Big Kenny Tells All

                       
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'Big Kenny' of Smash Country Duo Big & Rich, Reveals the Surprising Personal Story of His 'Last Dollar' that Inspired the Writing of Country Radio's Hit Single, 'Last Dollar (Fly Away)'




'Last Dollar (Fly Away)' Recorded by Multi-Platinum Recording Artist Tim
McGraw is the True Story of Big Kenny's Faith that Sustained Him when
Nothing was Left

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Kenny, of distinctive
country act Big & Rich reveals his personal rags-to-riches story behind
writing the hit country radio single "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" and the
struggle it took to climb to the top. Recorded by multi-platinum recording
artist Tim McGraw, "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" is the first radio single from
McGraw's latest release Let It Go.
The song's origins began on New Years Eve of 2002 when Big Kenny (Kenny
Alphin) set off for Las Vegas with manager and friend, Marc Oswald to open
the "Alabama Farewell Tour". With only $200.00 to his name and credit cards
maxed out at $140,000, the meager income of a struggling artist just
weren't enough to pay the bills. "I had spent all of my money to make our
records and just to live until we would 'finally be good enough' to be the
ones on the big stage," Kenny says. "That $200 had to cover my entire trip,
food and all!"
With the ever present worry of not being able to pay rent, Big Kenny
decided to hit a black jack table in hopes of making it big. After winning
nearly $1,000 dollars, Kenny put all of his chips in, only to lose
everything except $21.00. Leaving the dealer with a generous $20.00 tip,
Kenny took the last dollar that he had to his name and left the casino.
"That night as I looked down at the sole breaking off of my shoe it hit
me like a ton of bricks," Kenny says. "But with that realization came the
freedom of knowing that I also had nothing to lose."
That realization also became the driving force behind Big Kenny's
powerful songwriting and dedication to his artistry. After "She's a
Butterfly", written by Big Kenny and long time friend John Rich was cut by
country icon Martina McBride, Big & Rich landed a recording contract with
Warner Brothers Records a few months later. Big & Rich's first record,
Horse of a Different Color (2004) reached #1 on Billboard's country music
chart as well as Billboard's national chart. The hit single "Save a Horse,
Ride a Cowboy" from their debut release garnered the duo amazing radio
success, reaching #11 on country radio as well as being featured by ESPN
commercials promoting the 2005 World Series of Poker and a live performance
on National television at the closing of CMT's awards show.
In 2004, Big & Rich joined Martina McBride and Tim McGraw on a
sold-out, major market stadium tour and co-headlined the American
Revolution Tour with Gretchen Wilson and other members of "MuzikMafia", an
organization devoted to music without prejudice founded by Kenny Alphin,
John Rich, Jon Nicholson and music publisher and industry executive Cory
Gierman.
"I'll never forget the day I played him (Tim McGraw) the song, Kenny
says." "We were at Blackbird Studio and Tim was making a new album." As we
sat together in my truck, I played him a couple of the songs that I was
recording. The second song I played was "Last Dollar." He looked over at me
and said, "Are you gonna' let me record that?"
"About 6 months ago, Tim called me again to come by his home and he
played me "Last Dollar," Kenny remembers. "When I heard the kids at the end
of the song, I nearly lost it. That moment of reflection in Las Vegas all
that time ago gave me the hope to keep going and now 5 years later, that
hope is a hit song for my friend Tim McGraw. Thank you, Tim for believing!
We are all gonna' fly away from here one of these days."
For more information, visit http://www.bigandrich.com or
http://www.muzikmafia.com



SOURCE Big Kenny
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Related links:
* http://www.bigandrich.com
* http://www.muzikmafia.com
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