John Rich strikes chord with workingman's blues

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - John Rich, of country duo Big & Rich, has the current economic crisis and some greedy executives to thank for his new solo hit.

"Shuttin' Detroit Down" quickly caught radio programmers' attention after airing on country WYCD Detroit's "Dr. Don Morning Show." Just five weeks after release, the song is No. 18 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.

Rich wrote the song, which includes the lyrics, "In the real world, they're shuttin' Detroit down/While the boss man takes his bonus and jets on out of town," after watching news of banking bailouts and executive greed.

"He wrote it, and less than 24 hours later it aired on WYCD," the station's program director, Tim Roberts, said.

Roberts added that the song resonates with listeners. "Once in a while country music captures a moment in time, like when Alan Jackson wrote 'Where Were You' after 9-11. 'Shuttin' Down Detroit' has the same emotional impact and speaks directly to the hearts of Americans."

"It's saying what people think -- people are pissed off," Rich said.

Because of the single's rapid ascent, Warner Bros. moved up the release of Rich's solo debut, "Son of a Preacher Man," from May to March 24. The first release from his forthcoming album, "Another You," was pulled when it became clear that "Shuttin' Detroit Down" was taking off.

Rich approached Warner Bros. about doing a solo album when Big & Rich decided it wouldn't be touring extensively in 2008 because of Big Kenny's recurring back problems, and the label responded enthusiastically.

On his own, Rich has been in the spotlight for his highly publicized political affiliations with Republican presidential hopefuls Fred Thompson and John McCain, his time as a judge/mentor on NBC's "Nashville Star" and his three seasons as the host/judge on CMT's "Gone Country."

Those expecting his solo album to be a Big & Rich redux will be disappointed. Rich, who produced as well as wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, provides a more traditional country offering. "What happens when Big Kenny and I meet in the middle is Big & Rich," he said. "I was the countrier side of Big & Rich."

The album is "more organic, more acoustic-driven," Rich said. "A lot of the songs just start with me and a guitar, just like you were sitting around the house.

"I wanted to write songs about things I thought were important," Rich continued. "The world has gotten so caught up in what New York's doing and what L.A.'s doing. What about all the other people? We don't talk about them anymore because it's not cool. That's what this record's all about."

(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)

(please visit our entertainment blog via www.reuters.com or on blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/)