John Rich

John Rich. . Country music singer and songwriter John Rich was a member of Lonestar before forming Big and Rich. He has also been a solo artist, radio and television host, and entrepreneur. Outside of music, he has been active in politics and philanthropy. He lives in Nashville. , Rich's parents met in Martin, Tennessee, and he was born in Union City on Jan. 7, 1974. When Rich was 4 years old, his family moved to Amarillo, Texas. His father was a preacher. The family returned to Tennessee, first to Cheatham County. In 1989, Rich and his father moved to Dickson, his mother's hometown, and Rich enrolled at Dickson County High School for his senior year. There, he entered talent shows, singing to make new friends. He graduated in 1992. In his high school yearbook, he was voted "Most Talented." , After graduation, Rich moved to Nashville to work as a singer in the "Country Music USA" show at the Opryland USA theme park. There, he met four other Texans, and, in 1992, they formed a band, Texassee. In 1994, after changing their name to Lonestar, they were signed to the BNA division of RCA Records. They issued their debut EP the following year, and their second single. "No News," was a No. 1 country hit. The group's sixth single. "Come Cryin' to Me," was co-written by Rich, and in 1996, it became Lonestar's second No. 1 hit. , In January 1998, after "Everything's Changed" become a No. 2 hit. Rich left Lonestar, signing with BNA Records as a solo artist and scoring two minor hits. In 2001, he recorded Rescue Me, a self-released album inspired by a meeting with a cancer patient at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. , Performing at Nashville's Douglas Corner club in 1999, Rich met "Big Kenny" Alphin, and in 2000 they started an informal collective. Muzik Mafia. One of their early co-written songs. "Amarillo Sky," became a hit for McBride and the Ride and later for Jason Aldean. In 2003, Martina McBride recorded one of their songs, "She's a Butterfly," and Alphin and Rich sang on the session, prompting artist manager Marc Oswald to suggest that they form a duo. Signed to Warner Records as Big and Rich, they released their debut album, Horse of a Different Color, in May 2004. , In 2005, Muzik Mafia alumna Gretchen Wilson scored a No. 1 country hit with "Redneck Woman," co-written by Rich. In addition, Rich has written hits for Faith Hill as well as three hits for Aldean. , Big and Rich released two more albums. Comin' to Your City and Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace, before going on hiatus. Raising Hell had included another No. 1 country hit "Lost in This Moment." , In 2009, during Big and Rich's hiatus, Rich released his second solo album, Son of a Preacher Man, which included the hit "Shuttin Detroit Down." His CMT reality TV show, "Gone Country," ran three seasons. He also won the 2011 season of "Celebrity Apprentice." Big and Rich returned from hiatus in 2011. , Rich is active in philanthropy, notably on behalf of St. Jude's Children's Hospital and a military charity, Folds of Honor. His business endeavors include lifestyle products and a nightclub.