While Kenny Alphin created a name for himself by the 1990s as a songwriter of note on the Nashville scene, as singer Big Kenny, his initial grab for fame fell short. It was in the early-aughts, when he teamed up with John Rich, that he became a household name. With a raucous, rock-heavy brand of barroom country, Big & Rich earned platinum records and radio hits throughout the following decade. When Big Kenny revived his solo life at the end of the decade, he retained some of the act's mischievous fire, but opted for a more subdued, classic style of pop-based country.