John Rich’s Whiskey

The Rich Sound of John Rich

One of the most recognizable voices in country music, John Rich, is now bringing the American public a smooth, affordable, American-made whiskey, Redneck Riviera.

If you’ve been to a NASCAR tailgate, you’ve likely heard John Rich’s music blasting over a stereo system. The country music singer/songwriter, along with Big Kenny, has forged one of the most prolific careers in country music in the 21st century. Big & Rich have made a career of being relatable and musically relevant since exploding into the public consciousness in 2003 as the rarest of breeds — true country music game changers. With 2004’s triple-platinum “Horse of a Different Color,” they were able to tap into the best strands of a wide spectrum of popular music, filter them through their pens and voices, and produce a sound that is instantly recognizable, if not classifiable.

This year, Rich mixed two of his passions -- Redneck Riviera Whiskey and NASCAR -- when he partnered with Jeffrey Earnhardt as an associate sponsor for the No. 0 Chevrolet for the full 2021 XFINITY Series season.

Rich recently joined NASCAR Pole Position to discuss his journey to becoming a whiskey bradn owner and NASCAR partner.

Why is it so important for you to support your country with Americanmade products?

‘I look at my life, how I grew up with a high school diploma, how I grew up in a double-wide trailer in Amarillo, Texas. It was nothing fancy, but I had the American dream in my back pocket. I dreamed big and tried hard in music and with Redneck Riviera. I’ve been conscious of the opportunities I’ve had, and I support America for many reasons, and chief among them is the right to pursue happiness. It’s not the right to be happy, but the right to pursue happiness. It’s because of the men and women in our military who have been willing to fight -- and if necessary, die -- for future generations.”

Who do you see as your customer-base for the Redneck Riviera Whiskey?

“It’s the people who make our country really run and stay alive and vibrant. It’s working class people. It’s not the politicians or famous people. It’s the people you never know their names. They put their key in the truck and go to work and do a great job taking care of their families. They hit the weekend, and they take a little leftover money and have as much fun as they can. Then they get back to work. We have the slogan, ‘Work hard, play hard’ right on the bottle. We celebrate a job well done and the people who go the extra mile.”

Why did Redneck Riviera decide to partner with Jeffrey Earnhardt?

“The first time I was around anything NASCAR was back early in my career -- maybe 1994 or 1995. I was a part of the band, Lone Star, and we sang the National Anthem at the Bristol bowl. Dale Earnhardt was ‘The Man, The Myth, The Legend’ at that race. We were invited to be a part of the pit crew -- not the official pit crew. We put on the coveralls and listened to him speak to his pit crew. He actually won that race. It was so intense and exciting to be a part of it. That’s what got me into NASCAR and just understanding the level of focus it takes. It’s incredible. It turned out to be an iconic race. Earnhardt wrecked across the finish line, sliding right in front of Bobby Labonte to win the race.

“Later on, I saw Jeffrey come up through the ranks. I thought, ‘This is cool,’ when I saw interviews with his fans. He cares about the military. I saw him holding a picture of a fallen military soldier. He put his name right on his door panel. He invited the family to the track. He didn’t have to do that. He feels the same way about the military as I do. Plus, he’s an Earnhardt. And I have those great memories of watching Dale (Sr.) at the track. Jeffrey grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He loves the product and keeps posting pictures of himself enjoying it with his friends. He has similar priorities with Folds of Honor and American-Made.”

BIG & RICH HIT SONGS Song Highest Rating on Billboard Charts Date Lost In This Moment 1 7/21/07 Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) 11 8/7/04 Look At You 13 11/15/14 Holy Water 15 1/29/05 8th of November 18 9/2/06 Lovin’ Lately 19 10/15/16 Big Time 20 5/14/05 Comin’ To Your City 21 12/17/05 Wild West Show 21 4/17/04 California 32 11/18/17

What’s In a Whiskey?

Redneck Riviera Whiskey is produced and manufactured in the United States, despite the fact that John Rich’s profit margin is reduced due to his American-made commitment.

John Rich is the first to admit that he could make more money as the owner of Redneck Riviera Whiskey by having the bottles manufactured overseas. In fact, he could save $0.72 per bottle by having the glass manufactured in China. Consider that almost 40,000 cases of Redneck Riviera Whiskey are manufactured annually, and the savings would be significant.

Why doesn’t he try to squeeze every penny he can out of his business? Not worth it, in his view.

“I can do that, but my patriotism is not for sale,” Rich said. “I can’t say I support American workers and want to see our country get stronger, but make a deal with an overseas company in a back room. I wouldn’t have integrity. That’s called being a hypocrite. I make enough to be happy.”

Blind Taste Test

Redneck Riviera Whiskey was awarded the gold medal at the 2018 Los Angeles World Spirits Competition in June of 2018. Of the five whiskeys that won gold of silver medals at the competition, Redneck Riviera was the lone distributor with an MSRP per bottle of less than $40. Redneck Riviera retails for between $20 and $25 per bottle.

“Pretty much anybody with a living wage can buy a bottle and afford it,” Rich said. “Those are my people. I’ve gone on and done big things, but in my spirit and heart, I’m a guy in Texas still swinging at it.”

Folds of Honor

Rich grew up in a family where he was taught that for every dollar earned a portion is to go to a charitable cause; this is known as ‘giving tithes’. He believes that it is the American way and a responsibility to provide for those who are less fortunate. Folds of Honor is an organization founded by Lt. Col. Dan Rooney that provides college scholarships for children and spouses of fallen soldiers. The charity gave out over $60 million in scholarships last year and 10% of the profits of sales of Redneck Riviera Whiskey go directly to the cause. “It subsidizes the education for kids who lost Mom or Dad,” Rich said. “I couldn’t think of a better way to honor service than pay for the education of those left behind. We’ve funded over 100 scholarships and we’re on our way -- I believe -- to funding thousands.” Learn more at www.foldsofhonor.org/

Where to Buy Redneck Riviera Whiskey?

Redneck Riviera Whiskey is in more than 10,000 stores across the county. To find it, go to www.redneckriviera.com. Find the store locator and enter your zip code. You can also order online have it shipped to your house.

TC

TOTAL CANINE

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