Kid Rock
Encyclopedia
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations. Kid Rock released several studio albums that mostly went unnoticed before his 1998 record Devil Without a Cause
, released with Atlantic Records
, sold 11 million albums behind the hits, "Bawitdaba
", "Cowboy", and "Only God Knows Why
". In 2000, he released The History of Rock, a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of songs from previous albums as well as the hit single, "American Bad Ass
" and the previously unreleased "Abortion".
Kid Rock released the follow-up in 2001, Cocky. After a slow start, his country-flavored hit "Picture
" with Sheryl Crow
resurrected the album and it went gold as a single and pushed the album's sales over 5 million. It was followed by 2003's self-titled release
, which did not chart a major hit. In 2006 he released Live Trucker
, a live album.
In 2007 Kid Rock released Rock n Roll Jesus
, which produced a hit in "All Summer Long
". It was his first worldwide smash hit, charting #1 in eight countries across Europe and in Australia. Rock N Roll Jesus sold 5 million albums worldwide and was certified triple platinum in the U.S. He released Born Free
on November 16, 2010. It was announced on June 16, 2011 that "Born Free" was certified platinum by the 'Recording Industry Association Of America' (RIAA) for selling more than one million copies. This gives Kid Rock his sixth Platinum album certification.
to William "Bill" Ritchie, a car dealer who owned several local dealerships, and Susan Ritchie. His family also owned a six-acre orchard
and Ritchie regularly helped pick apples and cared for the family's horses. He has three siblings: two are older, brother William "Billy" Ritchie and sister Carol Ritchie; and one is younger, sister Jill Ritchie
who is an actress. Ritchie found small-town life dull; he became interested in rap music, learned how to breakdance and participated in talent shows in the Detroit area. At age eleven he joined a breakdance crew called the Furious Funkers, and taught himself to work a cheap belt-driven turntable
. In high school, Ritchie DJed at parties for beer. He eventually joined Bo Wisdom of Groove Time Productions, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan to perform basement parties for thirty dollars a night. He was then given his stage name; club goers dubbed him "Kid Rock" after they had enjoyed watching "that white kid rock."
Rock started rapping
and joined a local hip hop
group, The Beast Crew. It was composed of The Blackman, Champtown
, KDC, Chris "Doc Roun-Cee" Pouncy. Rock befriended producer D-Nice
of the legendary hip-hop group Boogie Down Productions
. When Rock opened for BDP one night, D-Nice invited an A&R
representative from Jive Records
to see him perform. This meeting led to a demo deal, which developed into a full record contract.
Against his parents' wishes, Rock signed the deal at age seventeen. Despite his new record deal, he had a falling out with The Beast Crew when he signed over fellow member Champtown (the two have become friends again since). They left his vocals on the tracks of their debut underground album "Chapter 1: He Don't Want Us No More," against his wishes. Rock later became part of the Straight From The Underground Tour alongside several heavyweights of rap including Ice Cube
, Too Short, D-Nice, Mac Dre, and Yo-Yo
.
. As noted by Insane Clown Posse
member Violent J
, this album made Kid Rock one of the two biggest rap stars in Detroit in 1990, along with local independent rapper Esham
. Though Jive Records did not push the album it gained infamy when radio station WSUC-FM (90.5) of Cortland, NY was fined $23,700 by the FCC for playing the song Yo Da-Lin In the Valley then the largest fine against a radio station. Kid Rock's career had began to decline towards the end of 1990. Jive Records released Kid Rock from his contract in 1991. Once back in Detroit he became friends with Uncle Kracker
after battling his brother in a freestyle rapping competition; Uncle Kracker became Kid Rock's DJ.
In late 1991 Kid Rock was picked up by an independent record label called Continuum Records. Though Insane Clown Posse's Violent J disliked Kid Rock's rapping style, he paid Kid Rock to appear on his group's first album, Carnival of Carnage
, in an attempt to gain notice for the album. Kid Rock showed up to record the song "Is That You?" intoxicated, but re-recorded his vocals and record scratching the following day. In March 1993, Continuum released his second album The Polyfuze Method
, which featured a more rock music
-oriented sound with Kid Rock teaching himself how to play several different instruments including guitar, drums, keyboard and organ. The album saw some local college radio success at Central Michigan University
with the tracks "Back From The Dead" and "Balls In Your Mouth". He released "U Don't Know Me" as the first single off the album, but it failed to chart, and the music video received little airplay on major music video channels. Kid Rock re-released "Back From The Dead" as a single to mainstream radio, but that too failed as a single. The album has sold around 15,000 copies. In 1992 Kid Rock appeared in the song "Is That You?" of the Carnival of Carnage by the Insane Clown Posse.
