Even if you don’t follow country music closely (and I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t these days with Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Keith Urban, Big & Rich…), I know you’ve heard of the cowboy rock stars of Nashville, Big & Rich. The “rich” part of the equation is John Rich and he just might be the most out-spoken, opinionated, and blissfully talented writer in Country Music right now. Personally, I’ve been a big fan since he and “Big Kenny” strutted onto the country music map singing about saving horses and riding cowboys.
They made all of us sit up and say, “Whut? Whut?”
John Rich has a solo cd coming out, Son of a Preacher Man. The title cut is about his relationship with his own dad, a preacher man. In an interview with The Boot.com, John Rich told why the title song is so close to his heart: “Imagine being the most hardcore, rock ‘n’ roll, honkeytonk singer in Nashville … the wildest kid in town. But your dad is a fire and brimstone, Bible-banging preacher. He’s never been judgmental, but I’ve never recorded a song that offended him. I’ve played him songs that he’s said, ‘Nah, I’d rather you not say that,’ so I didn’t record them. That’s how much of an impact my dad has had on me.”
He told The Boot that his partner, Kenny, was on a Mission trip to Africa and that they will be touring together. He’s also certain there are more cds in Big & Rich’s future. And that’s news that follows under the category Great!
One of the talents that most impresses me about John Rich is his song writing abilities. He has written songs for Big & Rich (Lost in this Moment, Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy…), Gretchen Wilson (Redneck Woman, When I Think About Cheatin’, Here for the Party), Keith Anderson (Pickin’ Wildflowers) Cowboy Troy (If You Don’t Wanna Love Me, with Sarah Buxton), Faith Hill (Mississippi Girl, Sunshine and Summertime), Faith Hill & Tim McGraw (Like We Never Loved at All), Jason Aldean (Hicktown, Johnny Cash), Aaron Tippin, Martina McBride, Clay Walker, Shannon Brown (Corn Fed), James Otto, Jewel, and so on. I’m still researching songs that he has written or co-written and I honestly can’t keep up with them all.
It blows the mind.
