The Devil and the TVA

John Rich

For over two years, the people of Cheatham County, Tennessee, mounted fiery opposition to plans of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to build a natural gas plant in its rural area.

The TVA wanted to confiscate nearly 300 acres of farmland and build a 900-megawatt natural gas and battery storage plant, complete with miles of pipelines and power lines. No one in their right mind would ever think of erecting something like this in this pastoral land.

Even country music singer John Rich stepped in. Rich says he uses his music to be a citizen advocate.

“I told him, ‘You got two weeks. If you don’t get out of our county, I’m gonna write a song about the TVA and you’ll never be the same.’ Music is my weapon of choice.”

He wrote this song as a battle cry and to support all the citizens who will not give up the fight for their rights, their land, and their future. The fight paid off. Cheatham County is no longer the “preferred alternative” for TVA’s natural gas plant.