He released an Extended play EP called Fire It Up (EP) in 1993 The EP featured the song I Am the Bullgod which wouldn't be a hit until six years later Continuum didn't see a future with Kid Rock after this and released him from his contract in 1994
He moved back to Detroit where his on again off again relationship with Kelly South resulted in a son Robert James Ritchie Jr. Kid Rock released monthly demo tapes dubbed The Bootleg Series which featured demos of him and other up-and coming rappers and garage rock bands in the Detroit area Around the same time Kid Rock formed his back up band Twisted Brown Trucker Band later recruiting Joseph Joe C. Calleja who he met at a 1994 concert as part of the group In 1995 Rock took a job as a janitor at Whiterooms Studios to pay studio fees When he wasn't working, Kid Rock recorded the material that eventually made up his fourth album Early Morning Stoned Pimp which Rock released on his own label Top Dog Records During the recording process he met piano player Jimmie Bones who joined the band soon after The album was released January 9, 1996. A loan from his father aided the release. Kid Rock sold 6,000 copies from the trunk of his car including after his concerts With EMSP local success he released The Polyfuze Method in 1993 with I Am The Bullgod
Lava/Atlantic Records A&R man Andy Karp was interested, after seeing Kid Rock in Cleveland in December 1996 and again in March 1997 Following a two song demo tape containing Somebody's Gotta Feel This and I Got One For Ya [Jason Flom] supported Karp in signing Kid Rock for $100,000 However when recording sessions began Atlantic wanted more of a rock sound and didn't initially like Cowboy Devil Without A Cause and Only God Knows Why They asked Rock to take out I'm going platinum on Devil Without A Cause's chorus but he refused The conflict slowed down production however the album was completed on schedule with Rock mostly playing all the instruments himself
, Jason Krause
, Jimmie Bones, Uncle Kracker
, Misty Love, Shirley Hayden and Joe C.
. On August 18, 1998, Atlantic released Devil Without a Cause
behind the single "Welcome 2 The Party." Kid Rock went on the Vans Warped Tour
to support the album, performing one of his first New York City shows at Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side during the CMJ convention.
"Devil Without Cause Im Goin Platinum"
Sales of "Welcome 2 The Party" and Devil were slow, though the 1998 Warped Tour in Northampton, Massachusetts
stimulated regional interest in Massachusetts
and New England
. This led to substantial airplay in the summer and fall of 1998 on rock staples in Massachusetts WZLX
and WAAF
for the single "I Am The Bullgod." In December 1998, while dj'ing at a club he met and became friends with MTV host Carson Daly
. He performed on MTV Fashionably Loud in Miami, then on MTV's Wanna B A VJ doing "My Name Is Rock" and was the DJ for TRL on the Spring Break Special as well as a judge on Say What Karaoke. This raised his profile so by April 1999 Devil Without a Cause had achieved a gold disc. In May 1999 the single "Bawitdaba
" off the album was released to radio outlets, and by June, Devil had gone platinum. Kid Rock went on the Limptropolis Tour with fellow nu metal acts Limp Bizkit
and Staind
in the same month, his first major tour. By the time he made his career defining performance at Woodstock 1999
on July 24, 1999, he was double platinum. The following single "Cowboy
" was an even bigger hit. It was a mix of southern rock, country and rap that made the Top 40. Rock's next single, the rock ballad "Only God Knows Why
", was the biggest hit off the album charting at No 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. By the time the final single "Wasting Time
" was released the album had sold 7 million albums, Devil Without A Cause was certified 11 times platinum by the RIAA
on April 17, 2003.
Rock was nominated as Best New Artist at the 2000 Grammy Awards, but lost to Christina Aguilera
. He was nominated for "Bawitdaba" for Best Hard Rock Performance, but lost to Metallica's "Whiskey in the Jar."
After reacquiring the rights to his early material in 2000, Rock released The History of Rock, a collection of remixed and re-recorded songs from The Polyfuze Method and Early Mornin Stoned Pimp. "American Bad Ass", one of two new tracks, was released as a single. It sampled the Metallica
track "Sad But True
".
