Big & Rich tour back on the road with summer 2009 concerts

The country music duo of “Big” Kenny Alphin and John Rich, who perform together as Big & Rich, will be busy this summer with a 30-city tour of the United States. Comprising a mix of solo dates and festival appearances, the trek launches June 12 at Winstock Country Music Festival in Winstead, MN, and is booked through September 5 at Resorts International in Atlantic City, NJ.

The 12-week run will hit cities from coast-to-coast across the nation, with a single stop set for Canada. Highlights include a June 13 performance at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ, a July 2 show at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, CT, and an August 30 gig at the Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion in Gilford, NH.

The lone stop in Canada is for a July 24 performance at the Rock the Park summer concert series in London, ON. The three-day event also features a headlining set by Canadian rock giants The Tragically Hip on July 23, and a co-headline show with Doobie Brothers and Creedence Clearwater Revisited on July 25.

Until recently, Big & Rich had been on hiatus while Alphin recovered from complications stemming from a pre-existing injury. As a result, the duo is still touring behind its third studio album, “Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace,” released in June 2007.

On the official Big & Rich Web site, Alphin noted that the album title stemmed from his “realization that between raising hell and ‘Amazing Grace’ is that fine line that we’re walking on all the time, trying to live life to its fullest and at the same time knowing that every day of our lives is a blessing.”

During the pair’s recent break from the road, Rich took time to record and release his second solo effort, “Son of a Preacher Man.” The effort, just issued on March 24, has hit No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and climbed to the No. 3 position on the Top Country Albums chart. In 2008, Rich was an active supporter of Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign. He wrote the original song “Raisin’ McCain” for the campaign and performed at the Republican National Convention in September.

Big & Rich itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)