Big & Rich
Encyclopedia
Big & Rich is an American country music
duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich
. Both members alternate as lead vocalist
s and play rhythm guitar
. Rich was a founding member of the country music band Lonestar
and later a solo artist for BNA Records
, while Big Kenny was formerly a solo artist on Hollywood Records
.
Big & Rich's first studio album, Horse of a Different Color
, was released in 2004. This album produced four straight Top 40 country hits, including the number 11 "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
", and collaborations with Cowboy Troy
, Gretchen Wilson
and Martina McBride
. Comin' to Your City
, released in November 2005, added another top-20 single, the Vietnam War
-inspired "8th of November" and two more top 40 hits. Joining the duo on this album were Cowboy Troy, Wilson and Kris Kristofferson
. 2007's Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
produced the duo's first Number One single, "Lost in This Moment
". Both before and during the band's hiatus, Rich has worked as a producer and songwriter for several other artists.
After this album, both members went on hiatus and released solo albums, also charting solo singles in the country top 40: Rich with "Shuttin' Detroit Down
" and "Country Done Come to Town", and Kenny with "Long After I'm Gone
". Big & Rich reunited in May 2011 to release "Fake I.D.", a cut from the soundtrack to the 2011 film Footloose
which features a guest vocal from Wilson.
was a founding member of the band Texassee, which later became Lonestar
. Rich played bass guitar
in the band and alternated with Richie McDonald
on lead vocals, in addition to co-writing the band's 1997 release "Come Cryin' to Me
." After Lonestar released its second album, Rich was fired from the band in 1998. Big Kenny was signed to Hollywood Records
in 1998, where he recorded a rock
album called Live a Little
a year later. Although one of its songs was featured in the soundtrack to the film Gun Shy
, Live a Little was not released, and Hollywood Records held the rights to the songs for five years. Big Kenny then befriended John Rich after meeting him at a club, and the two began writing songs together. Big Kenny and John Rich's songwriting collaboration was "I Pray for You," which they wrote in October 1998.
Following his departure from Hollywood Records, Big Kenny also recorded in a short-lived band called luvjOi, whose lead guitar
ist Adam Shoenfeld and drummer
Larry Babb would later become part of Big & Rich's road band. In 2000, Rich began recording as a solo artist as well. He charted two single
s of his own — "I Pray for You" and "Forever Loving You," which respectively reached number 53 and number 46 on the U.S. country singles charts — but his debut album, Underneath the Same Moon
, was also shelved. The two then founded the MuzikMafia (an abbreviation for Musically Artistic Friends in Alliance), a roundtable aggregation of singer-songwriters including Cowboy Troy
, James Otto
, Gretchen Wilson
and Shannon Lawson
. This group held its first official show at a Nashville, Tennessee
nightclub in 2001.
One of Big & Rich's first outside cuts was "She's a Butterfly", which was recorded by Martina McBride
on her album Martina
and featured backing vocals
from the duo. After McBride cut this song, manager Marc Oswald suggested that Rich and Big Kenny begin recording as a duo. Rich was apprehensive at first, as he had been told by BNA staff that he was "too rock for country" and was unsure of what major labels would think of Big Kenny's rock influences. After attending a songwriting seminar, the two began recording songs together. After the two recorded a demo
of "Holy Water", Rich was convinced that the duo would be successful. They then met with Paul Worley
, a record producer
who was then the head of creative affairs at Warner Bros. Records
Nashville, and Worley helped sign Big & Rich to a recording contract in late 2003.
In 2007, Reservoir Media Management
acquired the publishing rights to Rich's and Kenny's song catalogs.
," which they wrote before a trip to Deadwood, South Dakota
. The duo decided to use wild West imagery to convey "an argument between a man and a woman." In February 2004, it was released as the duo's debut single, going on to peak at number 21 on the Billboard
country singles charts. It was the first release from the duo's debut album Horse of a Different Color
. Following the album's release, Big & Rich began touring with Tim McGraw
.
