Tune in to the Country Countdown USA w/ Lon Helton this week where he'll be joined by co-host Kid Rock. Kid Rock's single "All Summer Long" is currently in the top 5 on the charts and still climbing. He'll talk about his friendship with many country stars including Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Gretchen Wilson, George Strait, and John Rich, and he'll also chat with Lon about his wedding at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge to Pamela Anderson.
You can hear audio clips of the show here.
Keep tuning in to the show - Kellie Pickler will co-host next weekend followed by Kenny Chesney the weekend after that!
Song-writer Craig Wiseman is holding the "Stars For Second Harvest" benefit show tonight at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. Wiseman, who has written such hits as "Live Like You Were Dying" (Tim McGraw,) "The Good Stuff" (Kenny Chesney,) "Something's Gotta Give" (LeAnn Rimes,) and "Hillbilly Deluxe" (Brooks & Dunn,) will be joined tonight with performances by Dierks Bentley, John Rich, Tony Mullins and Billy Dean.
If you're in the Nashville area, you can get tickets through Ticketmaster for $35...proceeds will benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank.
CMT.com recently posted a quote by John Rich from a rally for John McCain..."I'm sure Johnny Cash would have been a John McCain supporter if he was still around." Seriously? Who is John Rich to decide THAT?!
Well, the statement didn't sit very well with Johnny Cash's daughter either...she released this statement to CMT.com..."It is appalling to me that people still want to invoke my father's name, five years after his death, to ascribe beliefs, ideals, values and loyalties to him that cannot possibly be determined and to try to further their own agendas by doing so. I knew my father pretty well, at least better than some of those who entitle themselves to his legacy and his supposed ideals, and even I would not presume to say publicly what I 'know' he thought or felt. This is especially dangerous in the case of political affiliation. It is unfair and presumptuous to use him to bolster any platform. I would ask that my father not be co-opted in this election for either side since he is clearly not here to defend or state his own allegiance."
Dierks Bentley just announced that his 3rd annual "Miles & Music For Kids" event will be held in downtown Nashville on Sunday, October 5th. That afternoon Dierks and company will hit the streets on a motorcycle ride that ends at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville where a night time jam session will be held featuring Dierks, Tim McGraw, John Rich, and others still to be announced. Dierks says "This event has turned into one of the highlights of my year. I can't think of a better way to spend an October day in Nashville than riding motorcycles in the afternoon and playing guitars and singing with some buddies at sundown. Everyone has been so supportive, and I'm really proud of the money we've been able to raise for Vanderbilt over the last few years." The annual event is held as a benefit for Vanderbilt Children's Hospital located in Nashville.
Well we already knew that John Rich is a John McCain supporter, but now other country acts have seemingly jumped on the Republican bandwagon...or maybe they just view it as a good opportunity to get some exposure! Either way, Gretchen Wilson, Clay Walker, LeAnn Rimes, and Cowboy Troy will join Rich and perform at events surrounding the Republican National Convention next month.
What do you guys think? We're not saying that these acts are necessarily for Republicans...it could just be a fluke that they're performing in the same area surrounding the event at the same time...but we definitely think music and politics should be kept SEPARATE!
With Big & Rich currently on hiatus (for how long, no one seems to know!), John Rich certainly isn’t slowing down. John is set to perform at an event hosted by the Republican Party in Panama City, FL (holla!) on August 1st, that will also feature Senator John McCain. You can purchase tickets to the event here. John will also soon be releasing his first solo single and he wants your input! Head on over to his website to listen to some of his new music and cast your vote on what you think should be his new single. You can also head over to his MySpace and let him know what you think of his solo efforts.
We've all heard rumors of this break-up for months, but it's now official, Big and Rich are no longer Big and Rich! The duo performed their last show together over the weekend at Country Jam USA. According to our friends at GAC.com Big Kenny is taking time off to undergo physical therapy on his chronic neck pain.
John Rich has his own projects such as being a judge on Nashville Star and helping many artists such as Jewel and James Otto produce their recent albums. Good Luck to both of them!
Maybe they will reunite, but for the time being, this Duo is done!
Tune in to the Country Countdown USA w/ Lon Helton this week where he'll be joined by co-host Kid Rock. Kid Rock's single "All Summer Long" is currently in the top 5 on the charts and still climbing. He'll talk about his friendship with many country stars including Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Gretchen Wilson, George Strait, and John Rich, and he'll also chat with Lon about his wedding at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge to Pamela Anderson. 
