Rhett co-wrote the song “I Ain’t Ready to Quit” on Jason Aldean’s 2010 album My Kinda Party and signed a recording contract with Big Machine Records’ Valory Music Group division in 2011. The album’s first 21 weeks were spent in the top 40 of the Billboard 200; it also has sold 1.7 million in its first years of release. Rhett also co-wrote the 2013 singles “1994” by Jason Aldean, “Parking Lot Party” by Lee Brice, and “Round Here” by Florida Georgia Line. During the chart week of September 21, 2013, the Country Airplay chart included five songs within the top 10 that Rhett or his father had co-written, including “It Goes Like This”.

In early 2012, he released his debut single, “Something to Do with My Hands”, followed later that year by “Beer with Jesus”. Both of these made top 30 on the Hot Country Songs charts. His third single, “It Goes Like This”, topped the Country Airplay chart and also peaked at number 2 on the Hot Country Songs.

Rhett married Lauren Akins, on October 12, 2012. They announced that they were expecting a child together, and adopting a baby girl from Uganda, Willa Gray Akins (b. November 1, 2015), on May 12, 2017. On August 12, 2017, they welcomed their second daughter Ada James Akins.

His debut album, also titled It Goes Like This, was released on October 29, 2013. The album’s fourth single, “Get Me Some of That”, became Rhett’s second number 1 single in early 2014. The album’s fifth single, “Make Me Wanna”, was released to country radio on August 4, 2014. It reached number one on the Country Airplay chart on March 7, 2015. In between the two singles, Rhett sang guest vocals along with Justin Moore on Brantley Gilbert’s “Small Town Throwdown”.

On April 7, 2015, Rhett released a new single titled “Crash and Burn” which served as the lead single to his second studio album. The album, Tangled Up, was released on September 25. It reached at number one on the Country Airplay chart in September 2015. The album’s second single, “Die a Happy Man” released to country radio on September 28, 2015. It reached at number one on the Country Airplay, Hot Country Songs, and Canada Country chart in December 2015. and January 2016. It stayed at number one on the Country Airplay chart for 8 weeks, becoming the second song in the chart’s history to do so. The album’s third single, “T-Shirt” released to country radio on February 16, 2016. It reached at number one on the Country Airplay in June 2016, but received poor critical reviews criticizing its lyrical content. The album’s fourth single, “Vacation” released to country radio on June 13, 2016. The album’s fifth single with Deluxe Version, “Star of the Show” released to country radio on October 3, 2016.

On September 8, Rhett released his third studio album Life Changes. It includes the chart-topping singles “Craving You” featuring Maren Morris, “Unforgettable”, and “Marry Me”. The title track was released as the album’s fourth single on April 16, 2018. The album’s fifth single was “Sixteen”.

On March 1, 2019, Rhett released “Look What God Gave Her” as the lead-off single to his upcoming fourth studio album, Center Point Road. The following night, on Saturday Night Live, Rhett performed another new song from the album, called “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time.” The album was released on May 31. “Remember You Young” is the album’s second single.

Rhett mentions his wife and daughters in his song “Life Changes” and they appear in the music video with him. He also included them in his video for “Look What God Gave Her”. On July 23, 2019, Rhett announced that he and his wife were expecting their third daughter, Lennon Love Akins, who was born on February 10, 2020.

Rhett was born in Valdosta, Georgia, to Paige Braswell and country singer Rhett Akins, and grew up knowing other singers including Tim McGraw and Brooks & Dunn. He has one younger sister, Kasey, and a younger half-brother on his father’s side, Brody James Akins, born on March 13, 2020. His paternal great-grandfather was Lebanese.

Accepting the Entertainer of the Year award for which he tied with Carrie Underwood in the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards on September 16, 2020, Rhett remarked, “Thank you to the Lord Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.”