Big & Rich: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Gretchen Wilson
• Montgomery Gentry
• Kid Rock
• Uncle Kracker
• Shannon Brown
• Danielle Peck
• Cowboy Troy

• George Jones
• Martina McBride
• Travis Tritt
• Merle Haggard
• Alabama
• Garth Brooks
• Hank Williams, Jr.

• Randy Houser
• Chuck Wicks
• James Otto

• Gretchen Wilson
• luvjOi
• James Otto
• Big Kenny
• Jon Nicholson
• John Rich

Genres:

Country Music, Contemporary Country Music, Progressive Country Music

Decades Active:

2000's

Artistic Quality

Medium

Cultural Impact

Medium

Popularity

Medium

Ratings Guide

Big Rich formed in Nashville around 1998, when exLone Star vocalist John Rich began collaborating with songwriter Big Kenny (real name: Kenny Alphin), a Music City cad who'd once led an outfit called luvjOi). The duo established a performers' roundtable at a local dive, and the event dubbed the "Muzik Mafia" soon gained a reputation for offthecuff eclecticism and notable special guests. The Mafia nights continued over the next few years, running concurrently to solo material issued by both artists, until 2003, Martina McBride recorded Kenny and Rich's song "She's a Butterfly" for her selftitled effort, and the duo landed a record deal of their own with Warner Bros' Nashville outlet. Big Rich debuted in late January 2004 with "Wild West Show", a bold and modern country rocker displaying their unique highlow harmony vocals. When the Horse of a Different Color LP dropped later that spring it salted its Nashville polish with Muzik Mafia irreverence. Sample song title "Kick My Ass".

- Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide