Performs at party with Cowboy Troy
By Preshias Harris
John Rich has gained international stardom, first as a member of the band Lonestar, then as a solo artist and as one half of the duo Big and Rich with Big Kenny with hits such as “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.” He’s also a successful music producer and songwriter and part of a loosely formed group of artists known as The MuzikMafia.
Perhaps less well-known is the fact that Rich is a successful entrepreneur who has developed an entire line of products under the Redneck Riviera brand. This includes the Redneck Riviera Bar and BBQ, a restaurant and live music venue on Nashville’s Lower Broadway. He is also a generous philanthropist who has raised millions of dollars for charities, including Folds of Honor.
- John Rich and I have known each since 1991. We met at a storage locker facility when he was a member of Texassee, a group that would evolve into Lonestar. I needed to get a special dress out of my locker that I wanted to wear to the CMA Awards. John was at a nearby locker getting the band’s drum kit out of storage. He graciously climbed over everything to get my dress for me – almost splitting his jeans as he did so!
Redneck Riviera brand expands
On January 11, John held a party at his Nashville home, named Mount Richmore, to celebrate the second anniversary of his Redneck Riviera whiskey that has proved to be a remarkable success in a crowded liquor market.
I joined John and members of the media as he introduced his newest products, a beverage named Howdy Dew and a line of meat snacks named Redneck Riviera Jerky. He also announced more details about his new show, set to run on Fox Nation, titled “Pursuit! With John Rich.”
“I Love our country so much because it allows guys like me who might not have started off in the best situation to shoot for big things,” said John as we got under way.
“The phrase ‘Redneck Riviera’ goes back to the ‘60s,” John recalled. “It was the phrase that people would use to say, kinda tongue in cheek, ‘well, we can’t afford to go to the French Riviera so we’ll go to the Redneck Riviera,’ because they could afford to go there. So when I saw that Redneck Riviera had never been trademarked, I thought I’m a pretty good guy to run with that phrase.”
For the ‘work hard, play hard’ crowd
Rich said that, to him, the phrase stands for the ‘work hard, play hard’ crowd of America. “The true royalty class, the true elites,” in his words. He told us that he had always enjoyed drinking Crown Royal, a Canadian blended whiskey. When he asked at liquor stores for an American blended whiskey, he was told there wasn’t one. “I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if we had America’s answer to Crown Royal,” he said. He worked on it for a full year and over 200 variations on the blend to get it to where it is now and called it Redneck Riviera Whiskey.
“We’re now nationwide, coast to coast in states that I never thought in a million years would gravitate to a brand called Redneck Riviera,” Rich admitted.
He then decided to create a special reserve version. “I turned to the most experienced whiskey drinker I ever met in my life, my Granny Rich,” he said. “This is the Granny Rich Reserve. It’s the exact same blend as the original Redneck Riviera, but four years older, just like Granny is. We say, ‘it’s a little smoother, a little older and a little stronger, just like Granny Rich!’ Granny just turned 88 years old and continues to work every day at her dress alteration business.”
10% goes to Folds of Honor
It’s important for Rich to ‘tithe’ or to give back to the community. Ten percent of revenue from Redneck Riviera products goes to the charity Folds of Honor, an organization that puts kids through college who have lost a parent in combat during military service. “Can you think of a stronger way to say ‘thank you for your service’ than looking after the family members who are left behind?” said Rich. “We’ve now sent $389,000 to the Folds of Honor.” The amount continues to grow as the brand expands.
“Pursuit! With John Rich” set for Fox Nation
John also talked about his upcoming TV show, “Pursuit! With John Rich,” scheduled to begin airing in February. Rich reminded us that the Declaration of Independence doesn’t give us the unalienable right to happiness but to the pursuit of happiness.
The show, available on the digital platform Fox Nation, will feature fellow celebrities, as well as Rich’s friends, who will discuss their personal journeys to achieve the American dream. Rich recorded the first eight episodes at his Mt. Richmore home.
He then turned to one of his two new lines of products the Howdy Dew, a canned carbonated, wine-based fruity beverage. “It’s fun,” said Rich with a wide smile. “It’s like your rowdy uncle that shows up at the family reunion!” It’s going to be a big year for that, he added.
“The final piece of my puzzle is Redneck Riviera Jerky,” he said proudly holding bags of three different flavors of the savory dried meat snacks. “This one is Redneck Riviera Whiskey Barbeque. This one is Amarillo Heat, named after my home town Amarillo, Texas. It’s got a little jalapeno in it. Probably my favorite is Spicy Fried Pickle.” He pointed out that these are more tender than most jerky products, and again that’s the way that Granny Rich likes them.
“Those checks to Folds of Honor are going to grow and grow and grow,” he said.
Pop-up live show with Cowboy Troy
Then it was party time. John jumped onto the stage in the private bar in his home overlooking the Cumberland River. In an impromptu show with members of his band, he invited his friend Cowboy Troy to join him having fun and singing some rowdy songs together. Party guests danced and sang along with them.
Preshias Harris is a music journalist and music career development consultant with the emphasis on new and aspiring artists and songwriters. Her book, ‘The College of Songology 101: The Singer/Songwriter’s Need to Know Reference Handbook’ is available at www.collegeofsongology.com Follow her blog at www.nashvillemusicline.com