If You're Going Through Hell (Before The Devil Even Knows)

A #1 Country hit, this became Rodney Atkins' signature song, telling the story about the breaking down the walls of life standing in your way. The inspirational story relates to Atkins, whose adoptive parents helped him through a childhood respiratory infection and taught him the value of perseverance. In a city crowded with stars, Rodney joined the ranks of Nashville's top Country singers soon after releasing his debut album in 2003. back in 2006, "If You're Going through Hell," had a big impact on one of his fans that year. Learning that this fan was dying of cancer, Rodney arranged a visit to her hospital room in Michigan, where he played a tune or two for her. This hit song tells

This was written by the husband and wife songwriting team of Sam and Annie Tate, along with the Nashville songwriting mainstay Dave Berg. The trio also collaborated on the Reba McEntire hit "Somebody."

Atkins has made many appearances at children's hospitals where he performs this song for patients who are sometimes terminal. An early example was on October 25, 2006, when he played the song in the hospital room of a young St. Clair, Michigan girl named Maddie Trudel, who was dying of cancer.