Thomas Rhett Akins Jr. came up in Nashville the same way a lot of the best Nashville careers started — in the writer’s room, handing other artists the songs. Jason Aldean took “I Ain’t Ready to Quit.” Florida Georgia Line took “Round Here.” Scotty McCreery walked out with “Write Your Number on My Hand.” By the time Thomas Rhett stepped out from behind the publishing credits to cut his own debut, It Goes Like This, in 2013, he’d already proven he could write to a chart. What he proved afterward was that he could carry a room. Thirteen years later, the room has grown to arena-scale, and he brings The Soundtrack to Life Tour to American Airlines Center in Dallas on Friday, September 18, with a 7:30 PM showtime.
About Thomas Rhett
His father is Rhett Akins — Nashville recording artist and one of that city’s more prolific co-writers — and that lineage explains more about Thomas Rhett’s ear than most profiles bother to say. He absorbed the craft from the inside out, learning where a melody wants to go before he ever had a label deal. The result, across more than a decade and seven studio albums, is a body of work that sits at the intersection of contemporary Nashville and pop production without losing the thread back to the emotion country radio was built on. Songs like “Die a Happy Man,” “Marry Me,” “Life Changes,” and “Crash and Burn” have earned him 18 or more number-one hits and an ACM Entertainer of the Year award in 2020, along with multiple Grammy nominations and CMA recognition across the run.
His most recent studio record, About a Woman, arrived in August 2024. The Soundtrack to Life Tour — a 24-date Live Nation production running July through October 2026 — draws across the full catalog. The tour kicked off July 9 in Nashville and wraps October 24 in Omaha. Thomas Rhett has logged considerable additional 2026 road time beyond his own headline run, including dates supporting Morgan Wallen’s Still the Problem Tour and a three-night stand at Wembley Stadium in London with Luke Combs. Live Nation describes the headline show as “bombastic, good-time energy” — which, for anyone who’s watched him work an arena, reads as accurate.
“I’ve always believed a great song can take you right back to a moment — your first love, the last day of school, that summer you never wanted to end.” — Thomas Rhett, official tour announcement
The Venue
American Airlines Center opened in 2001 in the Victory Park neighborhood of downtown Dallas, home arena to the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars and capable of holding up to 21,000 for concerts. Designed by David M. Schwarz and HKS, Inc. with a brick, granite, and limestone exterior, the building has hosted The Eagles, Garth Brooks, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, and Beyoncé among a long run of major touring acts — and consistently ranks among the busiest arenas in the world. Its 1080 HD centerhung display and advanced surround-sound system make it one of the better large-format rooms for a country show of this size in North Texas. More DFW concerts and events are on our regional calendar.
Tickets & Details
Thomas Rhett plays American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Avenue, Dallas, on Friday, September 18, 2026 at 7:30 PM. Zach John King opens this date; Emily Ann Roberts opens every date on the tour. VIP packages — including premium seating, backstage tours, lounge access, and exclusive merchandise — are available through vipnation.com. Tickets via the link below.