Big Dad Ritch came to prominence in 2004 when he co-founded the red dirt metal band Texas Hippie Coalition with John Exall. After being influenced by bands like Molly Hatchet, Pantera, and ZZ Top,[1] Big Dad Ritch and Texas Hippie Coalition became the founders of the red dirt metal genre.[2]Big Dad Ritch, in over a dozen years with Texas Hippie Coalition, has released five full-length albums: Pride of Texas (2008), Rollin' (2010), Peacemaker (2012), Ride On (October 2014),[3] and Dark Side of Black (April 2016).