On May 27 Kid Rock appeared on Saturday Night Live performing "American Bad Ass" and an acoustic version of "Only God Knows Why" that featured Phish's Trey Anastasio. Kid Rock joined Phish later in the year in Las Vegas, Nevada, for a set of cover songs.
A 2000 tour in which David Allan Coe
performed as an opening act for Kid Rock was the subject of criticism from journalist Neil Strauss
, who alleged that Coe's songs were racist.
From June 30 to August 22, 2000, Kid Rock joined the Summer Sanitarium Tour
with Metallica, Korn
, Powerman 5000
, and System of a Down
. Kid Rock filled in for James Hetfield
of Metallica, singing vocals on the songs "Enter Sandman", "Sad But True", and "Nothing Else Matters" and the turntables for "Fuel", for three shows after Hetfield injured his spine riding a jet ski on Lake Lanier
the day before the July 7 Atlanta concert.
On November 16, 2000 Joseph "Joe C" Calleja died in his sleep from Coeliac disease
in Taylor, MI. The disease stunted his growth and forced him to take 60 pills a day. Joe C's final song was "Cool Daddy Cool" for the Osmosis Jones soundtrack. The band made a cameo in the movie as the band playing in the club scene. Kid Rock was referred to as Kidney Rock to go along with the cartoon aspect of being a cell in the body of Frank played by Bill Murray.
In early 2001, Rock inducted Aerosmith into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
and performed "Sweet Emotion
" at the induction ceremony. The same year, Rock landed his first acting role in the David Spade
white trash
comedy Joe Dirt
. His character was Robbie a redneck bully to Joe Dirt who was chasing after Joe's unaware love interest Brandy.
"American Bad Ass" was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 2001s Grammy Awards. Losing out to Rage Against The Machine's "Guerilla Radio". The History of Rock would go on to be certified double platinum.
In November, Kid Rock released Cocky, which was marketed as the official follow up to Devil Without a Cause. With the era of rap metal on the decline, Kid Rock included several southern rock and country ballads on the album. The first single, "Forever
", featured his standard brash rap-rock sound, but lacked the selling power of "Devil Without A Cause". The songs "Lonely Road of Faith
"and "You Never Met a Motherfucker Quite Like Me
" were released as singles, but were not successful, and the album struggled to reach platinum a year later. Rock had problems with the release of "Picture
", a country-influenced duet with Sheryl Crow
: his label felt it was wrong for his image, and was not keen to spend more money promoting a flagging album; then, when they agreed to release it, Sheryl Crow's label initially refused to give permission. Rock, meanwhile, made a radio version with Allison Moorer
, which was gaining airplay. When "Picture" was released it introduced Kid Rock to a wider audience, and was ultimately the most successful single on the album. The song would chart at No 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No 17 on Country radio. The song remains his most successful pop song in the U.S. to date.
On December 14, 2001, CMT
aired an episode of Crossroads
featuring Rock with Hank Williams, Jr.
The episode drew 2.1 million viewers, a record on CMT. He would perform for troops in January 2002 on an MTV USO Special at Germany's Ramstein Air Base
along with Ja Rule
and Jennifer Lopez
.
At the end of 2002, Uncle Kracker
left the band to pursue a solo career, and Detroit underground rapper Paradime
replaced him. Kid Rock made his second movie, Biker Boyz
, with Laurence Fishburne
.
, almost stripping away the accustomed rap metal sound he had created, opting for southern rock and several country ballads in the wake of "Picture"'s success. The album's lead single was a cover of Bad Company
's "Feel Like Makin' Love
". A media blitz accompanied the single capped off by the VH-1 special called A Kid Rock Christmas, which aired on December 14, 2003. He would release "Cold and Empty", "Jackson, Mississippi" and "I Am" I Am (Kid Rock song)
to minor success on radio. The David Allan Coe-penned "Single Father", became his second charting country song, although like the other singles it was minor hit at #50. Kid Rock would be his lowest selling mainstream studio album of his career with 1.4 million copies sold.
Kid Rock was involved in the halftime show controversy
at Super Bowl XXXVIII
in Houston, Texas on February 1, 2004. He was criticized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars
for desecrating
the American flag, by wearing one slit in the middle as a poncho.
The following month, Kid inducted Bob Seger
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
. In September 2005
, Kid Rock filled in for Johnny Van Zant
, the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd
on the band's hit "Sweet Home Alabama
" at the Hurricane Katrina
benefit concert.
He performed the theme song for Spike TV's Striperella, which featured Pamela Anderson in 2003, the song was entitled "Erotica".
