Country Music superstarr John Rich hosting fund raiser for Carol Swain.

John Rich

On Monday July 15th, Country superstar John Rich will be hosting a reception for mayoral candidate Carol Swan at this home, Mt. Richmore.  I am not supporting Carol Swan, but am instead supporting John  Cooper. If I was supporting Swain, this is the type of event I would like to attend. Rich's home is atop Love Circle overlooking Nashville and it stirred opposition from neighbors when it was constructed. It is huge and unique. The mansion has been featured on The Today Show and written about in other places.  I would like to see it.

I like John Rich.  I like his fearlessness in standing up for conservative values and his not being afraid of being politically incorrect. He speaks his mind with swagger. On a recent visit to Lower Broad, I noticed flying above his Redneck Rivera honky tonk was an American flag and below it a Gasden flag. The Gasden flag is the yellow flag with the snake and the slogan, "don't tread on me."  It was adopted as the flag of the Tea Party movement. I like a person who is not afraid to show his patriotism and political persuasion.

 I also like John Rich as a performer.  Years ago, before Big and Rich ever became superstars, for several months, I attended several of a a weekly show they put on at the Cannery Ballroom. It went by some name, such as, "the Music City Mafia," if featured various rock, county and Americana acts and was a loud, energy-filled event. Regulars, beside Big and Rich,  was some rockers whose name I don't recall, Black country artist Cowboy Troy,  "Redneck Women" artist Gretchen Wilson,  a midget named "two-foot Fred," and a visual artist who painted an impressionistic portrait of an entertainer or band or musician while the show went on, painting in bold colors and strokes at a high energy frantic pace. This weekly show was a bizarre circus. I loved it! Being able to participate in events like this and soak up the vibe of the city and see the stars before they are superstars is one I have always loved about living in Nashville. At these "Music City Mafia" shows, I  was by far the oldest guy in the room but really enjoyed the shows.

I think John Cooper is the person we need for our next mayor but if Carol Swain should be the candidate who makes it to the the runoff and the other person is incumbent David Briley, I will be supporting Carol Swain. Carol Swain is doing better than I thought she would and may make the runoff.  Should she make it to the runoff, I do not think she can win because then the kid gloves will come off and everything she has ever said that the left would consider homophobic, racist, Islamophobic, or misogynist will come to light if it looks like she is within sticking distance of winning.  As of now, there is no need to attack Swain, because Briley is probably hoping she is his opponent in a run off. Carol Swain has an author and pundit has a long record of opinions she has shared, which I agree with for the most part, but which will be used to demonize her if it become necessary to do so to prevent her from wining.  She is a social conservative and a Christian in a city of progressives and secularist.

While I hope John Cooper is the candidate who faces Briley in a runoff, if it is Swain I will support her, even though I think her chances of beating Briley in a runoff would be slim. If she does make the runoff I will be hoping my analysis of her chances and Nashville's electorate is wrong, but I don't think it is.  If she does make the runoff, maybe she will have another fundraiser at John Rich's and I can attend that one.

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