One old photo. One lost brother. And a song that still breaks the silence.
Long before fame, Trace Adkins had a younger brother — Scott Devin Adkins, who tragically died at 21 in an electrical accident. The loss nearly broke Trace. He withdrew for months. No stage. No public appearances.
Since 1989, he’s carried a single Polaroid photo of Scott in his wallet — the two of them fishing behind their childhood home. He’s changed wallets many times. But the photo has always followed — carefully laminated, quietly protected.
🎙️ In 2007, Trace released “You’re Gonna Miss This.”
Many thought it was about his daughters. But during a private show in Nashville, Trace paused and said:
“I wrote this thinking of Scott. I wish I could call him one more time…”
Since then, he never spoke of it again. But long-time fans say they’ve always seen him touch his wallet before singing that song.
⏳ And to this day…
Every year on Scott’s birthday, Trace skips the spotlight. He returns home. Sits quietly by the grave. Places the photo beside the headstone…
Then puts it back in his wallet.
And walks away.
Trace became a different man.
“I stopped rushing through life. I stopped wasting time,” he once said.
“Because some people never get more time.”
He became more private. More focused. His music started carrying themes of loss, family, and reflection — especially for those who never got the chance to grow old.
A longtime friend once revealed:
“Trace doesn’t cry in public. But I once saw him in his truck… holding that photo. Just staring. For over an hour.”