On February 28, 2006, Kid Rock released his first live album, Live Trucker
, comprising songs from his homestead performances in Clarkston (on September 1, 2000, and August 26 through August 28, 2004), and Detroit's Cobo Hall
(March 26, 2004). The album contained the last two performances of Joe C.
on "Devil Without a Cause" and "Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp," as well as Kid dueting with country star Sheryl Crow
on "Picture."
He brought Bob Seger
back from semi-retirement during his pre-Super Bowl concerts on February 2 and 3, 2006 in Detroit. The two performed a version of Seger's "Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets" on both nights. Kid Rock would appear on Bob Seger's album, Face the Promise, on a Vince Gill
cover of "Real Mean Bottle," a tribute to country legend Merle Haggard
. He would make a cameo in the movie Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
and was in an episode of CSI: New York in 2006.
He inducted Lynyrd Skynyrd into the 2006 Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and performed "Sweet Home Alabama" with them.
Rock n Roll Jesus
was released on October 9, 2007, becoming Kid Rock's first album to go number 1, selling 172,000 copies in its first week. He made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine for the second time, and appeared for the first time on Larry King Live
to discuss the new album.
The album's first two singles were successful on rock radio in "So Hott
" and "Amen
". The album's third single "All Summer Long
", became a global hit. It utilized a mash up
of Lynyrd Skynyrd
's "Sweet Home Alabama
" and Warren Zevon
's "Werewolves of London
". "All Summer Long" would chart at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Rock n Roll Jesus" returned to the Top 10 for 17 straight weeks. Both "Roll On" and the title track were released as follow-up singles. The album's final single was "Blue Jeans and a Rosary" which was a minor country hit at No. 50.
In 2008, Kid Rock recorded "Warrior" for a National Guard advertising campaign.
Kid Rock performed on VH1 Storytellers on November 27, 2008, giving an insight to how he wrote some of his hit songs. On April 5, 2009 he performed a 5-song medley at WrestleMania XXV
.
He was nominated for best rock album and best male pop/rock performance for "All Summer Long" at the 2009 Grammys. He lost to Coldplay's Viva La Vida for best Rock Album and John Mayer's "Say" for Best Male Pop/Rock Performance. He achieved his first country award winning for Best Wide Open Country Video for "All Summer Long" at the 2009 CMT Awards.
On May 22 Kid Rock's June 8, 2008 concert at Germany's Rock AM Festival was aired on every MTV affiliate around the world on their debut show "World Stage".
At the 2008 Download Festival
Kid Rock was meant to appear between Seether
and Disturbed on the Main Stage but pulled out at the last minute. It was first announced that this was due to illness. Rock later claimed he left the festival grounds after becoming dissatisfied with the amenities. But, the following year, Download's booker theorized that it had been due to a broken heart.
On July 3, 2009 "Rock N Roll Jesus" was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.
Kid Rock held the largest headline concert of his career the weekend of July 17 and 18, 2009, at Comerica Park
in Detroit. 80,000 people attended the two shows.
Kid Rock released Born Free on November 16, 2010 and it debuted at No 5 selling 189,000 copies in its first week. This album has already been certified platinum. The album was produced by Rick Rubin and featured David Hildago and Matt Sweeny on guitar as well as Chad Smith on drums and Benmont Tench on keys and piano. The album became his first album without a parental advisory sticker on it. The album's lead single was the patriotic "Born Free." It was the theme song to the 2010 MLB playoffs on TBS as well as WWE's Tribute To The Troops Special. The album reached gold status on December 15, 2010. The album's current single is "God Bless Saturday". The album features Martina McBride and T.I. on "Care", Sheryl Crow and Bob Seger on "Collide", Zac Brown on "Flying High" and Trace Adkins on "Rock Bottom Blues". Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow finished the music video for "Collide" while he was on tour in Wichita, Kansas. He also released a Detroit-only EP called Racing Father Time containing alternate versions of "Slow My Roll" and "Lonely Road Of Faith" along with new songs "The Midwest Fall" and "Fuckin' Forty". The latter was co-written with John Eddie. "The Midwest Fall" is another emotional song about a man losing his job on the autoline.
On January 15, 2011 Kid Rock celebrated his 40th birthday with a performance at Ford Field in Detroit. The marathon concert featured Uncle Kracker, Peter Wolfe, Rev Run, Sheryl Crow, Cindy Crawford, Jimmie Johnson and Anita Baker.