The duo debuted its second single, "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
", at that year's Academy of Country Music
awards. For this song, Big & Rich employed Deaton-Flanigen Productions
, a music video
directing duo composed of Robert Deaton and George Flanigen IV. Deaton-Flanigen and Oswald, along with the duo, decided to make "a big, big show of a video," featuring cameo appearances from Gretchen Wilson and Cowboy Troy, as well as a marching band
and a dancing troupe. The song peaked at number 11 on the country singles charts, and the video was the most-requested on the television networks Country Music Television
(CMT) and Great American Country
(GAC) for four weeks. "Save a Horse" was also a minor hit in Germany
, reaching number 87 on the Media Control Charts
. ESPN
also used the song as the theme music for its World Series of Poker
. They and Cowboy Troy performed "Rollin' (The Ballad of Big & Rich)" at the Country Music Association
awards telecast, where they were also nominated for the Horizon Award. (Now known as the New Artist award, this is awarded to new artists who make significant commercial success from a first or second album.)
"Holy Water" was the third single release, reaching number 15 on the country singles charts. The duo wrote this song about Big Kenny's sister Charlene, a domestic abuse victim. Finishing off the album's single releases was "Big Time
", which peaked at number 20 in early 2005. The duo also released a special Independence Day
single titled "Our America," with guest vocals from Wilson and Cowboy Troy, which charted for two weeks and peaked at number 44.
Horse of a Different Color was met with generally positive reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
of Allmusic called it "wilder and stranger than most contemporary country albums of 2004," and Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly
said that "the disc really flies when Big & Rich just honor the straight-up rowdiness of Bocephus
." Country Weekly
also gave a positive review, praising the variety of musical influences and saying that all of the songs worked "ridiculously well."
, was released on November 15, 2005. The first single, "Comin' to Your City" received a similar reaction as "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" had a year earlier, although rather than poker, ESPN
utilized an altered version of the song as the opening theme for their Saturday program College GameDay. The song peaked at number 21. In its music video, the duo appeared in a guitar-shaped spaceship.
Their next single, "Never Mind Me", reached a peak at number 34; it debuted on the charts one month before "That's How They Do It in Dixie," a single by Hank Williams, Jr.
to which Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and Van Zant
contributed guest vocals. Next came "8th of November", while only peaking at number 18, garnered the duo nominations for the CMA Awards, Grammy Awards, and the ACM Awards. The song was inspired by the story of Niles Harris. A subsequent documentary titled "November 8: a true American story of honor" was released also, debuting on Great American Country
television network over the July 4 weekend. The documentary tells the story of Niles Harris and shows the making of the music video for the single.
During a benefit concert held on October 9, 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia to raise money for the construction of the 173d Airborne Memorial, Big & Rich were awarded the status of Honorary Members of the 503d Regiment of the 173d Airborne Brigade. The concert was the subject of a documentary on Great American Country
in November 2006.
Also in 2006, BNA released Rich's debut album and Hollywood Records released Big Kenny's.
", which was the lead-off single to their third album, Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
. "Lost in This Moment" became Big & Rich's only Number One single, spending two weeks at the top of the country music charts. The song also began receiving airplay on adult contemporary radio and became their first chart entry for that format, reaching number 12. They released their second single, "Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace" to country radio in August 2007, although it failed to make an impact on the charts, peaking at number 37; followup "Loud" became the duo's first single to miss the Top 40. Another cut from this album, a cover of AC/DC
's "You Shook Me All Night Long
," also charted at number 59 as a non-single two months before the release of the title track.
on "Eternity" and Wyclef Jean
on "Please Man", as well as Lil Jon
on a remix of "Loud" featured on the album's iTunes release. Legend played the piano and sang a verse during the duo's performance of "Lost in This Moment" at the 2007 ACM Awards
.
Big & Rich co-wrote several songs and provided background vocals on several cuts from Cowboy Troy's two Warner Bros. releases: 2005's Loco Motive
and 2007's Black in the Saddle
. Rich co-wrote several of Gretchen Wilson's singles, including her debut release "Redneck Woman
". He also co-wrote singles for Jason Aldean
("Hicktown
", "Amarillo Sky
", "Johnny Cash
"), Wynonna Judd
("Attitude"), Faith Hill
("Mississippi Girl
", "Like We Never Loved at All
", "Sunshine and Summertime
") and Keith Anderson
("Pickin' Wildflowers
"). Big Kenny wrote Tim McGraw
's "Last Dollar (Fly Away)
", which went to number one in 2007, and co-wrote Wilson's "Here for the Party
" with Rich. Rich has also produced albums for several MuzikMafia members, including Wilson, Cowboy Troy, and James Otto
. Other artists that Rich has produced for include Jewel
and The JaneDear Girls
.
The duo also contributed to Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
with a cover of John Lennon
's "Nobody Told Me
". Then, in June 2007, the duo was featured in a duet with rock band Bon Jovi
on their Lost Highway album. The song, titled "We Got It Going On", was selected as a promotional song for the Arena Football League's 2007 season.
