, as well as the sound and spirit of the summer that shaped it. Looking back, Atkins realised those songs contained far more of his own story than he’d ever realised.
“I used to think Truth Be Told... was the first time I’d written about myself,” Atkins says. “Then I went back to these songs and realised I was a fucking idiot. Sure, they were written for other artists, but there was a whole lotta ‘me’ in there.”
Part-prequel and part-love-letter to what many millennials affectionately call their “last great summer”, The Summer of 2016 bridges the gap between Atkins’ earliest songwriting and the artist he would become.
“Reliving my youth at this point feels fitting, because my next album is 100% about midlife crisis. But, more on that in 2027. For now, I’m excited to celebrate Truth Be Told... in its entirety then party like it’s 2016 again.”
Returning alongside co-producer Dr Ford is the band that shaped the original album, with the addition of acclaimed musicians Tim Crouch (Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson), Tania Hancheroff (Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood), and Smith Curry (Shaboozey, Taylor Swift).
Tommy Atkins made history in 2020 with Freedom, the first country radio hit in the UK and Europe to feature overtly gay lyrics. The single was playlisted by hundreds of country radio and pop stations, paving the way for the international success of Kiss Me, Cowboy, which earned CMA playlist support, airplay on SiriusXM and CountryLine Radio, multiple international awards—including Country Queer's 2020 New Artist of the Year—and eventually reached #1 in three countries. His groundbreaking success has since been recognised in the BBC Music documentary, Deep Dive into Queer Country. Recorded between Nashville and the UK, Atkins' debut album, Truth Be Told, originally hit #1 on the country download charts in 2021.
Atkins lives in the English countryside with his husband, cat and chickens.
Tommy's debut performance at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee. June 2018.
Tommy's EP, Kiss Me, Cowboy, was released September 2020. It went on to hit #1 in 3 countries.
Tommy's first award was a Listener's Choice for Male Artist of the Year. December 2019.
2020 saw Tommy win 'New Artist of the Year' with Country Queer, and a nomination at ITV's NDAs.
Proud to Be Country was founded in 2020. Check out the Spotify playlist.
Be sure to follow Tommy on social media for lots of fun content, including cocktail recipes inspired by his songs!
Kiss Me, Cowboy was featured on the CMA's official Country Pride Playlist - June 2021.
It Took a Woman saw Tommy duet with one of his idols, Rissi Palmer. It became Tommy's 7th Top 10 in the UK. June 2021.
Tommy's debut album, Truth Be Told, was released on September 1 2021. It hit #1 on the Country download charts in the UK and New Zealand.