Kid Rock is currently writing songs for his successor to Born Free. "We've already started writing for the next record and talking about the feel and where we want to go with it," Rock told Billboard.com during a press conference Thursday announcing an Aug. 12 stadium show in his home town of Detroit. "I think 'Born Free' was kind of a transitional record with [producer] Rick Rubin and going into the rootsy, American blues/rock 'n' roll vibe. I'd kind of like to go back to something like maybe a 'Cocky' feel -- that record, but knowing more now and trying to put those elements together." Rock's other future plan includes coming to terms with video footage he has accumulated over the years and possibly making some commercially available in the near future. "It's something I struggle with," he acknowledged. "I've probably shot six DVDs, professionally, had them edited and everything. But it's like anything; if you go see a sporting event or whatever, it's always better live. It's just tough to capture it on tape." Rock promised that "there will be something... I think for Christmas" and possibly from his recent show at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which he called "one of my best performances to date." He added that he may also consider releasing live footage via his web site.
and heavy metal to country rock
and rap rock
. His influences include Warren Zevon
, Jim Croce
, Johnny Cash
, David Allan Coe
, Bob Seger
, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys
, Whodini
, Too Short, Eric B. & Rakim
and Esham
.
. The original lineup included Kenny Olson
on lead guitar, Uncle Kracker
on turntables, Andy Gould and George Metropolous on guitar, Paul Anthony on bass and Bob Ebeling on drums. The band's first involvement was on the 1994 demo of "Dark & Gray" on his Bootleg Series Tapes, they would make three more appearances on the tapes in Watch Me Come, Only a Dog and Box #10. Trucker became both Rock's studio and live band in 1997.
Chris Peters was the studio guitarist for The Polyfuze Method and Fire It Up. Matt O'Brien (Bass) and Kenny Tudrick (Guitar, Drums) were studio musicians for Devil Without a Cause.
Kenny Olson went on to form numerous bands for more creative outlets. A Pack of Wolves, The Flask, Five Star Carni, The Motorfly's, and most recent (2010) 7 Day Binge. He has also made appearances on many other recordings such as the song "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" which can be found on the Les Paul & Friends CD as well as a version of "Little Wing" with Chaka Khan on "The Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix" among numerous others.
Tudrick is with the band Detroit Cobras, who he was with before touring on Kid Rock's 'Live' Trucker tour.
Percussionist Larry Frantangelo won a Detroit Music Award in 2009 for Outstanding Urban/Funk Musician.
Current members
with:
Former members
In 2001 Kid Rock began dating actress Pamela Anderson
, after the two met at a VH1
tribute to Aretha Franklin
. By April 2002, he and Anderson were engaged, but the engagement was later called off. They later got married in a surprise wedding in July 2006 after it was reported Anderson was pregnant. They divorced 5 months later because Rock wanted to live in Detroit and Anderson wanted to stay in Los Angeles. It has been suggested that his no-show at the Download Festival
2008 was due to a broken heart.
Kid Rock has stated in numerous interviews that he is a lover of hunting and fishing. He has hunted with his good friend Hank Williams Jr. several times. When Rock and Pamela Anderson divorced, it was rumored that Rock's hunting passion was the cause of the relationship's end, Anderson being a keen animal rights activist.
Rock later claimed, however, that the divorce was due to Anderson openly criticizing his mother and sister in front of his son from a previous relationship, Robert Jr., which Rock took offense to. Rock has actively raised Robert Jr., born in 1993, as a single father since birth, and continues to live with him in Michigan.
On July 6, 2011, Kid Rock appeared on CNN
's Piers Morgan Tonight
show where he said he has no regrets about anything he has done in the past. He declined to say whether his marriage to Pamela Anderson had taught him any lessons.
In March 1991 and September 1997, Kid Rock was arrested in Michigan for alcohol related incidents.
In February 2005, he was arrested on assault charges for punching DJ Jay Campos in 'Christies Cabaret' strip club
. Rock pleaded no contest and was sued for $575,000 by Campos.
Kid Rock was cited for assault on Mötley Crüe
drummer Tommy Lee
on September 9, 2007 at MTV's Video Music Awards, and pled guilty.
In October 2007, Kid Rock was involved in a brawl at a Waffle House
in Atlanta and charged with simple battery. He pleaded nolo contendere
("no contest") to one count, was fined $1,000, required to perform 80 hours of community service and complete a 6-hour course on anger management.
