"Radio finally came around to our way of thinking for once," Big & Rich's John Rich told reporters at a press conference Monday (Sept. 10) preceding a No. 1 party for the duo's "Lost in This Moment." The event, which was held at ASCAP's Nashville headquarters, spotlighted the song's writers -- Rich, Keith Anderson and Rodney Clawson.

Rich pointed out that although Big & Rich are a platinum-selling act, radio has heretofore been sparing in its airplay of their music. Indeed, this is the first of their singles to reach No. 1.

"Lost in This Moment" was written nearly six years ago, Anderson noted, and pitched without success to singers all over Music Row. It was finally Big & Rich's Big Kenny Alphin who suggested that the duo record the song.

Rich confessed that he had been slow to realize the song's possibilities for his own act. He observed that MuzikMafia, the artist collective out of which Big & Rich grew, has the motto "Music Without Prejudice." "I think Kenny and I were borderline guilty of limiting ourselves [toward the song]," he said.

Anderson has also recorded "Lost in This Moment," which is now a popular wedding song, on his second album for Arista Records. The CD is tentatively set for release the first quarter of next year.

"I thought it was time for Big & Rich to have a love song," Big Kenny added.

After the party got firmly underway, ASCAP chief Connie Bradley called the revelers to order. She noted that Big & Rich are up for three Country Music Association awards, including song of the year and single of the year for "Lost in This Moment."

As has become the custom, Bradley presented Anderson with a jacket to mark his first No. 1. (This was Rich's fourth No. 1. Clawson is affiliated with BMI, a competing performance rights society.)

Tammy Genovese, chief operating officer of the Country Music Association, gave each of the writers a certificate of achievement. "I called John Rich one time," she told the crowd. "It was about 7 in the evening, and I asked him what he was doing. He said he was drinking champagne. I asked him what he was celebrating, and he said 'life.' I think we should all live like John Rich."

Gary Overton, of EMI Music, one of the song's publishers, disagreed. "If we lived like John Rich," he said, "that would mean . . . driving our Bentleys 100 miles an hour down 16th Avenue."

Once the presentations were made and the pictures taken, Rich announced, "I'm going to Chattanooga and try to get Fred Thompson in the White House." He did not elaborate.