On his plans for the future, Rich said, “This year, Big Kenny and I have done close to 100 concerts, and we will do 100 concerts next year. Our sponsor for our tour next year will be Redneck Riviera Whiskey.”
He acknowledged that their hit single “8th of November” has become such a powerful moment of their live show. “We obviously play it every single night, and we bring up active military members and vets up on stage and we read their names and ranks. We let them say whatever is on their mind,” he said. “We make such a big deal about our veterans and our military members.”
Rich shared that he would love to someday work with Twenty One Pilots and Imagine Dragons.” I love those thoughtful rock and pop bands, who have deep lyrics,” he said. “These are bands that you wouldn’t think I am into.”
Music Modernization Act
On the impact of technology on the music business, “Technology has really turned the music business upside down because people stopped buying records. Those record purchases are what used to pay record labels to sign new artists. I was in Washington, DC, a few weeks ago with the president and they signed the Music Modernization Act. There were Democrats, Republicans, and independents, and they passed this new law that was unanimous. How awesome was that to see that passed unanimously. I got invited to speak about that law, which really levels the playing field for streaming services and music creators.”
Rich underscored his love for the resurgence of vinyl. “I have a big vinyl collection too, and I love seeing it back. It is one of the best ways to listen to music,” he said. “There is something about that analog sound that you just can’t recreate with digital.”
New whiskey
Rich also opened up about Redneck Riviera Whiskey. It is an American blended whiskey, right down to the glass bottle, and it is available in 41 states. The whiskey was produced by Eastside Distilling and crafted by famed distilling team Travis Schoney and Mel Heim. “What a thing,” Rich exclaimed. “It is for people who work hard and play hard. We are growing by leaps and bounds, and it’s incredible.”
The whiskey brand boasts such country artists as Granger Smith, Gretchen Wilson, Colt Ford, and Cowboy Troy as its ambassadors. A portion of sales from every bottle is donated to Folds of Honor, an organization that provides scholarships to children and spouses of fallen service members.
Particularly impressive about the whiskey is that it is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker EAST. Big & Rich is touring across America, and John Rich is making stops at various stores in the market to promote the whiskey.
Rich revealed that the duo will have new music out. “We have a new song ‘Brand New Buzz,’ which will be hitting country radio in two or three weeks,” he said. “In the meantime, I will be coming to New York next week to write a check to Folds of Honor, which support military scholarships for spouses and children. 10 percent of every bottle of the Redneck Riviera Whiskey goes to them.”
For Rich, their signature song “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” is the “Sweet Home Alabama” equivalent to Lynyrd Skynyrd. “It is just one of those songs that will probably live on forever,” he said. “It has been incredible to watch it take off like that.”
To learn more about Redneck Riviera Whiskey, check out its official homepage.
For more information on Big & Rich, check out their official website.
