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Thomas Rhett’s mom shared heartwarming stories about her superstar son when she appeared as the first-ever guest on the new podcast, Got It From My Momma, hosted by Jennifer Vickery Smith. Rhett’s mom, Paige Lankford, shared stories about welcoming her son into the world when she was 19 years old, reflected on why she wasn’t on board with him starting his career in music when he did, and spoke about her son’s successful relationship with his wife of 10 years, Lauren Akins.
Lankford recalled during her conversation with Smith — whose sons are Nashville-based director, actor and tour videographer Cooper Smith and singer-songwriter Conner Smith — that she didn’t expect the “Slow Down Summer” singer to pursue a career in music. Lankford knew that Rhett could sing and play the guitar (she recalled his talent show performance during his senior year of high school), but he didn’t seem to get serious about writing and performing music until college, attending Lipscomb University.
Lankford remembered “that dreaded day where he came home,” and sat his mom down and told her, “I’m gonna drop out of school and sign this writing deal.”
“No, no, no,” Lankford remembered saying to her son, who was a junior in college. “That’s not what we’re gonna do. …You need to finish school. …Just finish school and then do it.”
Despite multiple attempts to convince her son to stay in school, Rhett ultimately pursued his career in music, and Lankford said she realized her son “was born” to be a singer-songwriter (following his father, country artist Rhett Akins).
Lankford also shared that her son has always been family-oriented. He tied the knot with his wife, Lauren, in October of 2012 after knowing one another for years, and now, the couple has four young daughters. Lankford said she knew that Lauren was “cut out” to handle life with a husband pursuing a career as an artist. She told Smith that her son “was always in love with Lauren. They were best friends.”
On Got It From My Momma, Smith will “chat about family, fame, and faith with the mommas of your favorite entertainers,” the podcast’s description reads. Guests will “share never before heard stories from the artist’s childhood and the journey to stardom from the perspective only a momma can share!” Find the podcast on iHeartRadio here.