, singer of the band Creed
, appear in a sex tape from 1999 in which the two have sex with four groupies. California pornography company Red Light District planned to release the tape in 2006, but one of the women involved filed to block it. Ritchie also filed an injunction, called Stapp an "idiot," and blamed him for the tape's leak.
. Kid Rock has frequently partnered with Jim Beam
to make large donations to the organization. He is close friends with Tony Stewart
as he helps with charity events, and Kid Rock narrated Tony Stewart: Smoke, a documentary of Stewart's 2002 championship season.
in the 2004 presidential election
. He has attended many Republican events as well as performed for American service men and women in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Kosovo, and has performed for soldiers in Great Britain at R.A.F. bases such as RAF Lakenheath. In October 2010 he performed at Jon Stewart
and Stephen Colbert
’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, DC.
Devil Without a Cause
-Tracklisting for clean version:-Demos:-Samples:*"Bawitdaba"**"Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang*"Cowboy"**"Midnight Rider" by The Allman Brothers Band**"L.A...
, released with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, sold 11 million albums behind the hits, "Bawitdaba
Bawitdaba
"Bawitdaba" is a song by American musician Kid Rock, from his album Devil Without a Cause. The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2000 and it peaked at No. 10 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, No. 11 on the Modern Rock Charts, and No. 104 on the Hot 100 on July 13, 1999...
", "Cowboy", and "Only God Knows Why
Only God Knows Why
"Only God Knows Why" is a southern rock ballad recorded by Kid Rock in 1998 on his album Devil Without a Cause. It peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100, #13 on Modern Rock Tracks, #5 Mainstream Rock Tracks and # 23 Hot AC. The song was the first recorded ballad on record by Kid Rock...
". In 2000, he released The History of Rock, a compilation of remixed and remastered versions of songs from previous albums as well as the hit single, "American Bad Ass
American Bad Ass
"American Bad Ass" is a heavy metal song from American musician Kid Rock, released from his 2000 album The History of Rock. "American Bad Ass" uses the instrumental structure of Metallica's "Sad but True" The song was a victory lap for Devil Without a Cause's success...
" and the previously unreleased "Abortion".
Kid Rock released the follow-up in 2001, Cocky. After a slow start, his country-flavored hit "Picture
Picture (song)
"Picture" is a song by American singer Kid Rock, co-written and originally recorded with Sheryl Crow. The song is taken from Kid Rock's album Cocky. It was released as a single by Kid Rock featuring Allison Moorer on 12 November 2002...
" with Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
resurrected the album and it went gold as a single and pushed the album's sales over 5 million. It was followed by 2003's self-titled release
Kid Rock (album)
Kid Rock is an eponymous album by Kid Rock, his sixth studio album overall, and his fourth Atlantic Records album. It was released in 2003. It was critically acclaimed by Rolling Stone Magazine, they named it one of the 50 Greatest Albums of 2003...
, which did not chart a major hit. In 2006 he released Live Trucker
Live Trucker
Live Trucker is a live album by Kid Rock released on February 28, 2006. It is composed of songs from his homestands of Clarkston and Detroit's Cobo Hall . The album contained the last two performances of Joe C...
, a live album.
In 2007 Kid Rock released Rock n Roll Jesus
Rock N Roll Jesus
Rock n Roll Jesus is Kid Rock's sixth album under the Atlantic Records umbrella and his seventh studio album overall. The album was released October 9, 2007. Rob Cavallo co-produced the album with Rock. Mike E. Clark produced the track "All Summer Long." The album was not available at the iTunes...
, which produced a hit in "All Summer Long
All Summer Long (Kid Rock song)
"All Summer Long" is the title of a song recorded by Kid Rock. It was released in 2008 as the third single from his ninth studio album Rock n Roll Jesus. The song contains musical and lyrical references to several hit songs of the 1970s, including Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and Lynyrd...
". It was his first worldwide smash hit, charting #1 in eight countries across Europe and in Australia. Rock N Roll Jesus sold 5 million albums worldwide and was certified triple platinum in the U.S. He released Born Free
Born Free (Kid Rock album)
-Critical:Upon its release, Born Free received positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 67, based on 8 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable...
on November 16, 2010. It was announced on June 16, 2011 that "Born Free" was certified platinum by the 'Recording Industry Association Of America' (RIAA) for selling more than one million copies. This gives Kid Rock his sixth Platinum album certification.