The 2008 compilation Imus Ranch
Record included a Big & Rich cover of the Beastie Boys
' "Fight For Your Right To Party".
in early 2009. The album's lead-off single, "Shuttin' Detroit Down
," reached a peak of number twelve on the country music charts that year. Later in the same year, Big Kenny released The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy
via his own Glotown label; its lead-off single, "Long After I'm Gone
," peaked at number 34. In 2011, Rich released two more extended plays: Rich Rocks
and For the Kids
, both on Reprise Records
. The former produced his second solo top 40 hit, "Country Done Come to Town".
In May 2011, Big & Rich reunited to release the song "Fake I.D.", a cut from the soundtrack to the 2011 film Footloose
. They also began touring with Wilson, who contributes a guest vocal to "Fake I.D.".
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich
John Rich (musician)
John Rich is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist...
. Both members alternate as lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
s and play rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
. Rich was a founding member of the country music band Lonestar
Lonestar
Lonestar is an American country music group consisting of Richie McDonald , Michael Britt , Keech Rainwater , Dean Sams , and Michael Hill . McDonald left the band in November 2007 for a solo career before returning in 2011...
and later a solo artist for BNA Records
BNA Records
BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
, while Big Kenny was formerly a solo artist on Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by Disney Music Group, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-History:Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner with the idea of expanding the music operations of the company and to develop and promote...
.
Big & Rich's first studio album, Horse of a Different Color
Horse of a Different Color (Big & Rich album)
-Additional musicians:*Brian Barnett – drums*Steve Brewster – drums*Dennis Burnside – keyboards*Owen Hale – drums*Mike Johnson – steel guitar*Wayne Killius – drums, shaker, peanut can*Duncan Mullins – bass guitar*Matt Pierson – bass guitar...
, was released in 2004. This album produced four straight Top 40 country hits, including the number 11 "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
"Save a Horse " was the title of a song written and recorded by American country music duo Big & Rich. It was released in April 2004 as the second single from their 2004 debut album, Horse of a Different Color. It reached number 11 on the U.S. Billboard US Country chart...
", and collaborations with Cowboy Troy
Cowboy Troy
Troy Lee Coleman III is an American musician, better known by his stage name Cowboy Troy, who performs country rap. He is a member of the MuzikMafia, an aggregation of country music singer-songwriters whose membership also includes Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and James Otto...
, Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Frances Wilson is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman," a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party...
and Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
. Comin' to Your City
Comin' To Your City
In later presses of the album, "8th of November" was split into two tracks: one for Kris Kristofferson's opening and another for the song itself.-Big & Rich:*Big Kenny – vocals*John Rich – vocals, acoustic guitar-Additional musicians:*Max Abrams – saxophone...
, released in November 2005, added another top-20 single, the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
-inspired "8th of November" and two more top 40 hits. Joining the duo on this album were Cowboy Troy, Wilson and Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
. 2007's Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
-Album:-Singles:-Certifications:...
produced the duo's first Number One single, "Lost in This Moment
Lost in This Moment
"Lost in This Moment" is a single by country music duo Big & Rich. It is the first single from their third studio album, Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace. The single became their first Number One hit on the Billboard country charts in mid-2007...
". Both before and during the band's hiatus, Rich has worked as a producer and songwriter for several other artists.
After this album, both members went on hiatus and released solo albums, also charting solo singles in the country top 40: Rich with "Shuttin' Detroit Down
Shuttin' Detroit Down
"Shuttin' Detroit Down" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer John Rich, one half of the duo Big & Rich. The song addresses the issue of the government bailouts of financial institutions, and has received heavy rotation on Michigan radio stations, as well...
" and "Country Done Come to Town", and Kenny with "Long After I'm Gone
Long After I'm Gone
"Long After I'm Gone" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Big Kenny, one-half of the duo Big & Rich. The song was released to country radio on August 18, 2009 as his debut single as a solo artist, where it debuted at #57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
". Big & Rich reunited in May 2011 to release "Fake I.D.", a cut from the soundtrack to the 2011 film Footloose
Footloose (2011 film)
Footloose is a 2011 American dance film directed by Craig Brewer. It is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name and stars Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid, and Andie MacDowell. The film follows a young man who moves from Boston to a small southern town and protests the town's ban...
which features a guest vocal from Wilson.
