Big and Rich's John Rich photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

Overall, the CD is a window into the creative approach of a unique musical stylist, a country music original whose high-profile celebrity status belies his humble origins and reflects his desire to pack everything into the life he lives and the art he creates.

"I'm trying to give people everything I can," he says. "I'm a guy who grew up in West Texas in a trailer, and I remember going to the food bank, and fifteen dollars for a CD is a lot of money when you don't have money. You've really got to appreciate people who will go out and buy one, and the level of respect that shows for me as an artist."

That upbringing shaped his appreciation for country fans by molding him into a fan of the genre. Listening to KMML-FM in Amarillo, Texas, he dreamed as a youngster of being on country radio and playing the Grand Ole Opry. He followed the dream to Nashville, where he got a job at a show at the Opryland theme park. There he met part of the core of the band Lonestar, which he helped launch, writing some of their early hits. After parting ways from the group, he had a short-lived solo deal, then teamed up with friends for a Tuesday night jam that spawned the Muzik Mafia, the most eclectic collection of entertainers and artists ever to hit the city. Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Cowboy Troy, James Otto, Two-Foot Fred and painter Rachel Kice were among those who emerged from that incredible scene, and their influence is still being felt across the musical and artistic landscape.

One of the industry's hardest workers, John carved niches for himself in a variety of creative endeavors. He co-produced Big & Rich's Horse Of A Different Color, Gretchen's first two albums, Cowboy Troy and James Otto, whose song, "Just Got Started Lovin’ You" was nominated for a Grammy. His songwriting output includes Gretchen's "Redneck Woman," "Here For The Party" and "When I Think About Cheating," and songs recorded by Martina McBride, Clay Walker and Aaron Tippin, among many others. At bottom was a pure love for the art.

"The only thing I ever cared to do with my life, from the time I was 5 or 6 years old, is make country music," he says. "That's why I write as much as I do. It's why I'm constantly looking for new artists to work with. I'm constantly producing new records. I'm always on tour. It's all I care to do. Country music is not a hobby for me. It's my DNA."

One of the biggest thrills is bringing new talent to the table.

"I get a huge buzz out of knowing that I get to be a part of somebody else's career, to help get it up off the ground," he says. "I guess I got hooked on that when the whole Gretchen Wilson thing happened. To watch her go from a bartender to this iconic status, you know, in country music. That's one thing I'll do beyond being an artist is going to be to discover new talent and help develop it."

The offshoot for him, though, both inside and outside the industry, is a kind of celebrity few ever attain.