Early life
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie was born on January 17, 1971 in Romeo, MichiganRomeo, Michigan
Romeo is a village in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is situated at the southeast corner of Bruce Township, with a portion extending south into Washington Township. Armada Township is adjacent to the east and Ray Township to the...
to William "Bill" Ritchie, a car dealer who owned several local dealerships, and Susan Ritchie. His family also owned a six-acre orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
and Ritchie regularly helped pick apples and cared for the family's horses. He has three siblings: two are older, brother William "Billy" Ritchie and sister Carol Ritchie; and one is younger, sister Jill Ritchie
Jill Ritchie
Jill Susanne Ritchie is an American actress born on March 5, 1974 in Romeo, Michigan.She starred in the 2004 film D.E.B.S. and in Breakin' All the Rules, and had a guest role as Bluth family publicist Jessie in an episode of Arrested Development. She co-starred in the VH1 television series I Hate...
who is an actress. Ritchie found small-town life dull; he became interested in rap music, learned how to breakdance and participated in talent shows in the Detroit area. At age eleven he joined a breakdance crew called the Furious Funkers, and taught himself to work a cheap belt-driven turntable
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
. In high school, Ritchie DJed at parties for beer. He eventually joined Bo Wisdom of Groove Time Productions, in Mt. Clemens, Michigan to perform basement parties for thirty dollars a night. He was then given his stage name; club goers dubbed him "Kid Rock" after they had enjoyed watching "that white kid rock."
Rock started rapping
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
and joined a local hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group, The Beast Crew. It was composed of The Blackman, Champtown
Champtown
Champtown is an American rapper, disc jockey, film director and teacher from Detroit, Michigan. Founder of the Straight Jacket independent record label, Champtown is known for helping establish the careers of a number of Detroit hip hop artists, including Kid Rock and Eminem. He has also worked...
, KDC, Chris "Doc Roun-Cee" Pouncy. Rock befriended producer D-Nice
D-Nice
D-Nice is the stage name of discjockey, beatboxer, rapper, producer and photographer who began his career in the mid-1980s with the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions.-Career:...
of the legendary hip-hop group Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
. When Rock opened for BDP one night, D-Nice invited an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
representative from Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
to see him perform. This meeting led to a demo deal, which developed into a full record contract.
Against his parents' wishes, Rock signed the deal at age seventeen. Despite his new record deal, he had a falling out with The Beast Crew when he signed over fellow member Champtown (the two have become friends again since). They left his vocals on the tracks of their debut underground album "Chapter 1: He Don't Want Us No More," against his wishes. Rock later became part of the Straight From The Underground Tour alongside several heavyweights of rap including Ice Cube
Ice Cube
O'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, Too Short, D-Nice, Mac Dre, and Yo-Yo
Yo-Yo (rapper)
Yo-Yo is a Grammy-nominated American hardcore rapper and actress. Much of her music has advocated female empowerment, denouncing the frequent sexism found in hip-hop music. She is the protege of gangsta rapper Ice Cube...
.
Career
On December 30, 1990 Kid Rock released his debut album Grits Sandwiches for BreakfastGrits Sandwiches for Breakfast
Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast is Kid Rock's debut album, released by Jive Records in 1990. A college radio station, WSUC-FM 90.5 Cortland, NY which played an uncensored version of the song "Yo-Da-Lin in the Valley" was fined $23,750 by the FCC. Jive dropped Kid Rock soon after and Kid Rock...
. As noted by Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse
Insane Clown Posse is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan. The group is composed of Joseph Bruce and Joseph Utsler, who perform under the respective personas of the "wicked clowns" Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope. Insane Clown Posse performs a style of hardcore hip hop known as horrorcore...
member Violent J
Joseph Bruce
Joseph Frank "Joe" Bruce is an American rapper, record producer, professional wrestler and actor. Bruce is most commonly known as Violent J of the Insane Clown Posse . He is the co-founder of the record label Psychopathic Records, with fellow ICP rapper Joseph Utsler and their former manager,...
, this album made Kid Rock one of the two biggest rap stars in Detroit in 1990, along with local independent rapper Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
. Though Jive Records did not push the album it gained infamy when radio station WSUC-FM (90.5) of Cortland, NY was fined $23,700 by the FCC for playing the song Yo Da-Lin In the Valley then the largest fine against a radio station. Kid Rock's career had began to decline towards the end of 1990. Jive Records released Kid Rock from his contract in 1991. Once back in Detroit he became friends with Uncle Kracker
Uncle Kracker
Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
after battling his brother in a freestyle rapping competition; Uncle Kracker became Kid Rock's DJ.