History
Prior to Big & Rich's foundation, John RichJohn Rich (musician)
John Rich is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist...
was a founding member of the band Texassee, which later became Lonestar
Lonestar
Lonestar is an American country music group consisting of Richie McDonald , Michael Britt , Keech Rainwater , Dean Sams , and Michael Hill . McDonald left the band in November 2007 for a solo career before returning in 2011...
. Rich played bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in the band and alternated with Richie McDonald
Richie McDonald
Richard Vance "Richie" McDonald is an American country music artist. From 1992 until his departure in 2007, he was the lead singer of the group Lonestar, which recorded seven studio albums on BNA Records during his tenure as lead vocalist. McDonald co-wrote several of the band's singles, and sang...
on lead vocals, in addition to co-writing the band's 1997 release "Come Cryin' to Me
Come Cryin' to Me
"Come Cryin' To Me" is the title of a song recorded by American country music group Lonestar. It was released in April 1997 as the first single from their album, Crazy Nights. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart...
." After Lonestar released its second album, Rich was fired from the band in 1998. Big Kenny was signed to Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records
Hollywood Records is an American record label owned by Disney Music Group, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-History:Hollywood Records was founded in 1989 by then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner with the idea of expanding the music operations of the company and to develop and promote...
in 1998, where he recorded a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
album called Live a Little
Live a Little (Big Kenny album)
Live a Little is a solo album recorded by American singer Big Kenny, prior to his joining John Rich in the duo Big & Rich. Recorded in 1999 for Hollywood Records, the album was not released until 2005, after Big & Rich had released their debut album...
a year later. Although one of its songs was featured in the soundtrack to the film Gun Shy
Gun Shy (film)
-Plot:Charlie Mayeaux is an undercover DEA agent suffering from anxiety and gastrointestinal problems after a bust gone wrong. During the aforementioned incident, his partner was killed and he found himself served up on a platter of watermelon with a gun shoved in his face just before back-up...
, Live a Little was not released, and Hollywood Records held the rights to the songs for five years. Big Kenny then befriended John Rich after meeting him at a club, and the two began writing songs together. Big Kenny and John Rich's songwriting collaboration was "I Pray for You," which they wrote in October 1998.
Following his departure from Hollywood Records, Big Kenny also recorded in a short-lived band called luvjOi, whose lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
ist Adam Shoenfeld and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Larry Babb would later become part of Big & Rich's road band. In 2000, Rich began recording as a solo artist as well. He charted two single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s of his own — "I Pray for You" and "Forever Loving You," which respectively reached number 53 and number 46 on the U.S. country singles charts — but his debut album, Underneath the Same Moon
Underneath the Same Moon
Underneath the Same Moon is an album recorded by John Rich. The album was recorded in 1999, after Rich left from the country group Lonestar and before he joined Big Kenny in the duo Big & Rich...
, was also shelved. The two then founded the MuzikMafia (an abbreviation for Musically Artistic Friends in Alliance), a roundtable aggregation of singer-songwriters including Cowboy Troy
Cowboy Troy
Troy Lee Coleman III is an American musician, better known by his stage name Cowboy Troy, who performs country rap. He is a member of the MuzikMafia, an aggregation of country music singer-songwriters whose membership also includes Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and James Otto...
, James Otto
James Otto
James Allen Otto is an American country music artist who is a member of the MuzikMafia, a group of country musicians known for their "country music without prejudice"...
, Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Wilson
Gretchen Frances Wilson is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 2004 with the Grammy Award-winning single "Redneck Woman," a number-one hit on the Billboard country charts. The song served as the lead-off single of her debut album, Here for the Party...
and Shannon Lawson
Shannon Lawson (singer)
Shannon Lawson is an American country music artist. He is also a member of the MuzikMafia, a collection of country musicians known for their "music without prejudice"....
. This group held its first official show at a Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
nightclub in 2001.
One of Big & Rich's first outside cuts was "She's a Butterfly", which was recorded by Martina McBride
Martina McBride
Martina McBride is an American country music singer and songwriter. McBride has been called the "Céline Dion of Country Music" for her big-voiced ballads and soprano range....
on her album Martina
Martina (album)
- Personnel :As listed in liner notes.All strings performed by the Nashville String Machine, conducted and arranged by Chris McDonald.- Album :- Singles :...
and featured backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
from the duo. After McBride cut this song, manager Marc Oswald suggested that Rich and Big Kenny begin recording as a duo. Rich was apprehensive at first, as he had been told by BNA staff that he was "too rock for country" and was unsure of what major labels would think of Big Kenny's rock influences. After attending a songwriting seminar, the two began recording songs together. After the two recorded a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of "Holy Water", Rich was convinced that the duo would be successful. They then met with Paul Worley
Paul Worley
Paul Worley is an American record producer and session guitarist, known primarily for his work in country music. Formerly a vice president at Sony BMG, he later joined the staff of Warner Bros. Records' Nashville division as chief creative officer...
