Thomas Rhett talks Home Town Team Tour 23 kickoff in Des Moines

Country star Thomas Rhett is kicking off his Home Team Tour 23 in Des Moines on Thursday.

The multi-platinum "Look What God Gave Her" hitmaker gave the metro area a spot on his massive U.S. tour's starting lineup due to the special place it holds in his heart. Rhett first came to Des Moines in 2013 as an opener for Jason Aldean and said he has enjoyed his frequent visits to the city.

"We loved the Midwest so much and we wanted to kick it off somewhere we knew," Rhett said.

His August 2018 performance to a sold-out Iowa State Fair Grandstand crowd of 15,775 audience members was the then-largest crowd the fair had seen in nearly 25 years. He returned in 2019 with his Very Hot Summer Tour at Wells Fargo Arena.

The Instagram-famous Tennessee native first rose to fame with a debut album "It Goes Like This" and then broke out later with mainstream success in Nashville by charting more than a baker's dozen of No. 1 singles. The "Marry Me" singer said fans will enjoy the tour setlist, which features little-known gems and his biggest hits alike.

“If you have been a fan of mine since 2012, you’re going to be in the crowd being like, ‘Oh my gosh. I can’t believe he just played that,'” Rhett said.

Close friend Cole Swindell and Nashville newcomer Nate Smith are set to join Rhett out on the road as opening acts. Rhett said Smith, the breakout star behind fan favorites "Whiskey on You" and "Wildfire," is one of his favorite new voices in Nashville "by far." But it's Swindell, a buddy and frequent collaborator, who made Rhett sentimental.

“The fact that we are still getting to tour together is a huge deal with me,” Rhett added of his tourmate.

Rhett, the son of singer-songwriter Rhett Akins, is a second-generation star in the genre. The family man and father of four daughters with his wife, Lauren, won't be joined by his family in the metro as his three oldest children finish up school in Nashville before heading out midsummer for dates across the country.

“As we have had a million kids ... three of them are in school now so I think we’re kind of waiting until the summertime until we bring them out on the road,” he said.

Rhett and his wife first fell in love in high school have known each other since elementary school. The couple have gained a dedicated following on social media platforms who leave double-tapped hearts on photos documenting their love story.

More: Lauren Akins, Thomas Rhett's wife, gets vulnerable about losing (and finding) her purpose

A decade after his first time performing at Wells Fargo Arena with a handful of hits, Rhett will do it again. On Thursday he returns as a headliner for the second time, standing before folks who’ve been there since the start.

“This tour is for people — obviously anybody is able to come — but we kind of dedicated this tour to the people who’ve been rocking with us for a decade,” he added.

How to see Thomas Rhett in Des Moines

When: May 4, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Wells Fargo Arena, 730 Third St., Des Moines

Price: Tickets start at $29.50 on hyveetix.com.

Jay Stahl is an entertainment reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow him on Instagram or reach out at jstahl@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Thomas Rhett talks about his upcoming tour, which starts in Des Moines