Country music’s new outlaws are those bold enough to outfund and outrun the new authoritarian thought police.
Love or hate the style, there’s a lot to listen to when three chords and a gag order, replace three chords and the truth.
In an interview likely to have him thrown to the top of the unwanted list, John Rich told Jordan Peterson, he’s done with kissing up to California’s conglomerates.
Rich explained that Nashville is predominantly owned by Sony, Universal, and Warner.
Big studios bring in big money and with it a whole host of Leftwing licence on what can be said, what is allowed to be said, and what they don’t want said.
From tone it down, to you can’t post that, Rich told Peterson, he’s encountered it all.
The Wokeified West Coast commands the content and its creators.
They’ve gone as far as telling Rich to self-censor, self-isolate, and stay-in-his-lane.
Some prime examples include music bosses saying, “We really don’t want you to go on that Network. We really don’t want you to talk about that subject. We really don’t want you to post about this.”
As well as, “Hey John we need to have a meeting, it’s too controversial.”
Waking up, Rich said, “I played the game for a while because you’ve got a lot on the line. You’ve been working at this your entire life.
“You’ve got the band, light guys, sound guys, bus drivers – people’s incomes depending you maintaining your career.”
Convicted about the kind of example he was leaving his two sons, Rich said, he had to stop.
“I’m going to sit here and rant and rail against the system, and how bad it is.
“Then I’m going to shut my mouth, put on my gear and walk down the red carpet with these people,” and obey every corrupt command.
With his sons in full view, and his integrity on the line, Rich testified that he couldn’t keep up the go along to get along charade.
Rolling over, selling out freedom of speech, compromising Christ, and integrity, wasn’t worth the final paycheck, he added.
Expecting his Country music career to be over, Rich found the exact opposite happened.
Public support increased by 400% when compared to when he was with a label.
“As far as Freedom goes,” Rich recalled, “I’ve never been more free to do what I want to do than I am right now.”
Talking about how his latest release – guitar and fiddle-driven, Amillennial anthem – Revelation, speaks to this experience, Rich added, “If I still had a record deal; if I was still answering to a big company this song would have never been heard by anyone.
“They would have taken this song, shoved it off on a shelf, and said, “Okay, cool song, John. What else you got?
“They would have never promoted this.”
The same can be said for Rich’s 2032 album, The Country Truth, which features hard-hitting push-back, Progress, and power ballad, Earth To God.
Both songs combined have hit over 3.85 million streams on Spotify.
Adding punch, Rich, a self-described prodigal, and pastor’s kid, didn’t hold back with the Gospel.
He put Peterson on the spot after Rich told him he no longer wanted to be a fence rider.
Addressing Peterson’s own renowned restraint when it comes to clarifying his own faith, Rich encouraged the Canadian author to finally step up, and step out.
It’s best not to over-intellectualise Christ, Rich asserted.
“If Jesus is who the Bible says he is. If that is true, then you should go running straight to him, because he controls heaven and hell.”
“He created the universe. He’s the Alpha the Omega. He is the way the, truth, and the life. He’s every answer you ever wanted.”
To this Rich said to Peterson, “You are his creation. The last thing He wants to see happen to you is for you to go, and follow the other way; and wind up in eternity separated from him.”
Peterson replied, “I’ve reconceptualized my perspective, I suppose, or deepened it. Partly as a consequence of writing three new books. One of them is coming out soon. They’re all analysis of the biblical narratives.”
Here, Peterson talked about a terror to believing in Christ.
If it wasn’t for this Holy Terror, you would never have left the “safe confines” of the music industry, Peterson told Rich.
“There’s a terror in letting that go, let’s say, and only doing what you say you’re commanded to do; or what you’re invited to do by the spirit of truth.
“But the payoff is an adventure that so disproportionately greater than whatever you would have gained by staying with your what would you say was your hedonistic comfort,” Peterson said.
Speaking from an experience of knowing God’s presence, then having that presence removed, Rich described eternal terror as the ultimate terror.
“The second your heart stops, and your eyes open up, you’re standing in front of him; and you knew the truth, and you rejected the truth. Now he says depart from me depart from me I never knew you.
“He won’t knock forever,” Rich continued.
“At some point, if you reject Jesus Christ long enough, it says he’ll hand you over to your desires; and go well, we gave it a good shot, move on.
“Brother, you don’t want to get to that point, so anybody watching this, if you feel him knocking at the door, open that door.”
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