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Riverbend’s Coca-Cola barge is an unusual stage, but it’s not the weirdest place Rodney Atkins has ever performed.

“One time I sang at a wedding in a grocery store,” the country singer said during a phone interview.

“A radio station in Knoxville was doing a contest, and the station and a grocery paid for the (winning couple’s) wedding and honeymoon. They asked me to sing. There I was in the frozen-food section singing ‘Keeper of the Stars.’”

That wry sense of humor — combined with lyrics that show a keen insight into the everyman situations that bind his listeners — have contributed to Mr. Atkins’ wildfire success.

Tonight, Mr. Atkins brings his energetic, fistpumping show to Riverbend’s Coca-Cola Stage. Opening for him will be Little Big Town.

This former delivery truck driver is country’s golden boy. He is four-forfour in consecutive No. 1 hits off his sophomore CD, “If You’re Going Through H----.” He earned six Academy of Country Music nominations. And he’s notched two gold digital downloads for singles “Watching You” and “Going Through H---.”

Contributed Photo -- Rodney Atkins

He claims his work ethic keeps him grounded, and says he has no plans to ditch his trademark ball cap for an image update.

“You have to keep your head down and keep working,” he said. “So many folks related to those songs, especially “Going Through H---.” I got so many e-mails from folks going through hard times. That song was real for them.

“The ball cap is me. It’s funny, but in this world of images I just stayed who I am and that became an image,” he laughed.

His new single, “Invisibly Shaken,” has just hit the airwaves. The singer said the beautiful ballad about a man whose pride won’t let him show how much a breakup has affected him is his tribute to the musical influence singers such as Ray Charles, Patsy Cline and Etta James had on him.

“I just wanted to write one of those vulnerable, fragile songs with those interesting chord changes,” he said.

This summer he’s finishing work on a new CD, for which he said he is writing about half the songs, and he is touring with Brooks and Dunn. His wife and son, Elijah — his “little buckaroo” in the “Watching You” video — are traveling with him.

“Elijah is just the same kid. He’s 6, and it (fame) doesn’t register with him because it’s always been part of his life. He’s been backstage at the Opry and seen things I never got to see as a kid. Being on the road, he’s gotten to not just hear about Mount Rushmore, but see it.”