, a record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
who was then the head of creative affairs at Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
Nashville, and Worley helped sign Big & Rich to a recording contract in late 2003.
In 2007, Reservoir Media Management
Reservoir Media Management
Reservoir Media Management is an independent music publishing company located in the Soho area of New York City. The company was founded in 2007 after acquiring the music catalogs of John Rich, "Big Kenny" Alphin, Vicky McGehee and Bruce Roberts....
acquired the publishing rights to Rich's and Kenny's song catalogs.
2004–2005: Horse of a Different Color
The two then began writing songs for their debut album. Among these was "Wild West ShowWild West Show (song)
"Wild West Show" was the first single by country music duo Big & Rich. The song appeared on their 2004 debut album, Horse of a Different Color. It reached #21 on the U.S...
," which they wrote before a trip to Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood, South Dakota
Deadwood is a city in South Dakota, United States, and the county seat of Lawrence County. It is named for the dead trees found in its gulch. The population was 1,270 according to a 2010 census...
. The duo decided to use wild West imagery to convey "an argument between a man and a woman." In February 2004, it was released as the duo's debut single, going on to peak at number 21 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country singles charts. It was the first release from the duo's debut album Horse of a Different Color
Horse of a Different Color (Big & Rich album)
-Additional musicians:*Brian Barnett – drums*Steve Brewster – drums*Dennis Burnside – keyboards*Owen Hale – drums*Mike Johnson – steel guitar*Wayne Killius – drums, shaker, peanut can*Duncan Mullins – bass guitar*Matt Pierson – bass guitar...
. Following the album's release, Big & Rich began touring with Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
.
The duo debuted its second single, "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)
"Save a Horse " was the title of a song written and recorded by American country music duo Big & Rich. It was released in April 2004 as the second single from their 2004 debut album, Horse of a Different Color. It reached number 11 on the U.S. Billboard US Country chart...
", at that year's Academy of Country Music
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
awards. For this song, Big & Rich employed Deaton-Flanigen Productions
Deaton-Flanigen Productions
Deaton-Flanigen Productions is a music video directing duo composed of Robert Deaton III and George Flanigen IV. The two have directed multiple music videos, primarily in the field of country music...
, a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
directing duo composed of Robert Deaton and George Flanigen IV. Deaton-Flanigen and Oswald, along with the duo, decided to make "a big, big show of a video," featuring cameo appearances from Gretchen Wilson and Cowboy Troy, as well as a marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
and a dancing troupe. The song peaked at number 11 on the country singles charts, and the video was the most-requested on the television networks Country Music Television
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
(CMT) and Great American Country
Great American Country
Great American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
(GAC) for four weeks. "Save a Horse" was also a minor hit in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, reaching number 87 on the Media Control Charts
Media Control Charts
The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...
. ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
also used the song as the theme music for its World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
. They and Cowboy Troy performed "Rollin' (The Ballad of Big & Rich)" at the Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
awards telecast, where they were also nominated for the Horizon Award. (Now known as the New Artist award, this is awarded to new artists who make significant commercial success from a first or second album.)
"Holy Water" was the third single release, reaching number 15 on the country singles charts. The duo wrote this song about Big Kenny's sister Charlene, a domestic abuse victim. Finishing off the album's single releases was "Big Time
Big Time (Big & Rich song)
"Big Time" was the fourth and final single by country music duo Big & Rich from their 2004 debut album, Horse of a Different Color.-Meaning:...
", which peaked at number 20 in early 2005. The duo also released a special Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
single titled "Our America," with guest vocals from Wilson and Cowboy Troy, which charted for two weeks and peaked at number 44.
Horse of a Different Color was met with generally positive reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic called it "wilder and stranger than most contemporary country albums of 2004," and Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said that "the disc really flies when Big & Rich just honor the straight-up rowdiness of Bocephus
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
." Country Weekly
Country Weekly
Country Weekly is an American tabloid style weekly magazine established in 1994. The magazine focuses on country music stars and events, and regularly features exclusive interviews with recording artists and country music news...
also gave a positive review, praising the variety of musical influences and saying that all of the songs worked "ridiculously well."
