John Rich photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville
He is a three-time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year with 13 Top 10 hits, including Faith Hill's "Mississippi Girl," Faith and Tim McGraw’s "Like We Never Loved At All," Jason Aldean’s "Hicktown" and Taylor Swift’s "The Way I Loved You"; a sought-after producer who has worked with legends like Randy Owen and John Anderson, pop stars like Jewel and a host of new artists; a TV star and host; a proven talent scout who helped Gretchen Wilson move from singing bartender to cultural phenomenon; and an accomplished performer who was an integral part of the early Lonestar sound, then half of Big & Rich, whose bigger-than-life personas spearheaded the Muzik Mafia and launched a bona fide country movement.
He is also that rarest of commodities--a true character, a walking brand with one of country music's most identifiable faces and voices.
Son of a Preacher Man grew out of a combination of factors that has so often worked magic for him — a creative window and sheer talent. A prolific songwriter — he has written more than 1300 — John had a number of songs that were outside the scope of Big & Rich.
"Songs need to fit a certain slot for us," he says, "and I'd written a lot that would never wind up on a Big & Rich record."
Then, in late 2007, Big Kenny announced that he wanted to take time off of the road as he dealt with rehabilitation for a pre-existing neck injury and, John says, "I looked at that as a window to go record."
During the holidays in 2007 he laid down the first half of the album, then wrote and finished it during the coming year.
"I wasn't honestly thinking the record label was going to put it out or follow up on it," he says. "I just wanted to go record them."
Still, he knew they needed to be heard.
"I think I've got some of the best lyrics I've ever written," he says, "and they're definitely the most personal. At this point in my life I think this is an important record for me to make. It's really the way I think and really what I feel about certain issues."
The record is a wide-ranging work, with songs ranging from the upbeat, riff-laden "Trucker Man" to "The Good Lord & The Man" and "Preacher Man," poignant and personal looks at his grandfather and father, respectively; from the aching "Another You" and "I Don't Want To Lose Your Love" to "Everybody Wants To Be Me," a honky-tonk rocker fans will recognize as vintage John Rich. Capping it all off is "Drive Myself To Drink," a big band extravaganza that rates as pure musical adventure and which was recorded live.
