Thomas Rhett joins forces with his musical dad —’90s hitmaker and in-demand country songwriter Rhett Akins — for “Things Dads Do,” a reflective ballad that is out just in time for Father’s Day. The pair shared the brand-new song on Wednesday morning (June 16).
Part tribute to Rhett’s three daughters, part homage to Akins for teaching him how to be a parent himself, “Things Dads Do” is a particularly poignant song for Rhett because of its personal resonance. He debuted it for the first time live on the Grand Ole Opry stage earlier in June, sharing with the crowd that he was planning to release it as a Father’s Day duet with Akins; in 2020, they shared it via Instagram just after Father’s Day.
“Things dads do / You’ll think it’s crazy until you’re one, too / And you’ll lose your mind / And a couple years’ sleep in just three months’ time,” Rhett sings in the chorus of the song. “And next thing you know, one’s five and one’s three / And one’s almost one and she’s cuttin’ her teeth / And you’re in his shoes / And you’re starting to / Do more than a few things dads do …”
“This is probably my favorite song I’ve gotten to write with my dad. I’ve learned so many life lessons from him, and it’s pretty wild to see so much of him in myself now that I’m a dad,” Rhett shares in a press release. “It felt like we should go ahead to release it for all of y’all who have been asking since we wrote it and to celebrate all the dads out there!”
This Father’s Day will be a particularly special one for both singers: Not only is Akins celebrating his longtime status as a dad to Rhett, but he also welcomed a baby boy, Brody James, with his wife Sonya in March of 2020. Just one month before baby Brody’s arrival, Rhett became a dad for the third time, when his youngest daughter, Lennon Love, was born.
True to the lyrics of “Things Dads Do,” Rhett is now the father of three daughters — 5-year-old Willa Gray, 3-year-old Ada James and 1-year-old Lennon — and he’ll soon welcome a fourth. In May, he and his wife, Lauren, announced that Lauren is pregnant with the couple’s fourth baby girl, who is due in November.
WATCH: Father’s Day Advice From Your Favorite Country Stars
PICS: Country Star Dads Doing Dad Stuff