2005–2006: Comin' to Your City
The duo's second album, Comin' to Your CityComin' To Your City
In later presses of the album, "8th of November" was split into two tracks: one for Kris Kristofferson's opening and another for the song itself.-Big & Rich:*Big Kenny – vocals*John Rich – vocals, acoustic guitar-Additional musicians:*Max Abrams – saxophone...
, was released on November 15, 2005. The first single, "Comin' to Your City" received a similar reaction as "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)" had a year earlier, although rather than poker, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
utilized an altered version of the song as the opening theme for their Saturday program College GameDay. The song peaked at number 21. In its music video, the duo appeared in a guitar-shaped spaceship.
Their next single, "Never Mind Me", reached a peak at number 34; it debuted on the charts one month before "That's How They Do It in Dixie," a single by Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
to which Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson and Van Zant
Van Zant
Van Zant is an American musical duo composed of brothers Donnie Van Zant and Johnny Van Zant. Both are brothers of the late Ronnie Van Zant, former lead singer for the Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd...
contributed guest vocals. Next came "8th of November", while only peaking at number 18, garnered the duo nominations for the CMA Awards, Grammy Awards, and the ACM Awards. The song was inspired by the story of Niles Harris. A subsequent documentary titled "November 8: a true American story of honor" was released also, debuting on Great American Country
Great American Country
Great American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
television network over the July 4 weekend. The documentary tells the story of Niles Harris and shows the making of the music video for the single.
During a benefit concert held on October 9, 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia to raise money for the construction of the 173d Airborne Memorial, Big & Rich were awarded the status of Honorary Members of the 503d Regiment of the 173d Airborne Brigade. The concert was the subject of a documentary on Great American Country
Great American Country
Great American Country , is a Nashville, Tennessee-based country music cable television network.-History:The station launched December 31, 1995 and Garth Brooks' video "The Thunder Rolls" was the first video to air on GAC....
in November 2006.
Also in 2006, BNA released Rich's debut album and Hollywood Records released Big Kenny's.
Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
In early 2007, the duo released "Lost in This MomentLost in This Moment
"Lost in This Moment" is a single by country music duo Big & Rich. It is the first single from their third studio album, Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace. The single became their first Number One hit on the Billboard country charts in mid-2007...
", which was the lead-off single to their third album, Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace
-Album:-Singles:-Certifications:...
. "Lost in This Moment" became Big & Rich's only Number One single, spending two weeks at the top of the country music charts. The song also began receiving airplay on adult contemporary radio and became their first chart entry for that format, reaching number 12. They released their second single, "Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace" to country radio in August 2007, although it failed to make an impact on the charts, peaking at number 37; followup "Loud" became the duo's first single to miss the Top 40. Another cut from this album, a cover of AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
's "You Shook Me All Night Long
You Shook Me All Night Long
"You Shook Me All Night Long" is one of AC/DC's signature songs from their most successful album, Back in Black. The song also reappeared on their later album Who Made Who. It is one of the band's top 40 singles, reaching number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in 1980...
," also charted at number 59 as a non-single two months before the release of the title track.
Collaboration and special appearances
Since their first collaboration with Martina McBride in 2003, the duo has appeared on several other albums. Wilson and Cowboy Troy then appeared on Comin' to Your City on the track "Our America". Their third album featured John LegendJohn Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
on "Eternity" and Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
on "Please Man", as well as Lil Jon
Lil Jon
Jonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
on a remix of "Loud" featured on the album's iTunes release. Legend played the piano and sang a verse during the duo's performance of "Lost in This Moment" at the 2007 ACM Awards
Academy of Country Music
The Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
.
Big & Rich co-wrote several songs and provided background vocals on several cuts from Cowboy Troy's two Warner Bros. releases: 2005's Loco Motive
Loco Motive
Loco Motive is an album by American country rap artist Cowboy Troy. Released in 2005 as his first album for Warner Bros. Records, it features the single "I Play Chicken with the Train", a #48 on the Hot Country Songs charts in 2005...
and 2007's Black in the Saddle
Black in the Saddle
Black in the Saddle is an album by American country rap artist Cowboy Troy. It is his second major-label album, released in 2007 on Warner Bros. Records. None of the album's singles entered the Billboard singles charts....
