Big Kenny

Although born and raised in rural Virginia, Kenny Alphin made his name (literally) after moving to Nashville, where he rechristened himself Big Kenny and found platinum success as one half of the country duo Big & Rich. Known for their rowdy humor and willingness to embrace multiple genres, Big & Rich scored their first string of hits with 2004's Horse of a Different Color. Big Kenny and John Rich had established their Nashville credentials long before the album's release, though, with both musicians releasing solo records in 1999 and, two years later, co-founding a weekly songwriters' roundtable called the MuzikMafia. Moreover, they'd already cut their teeth in full-fledged bands (Kenny fronted the short-lived luvjOi, while Rich logged several years as the bassist of Lonestar). Such experience allowed Big & Rich to establish an audience quickly, and Horse of a Different Color sold more than three million copies as a result. In addition to co-writing much of his own band's material, Big Kenny penned songs for other artists, including the title track for Gretchen Wilson's Here for the Party and the chart-topping single "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" for Tim McGraw. He also continued releasing material with Big & Rich and maintained a concurrent solo career, with The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy marking his second solo album in 2009.