The Steel Guitar Forum

I was reading one of the old Steel Guitar World mag from the 90s and there was mention of John Rich playing or touring pedal steel guitar with the Goldens, sons of William Lee.

I found a few other mentions of him playing with Billy Dean, Gaither vocal band and the Martins.

I'm assuming this is the John Rich we all know from the Big and Rich duo and from the Muzik Mafia producing a bunch of other artists.

Anybody have any further info on him as a steel player or examples of him playing pedal steel?

I just looked over his Wikipedia page and there is no mention of his playing steel, nor of playing with The Goldens. Don't take this as gospel, but I'd guess that would be a different John Rich.

There is another John Rich in Nashville. He's a multi-instrumentalist who plays steel and lead guitar among other things. His family lives in Florida so he gets here regularly. He's a good musician!

Yeah, probably a different guy. I'm forgetting my age here as some of the recordings I mentioned were in the late 80s, early 90s where John Rich of B&R would have just been a teenager.

Thanks for that info Ben.

Yeah, it’s not the John Rich from Big and Rich. I actually toured with John, and lived with him, back when he was part of Lonestar and he never played steel. Good guy, great writer, but not a steel player.

I have corresponded with John Rich the steel/guitar player quite a bit. I remember him from the Oak Ridge Boys when they were strictly Gospel. He played on 2 or 3 of the Oaks Band instrumental albums along with Tony Brown who became one of the top producers in Nashville.

OK. Thanks fellas.

I just watched an old Austin City Limits with Tanya Tucker and this John Rich was playing pedal steel and guitar so my curiosity has been satisfied. I don't recall seeing him anywhere before.

This was probably recorded late 80s, 90s not sure.