. Rich co-wrote several of Gretchen Wilson's singles, including her debut release "Redneck Woman
Redneck Woman
"Redneck Woman" is the debut single of American country music artist Gretchen Wilson. Released in 2004, the single served as the lead-off to her multi-platinum debut album Here for the Party. The song was also Wilson's only number one single on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks...
". He also co-wrote singles for Jason Aldean
Jason Aldean
Jason Aldine Williams is an American country music singer, known professionally as Jason Aldean. Since 2005, Aldean has recorded for Broken Bow Records, an independent record label for which he has released four albums and twelve singles...
("Hicktown
Hicktown
"Hicktown" is the title of a song recorded by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released in March 28, 2005 as the debut single from his self-titled album...
", "Amarillo Sky
Amarillo Sky (song)
"Amarillo Sky" is the title of a country music song written by Big Kenny and John Rich , along with Rodney Clawson and Bart Pursley. It was originally recorded by the band McBride & the Ride and released as a single in 2002 from their album Amarillo Sky...
", "Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash (song)
"Johnny Cash" is the title of a country song co-written by John Rich, Vicky McGehee, and Rodney Clawson. It was originally recorded by Tracy Byrd on his 2004 Greatest Hits album, but not released as a single....
"), Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd is an American country music singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name Wynonna. Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds...
("Attitude"), Faith Hill
Faith Hill
Faith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
("Mississippi Girl
Mississippi Girl
"Mississippi Girl" is a 2005 song recorded by country music singer Faith Hill and the lead single from her album Fireflies. A Number One single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts in late 2005, it was her first Number One on the country music charts since 2000's "The Way You Love Me".-About...
", "Like We Never Loved at All
Like We Never Loved at All
"Like We Never Loved At All" is the second single from American country singer Faith Hill's album Fireflies. The song features husband Tim McGraw singing harmony vocals...
", "Sunshine and Summertime
Sunshine and Summertime
"Sunshine and Summertime" is the fourth single from American country singer Faith Hill's album Fireflies that reached the Country Top 10 in 2006, peaking at #7 on the Hot Country Songs charts.-About the song:...
") and Keith Anderson
Keith Anderson
Keith Anderson is an American country music artist. Before signing to a record deal, Anderson was one of several co-writers on "Beer Run ", a duet by Garth Brooks and George Jones, released in late 2001. Anderson was signed as a recording artist to Arista Nashville in 2004...
("Pickin' Wildflowers
Pickin' Wildflowers
"Pickin' Wildflowers" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist Keith Anderson. It was released in December 2004 as the first single from his 2005 album, Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll, as well as Anderson's first single...
"). Big Kenny wrote Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw
Samuel Timothy "Tim" McGraw is an American country singer and actor. Many of McGraw's albums and singles have topped the country music charts with total album sales in excess of 40 million units in the US, making him the eighth best-selling artist, and the third best-selling country singer, in the...
's "Last Dollar (Fly Away)
Last Dollar (Fly Away)
"Last Dollar "is the title of a country music song written by Big Kenny, one half of the duo Big & Rich. It was recorded by Tim McGraw for his 2007 album Let It Go...
", which went to number one in 2007, and co-wrote Wilson's "Here for the Party
Here for the Party (song)
"Here for the Party" is a song recorded by American country music artist Gretchen Wilson for her debut album, Here for the Party. The song was released as the album's second single in 2004, and was Wilson's second chart entry on the country charts...
" with Rich. Rich has also produced albums for several MuzikMafia members, including Wilson, Cowboy Troy, and James Otto
James Otto
James Allen Otto is an American country music artist who is a member of the MuzikMafia, a group of country musicians known for their "country music without prejudice"...
. Other artists that Rich has produced for include Jewel
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
and The JaneDear Girls
The JaneDear Girls
The JaneDear Girls is an American country duo, consisting of Susie Brown from Alpine, Utah, and Danelle Leverett from Amarillo, Texas. The duo has signed with Warner Music Group Nashville's Reprise label and released its debut single, "Wildflower." This song has charted on Hot Country Songs...
.
The duo also contributed to Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur
Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur is a compilation album of various artists covering songs of John Lennon to benefit Amnesty International's campaign to alleviate the crisis in Darfur...
with a cover of John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's "Nobody Told Me
Nobody Told Me
"Nobody Told Me" is a song by the British musician John Lennon. Recorded shortly before his death in 1980, the song was later completed by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono in 1983 and released as the first single from Lennon and Ono's album Milk and Honey in 1984. The song was later released in the UK in...
