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Prior to Big & Rich's foundation, [[John Rich]] was a founding member of the band Texassee, which later became [[Lonestar]].<ref name="allmusic lonestar">{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p165799|pure_url=yes}} |title=Lonestar biography |access-date=March 7, 2010 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |publisher=Allmusic}}</ref> Rich played bass guitar in the band and alternated with [[Richie McDonald]] on lead vocals; he also co-wrote their singles "[[Come Cryin' to Me]]" and "[[Say When (song)|Say When]]".<ref name="fourteen">Rich, Big Kenny, Rucker, p. 14</ref> After Lonestar released its second album, Rich departed from the band in 1998, leaving McDonald as the band's sole lead singer.<ref name="usa">{{cite web |url=http://www.usanetwork.com/series/nashvillestar/theshow/characterprofiles/rich/index.html |title=Character profile: John Rich |access-date=August 19, 2010 |work=USA Networks |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110215083929/http://www.usanetwork.com/series/nashvillestar/theshow/characterprofiles/rich/index.html |archive-date=February 15, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Kenny Alphin (aka [[Big Kenny]]) was signed to [[Hollywood Records]] in 1998,<ref>Rich, Big Kenny, Rucker, p. 11</ref> where he recorded a [[rock music|rock]] album called ''[[Live a Little (Big Kenny album)|Live a Little]]'' a year later.<ref name="scene1">{{cite news|url=http://www.nashvillescene.com/2000-11-16/stories/feeling-the-luv/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130129115928/http://www.nashvillescene.com/2000-11-16/stories/feeling-the-luv/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 29, 2013|title=Feeling the Luv After departing Hollywood Records, "Big Kenny" Alphin moves on|last=Murray|first=Noel|date=November 16, 2000|work=Nashville Scene|page=1|access-date=February 25, 2010}}</ref> Although one of its songs was featured in the soundtrack to the film ''[[Gun Shy (2000 film)|Gun Shy]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r461655|pure_url=yes}}|title=''Gun Shy Soundtrack'' review|last=Phares|first=Heather|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=February 25, 2010}}</ref> ''Live a Little'' was not released, and Hollywood Records held the rights to the songs for five years.<ref name="scene1"/> In the meantime, [[The Mavericks]] recorded one of Alphin's songs ("I Hope You Want Me Too") on their 1998 album ''[[Trampoline (The Mavericks album)|Trampoline]]'',<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Trampoline |others=The Mavericks |year=1998 |type=CD booklet |publisher=[[MCA Nashville]] |id=3804562}}</ref> and [[Danni Leigh]] recorded his "Beatin' My Head Against the Wall" on her album ''[[29 Nights]]''.<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=29 Nights |others=Danni Leigh |year=1998 |type=CD insert |publisher=Decca Records |id=70032}}</ref> Big Kenny then befriended Rich after meeting him at a club,<ref name="fourteen"/> and the two began writing songs together. Their first songwriting collaboration was "I Pray for You," which they wrote in October 1998.<ref>Rich, Big Kenny, Rucker, p. 15</ref>
Following his departure from Hollywood Records, Big Kenny recorded in a short-lived band called luvjOi,<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p637739|pure_url=yes}}|title=Big & Rich biography|last=Loftus|first=Johnny|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=2009-05-25}}</ref> whose lead guitarist Adam Shoenfeld and drummer Larry Babb would later become part of Big & Rich's road band.<ref>Rich, Big Kenny, Rucker, p. 12</ref> In 2000, Rich began recording as a solo artist as well. He charted two singles of his own — "I Pray for You" and "Forever Loving You," which respectively reached numbers 53 and number 46 on the U.S. [[Hot Country Songs]] charts<ref>{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|year=2008|page=350|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}<!--|
Among Big Kenny and John Rich's first outside cuts as songwriters was "[[Amarillo Sky (song)|Amarillo Sky]]", which was the title track to [[McBride & the Ride]]'s 2002 album ''[[Amarillo Sky (album)|Amarillo Sky]]''<ref>{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r588182}}</ref> and later a top 5 hit for [[Jason Aldean]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.northplattebulletin.com/index.asp?show=news&action=readStory&storyID=12130&pageID=24 |title=Big & Rich to headline at Comstock |access-date=2008-08-02 |last=Lauby |first=George |date=May 6, 2007 |work=North Platte Bulletin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008002951/http://www.northplattebulletin.com/index.asp?show=news&action=readStory&storyID=12130&pageID=24 |archive-date=October 8, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The two also wrote and sang backing vocals on "She's a Butterfly", which was recorded by [[Martina McBride]] on her album ''[[Martina (album)|Martina]]''.<ref name="allmusic"/><ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=Martina |others=Martina McBride |year=2003 |type=CD booklet |publisher=RCA Records |id=54207}}</ref> After McBride cut this song, manager Marc Oswald suggested that Rich and Big Kenny begin recording as a duo. Rich was apprehensive at first, as he had been told by BNA staff that he was "too rock for country" and was unsure of what major labels would think of Big Kenny's rock influences.<ref name="fiftysix">Rich, Big Kenny, Rucker, pp. 56–57</ref> The two began recording songs together at a songwriting seminar. After they recorded a demo of "[[Holy Water (Big & Rich song)|Holy Water]]", Rich was convinced that the duo would be successful.<ref>Rich, Big Kenny, Rucker, p. 62</ref> They then met with [[Paul Worley]], a record producer who was then the head of creative affairs at [[Warner Bros. Records]] Nashville, and Worley helped sign Big & Rich to a recording contract in late 2003.<ref name="allmusic"/>
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