Wednesday 28th January 2009

Country singer/songwriter John Rich released a song about the plight of autoworkers titled “Shuttin’ Detroit Down.” The song, which featured such lyrics as “While they’re living it up on Wall Street in that New York City town, here in the real world they’re shuttin’ Detroit down,” quickly became a hit in Michigan, where the U.S. auto industry began, as well as across America. Rich wrote the song after becoming frustrated by news reports of government bailouts for Wall Street companies whose CEOs received stratospheric paychecks while autoworkers struggled to keep their jobs amidst widespread layoffs. Rich, one-half of the country duo Big & Rich, whose hits include “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” and “Comin’ to Your City,” recorded “Shuttin’ Down Detroit” for his 2009 solo album “Son of a Preacher Man.” In January 2009, Michigan-based mlive.com reported that Rich said “Shuttin’ Detroit Down” was about: “the working men and women of America, and how Washington and New York City are slinging billions of dollars over the tops of our heads, while hard working people are going down the drain.” The song became a working-class anthem and had some fans calling up radio stations in tears after they heard it played.