". Then, in June 2007, the duo was featured in a duet with rock band Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
on their Lost Highway album. The song, titled "We Got It Going On", was selected as a promotional song for the Arena Football League's 2007 season.
The 2008 compilation Imus Ranch
Imus Ranch
The Imus Ranch is a working cattle ranch of nearly 4,000 acres located in Ribera, New Mexico, southeastof Santa Fe. It was founded in 1999 by long-time radio personality Don Imus and his wife Deirdre as a charitable organization that seeks to ensure the continuity of the lives of children who are...
Record included a Big & Rich cover of the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
' "Fight For Your Right To Party".
2008–2010: Hiatus and solo projects
In 2008, Rich announced that Big & Rich would go on hiatus while Big Kenny recovered from a pre-existing neck injury. In the meantime, Rich said that he would release a solo album, "with Kenny's blessing." Warner Bros. released Rich's solo album Son of a Preacher ManSon of a Preacher Man (album)
Son of a Preacher Man is the second solo studio album by American country music artist John Rich, one half of the duo Big & Rich. Rich wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album. Originally slated for a May 2009 release on Warner Bros...
in early 2009. The album's lead-off single, "Shuttin' Detroit Down
Shuttin' Detroit Down
"Shuttin' Detroit Down" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music singer John Rich, one half of the duo Big & Rich. The song addresses the issue of the government bailouts of financial institutions, and has received heavy rotation on Michigan radio stations, as well...
," reached a peak of number twelve on the country music charts that year. Later in the same year, Big Kenny released The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy
The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy
The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy is the second solo album by American country music artist Big Kenny, one-half of the duo Big & Rich. It was released on November 10, 2009, via Big Kenny's own Love Everybody label...
via his own Glotown label; its lead-off single, "Long After I'm Gone
Long After I'm Gone
"Long After I'm Gone" is the title of a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Big Kenny, one-half of the duo Big & Rich. The song was released to country radio on August 18, 2009 as his debut single as a solo artist, where it debuted at #57 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country...
," peaked at number 34. In 2011, Rich released two more extended plays: Rich Rocks
Rich Rocks
Rich Rocks is the first extended play by American country music artist John Rich, one half of the duo Big & Rich. Rich co-wrote all of the songs on the EP with the exception of "Let Somebody Else Drive", which is a John Anderson cover. On four of the six tracks, Rich is introduced by a friend that...
and For the Kids
For the Kids (EP)
For the Kids is the second Extended Play by American country music artist John Rich, one half of the duo Big & Rich. Rich contributed to the writing of three of the six total tracks. The EP was released on May 17, 2011, coinciding with the release of John Rich's other EP, Rich Rocks...
, both on Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
. The former produced his second solo top 40 hit, "Country Done Come to Town".
In May 2011, Big & Rich reunited to release the song "Fake I.D.", a cut from the soundtrack to the 2011 film Footloose
Footloose (2011 film)
Footloose is a 2011 American dance film directed by Craig Brewer. It is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name and stars Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid, and Andie MacDowell. The film follows a young man who moves from Boston to a small southern town and protests the town's ban...
. They also began touring with Wilson, who contributes a guest vocal to "Fake I.D.".
Studio albums
- Horse of a Different ColorHorse of a Different Color (Big & Rich album)-Additional musicians:*Brian Barnett – drums*Steve Brewster – drums*Dennis Burnside – keyboards*Owen Hale – drums*Mike Johnson – steel guitar*Wayne Killius – drums, shaker, peanut can*Duncan Mullins – bass guitar*Matt Pierson – bass guitar...
(2004) - Comin' to Your CityComin' To Your CityIn later presses of the album, "8th of November" was split into two tracks: one for Kris Kristofferson's opening and another for the song itself.-Big & Rich:*Big Kenny – vocals*John Rich – vocals, acoustic guitar-Additional musicians:*Max Abrams – saxophone...
(2005) - Between Raising Hell and Amazing GraceBetween Raising Hell and Amazing Grace-Album:-Singles:-Certifications:...
(2007)
Filmography
- Las Vegas (TV series)Las Vegas (TV series)Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
- Season 2, Episode 24: Centennial (2005) - The 8th of November: A True American Story of Honor (2006) (Documentary)
- NASCAR 08NASCAR 08NASCAR 08 is the eleventh installment of the EA Sports NASCAR series. It was developed by EA Tiburon and released for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. This is the earliest that EA has released a NASCAR game...
- Soundtrack (2007) (Videogame)