In late 1991 Kid Rock was picked up by an independent record label called Continuum Records. Though Insane Clown Posse's Violent J disliked Kid Rock's rapping style, he paid Kid Rock to appear on his group's first album, Carnival of Carnage
Carnival of Carnage
Carnival of Carnage is the debut album by American hip hop group Insane Clown Posse, released on October 18, 1992, by Psychopathic Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1991 to 1992 at Miller Midi Productions and The Tempermill Studio. The album is the first Joker's Card in the...
, in an attempt to gain notice for the album. Kid Rock showed up to record the song "Is That You?" intoxicated, but re-recorded his vocals and record scratching the following day. In March 1993, Continuum released his second album The Polyfuze Method
The Polyfuze Method
The Polyfuze Method is the second album from Kid Rock, released in 1993 on indie label Continuum Records. The album has been long out of print and nearly impossible to find at any store, but can still be found used for sale on the Internet. The Polyfuze Method shows Kid Rock developing a more rap...
, which featured a more rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
-oriented sound with Kid Rock teaching himself how to play several different instruments including guitar, drums, keyboard and organ. The album saw some local college radio success at Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
with the tracks "Back From The Dead" and "Balls In Your Mouth". He released "U Don't Know Me" as the first single off the album, but it failed to chart, and the music video received little airplay on major music video channels. Kid Rock re-released "Back From The Dead" as a single to mainstream radio, but that too failed as a single. The album has sold around 15,000 copies. In 1992 Kid Rock appeared in the song "Is That You?" of the Carnival of Carnage by the Insane Clown Posse.
He released an Extended play EP called Fire It Up (EP) in 1993 The EP featured the song I Am the Bullgod which wouldn't be a hit until six years later Continuum didn't see a future with Kid Rock after this and released him from his contract in 1994
He moved back to Detroit where his on again off again relationship with Kelly South resulted in a son Robert James Ritchie Jr. Kid Rock released monthly demo tapes dubbed The Bootleg Series which featured demos of him and other up-and coming rappers and garage rock bands in the Detroit area Around the same time Kid Rock formed his back up band Twisted Brown Trucker Band later recruiting Joseph Joe C. Calleja who he met at a 1994 concert as part of the group In 1995 Rock took a job as a janitor at Whiterooms Studios to pay studio fees When he wasn't working, Kid Rock recorded the material that eventually made up his fourth album Early Morning Stoned Pimp which Rock released on his own label Top Dog Records During the recording process he met piano player Jimmie Bones who joined the band soon after The album was released January 9, 1996. A loan from his father aided the release. Kid Rock sold 6,000 copies from the trunk of his car including after his concerts With EMSP local success he released The Polyfuze Method in 1993 with I Am The Bullgod
Lava/Atlantic Records A&R man Andy Karp was interested, after seeing Kid Rock in Cleveland in December 1996 and again in March 1997 Following a two song demo tape containing Somebody's Gotta Feel This and I Got One For Ya [Jason Flom] supported Karp in signing Kid Rock for $100,000 However when recording sessions began Atlantic wanted more of a rock sound and didn't initially like Cowboy Devil Without A Cause and Only God Knows Why They asked Rock to take out I'm going platinum on Devil Without A Cause's chorus but he refused The conflict slowed down production however the album was completed on schedule with Rock mostly playing all the instruments himself
Devil Without a Cause (1997–2002)
In 1997, Kid Rock added drummer/vocalist Stefanie Eulinberg to his band, joining Kenny OlsonKenny Olson
Kenny Olson is a guitarist from the Detroit, Michigan area. He played in Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band. Along with Jason Krause, he played guitar on Kid Rock's studio albums Devil Without a Cause , The History of Rock , Cocky , and Kid Rock .Kenny Olson currently lives in Nashville,...
, Jason Krause
Jason Krause
Jason Krause is an American guitar player for Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band. He is Kid Rock's lead guitarist. His audition was actually the most important show in Kid Rock's career, his famed 1997 Atlantic Records showcase show at Detroit's State Theater...
, Jimmie Bones, Uncle Kracker
Uncle Kracker
Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
, Misty Love, Shirley Hayden and Joe C.
Joe C.
Joseph "Joe C." Calleja was an American rapper and musician. His popularity and fame were based on his relationship as hype man and comic relief for fellow rapper Kid Rock.-Condition:Calleja was born in Taylor, Michigan...
. On August 18, 1998, Atlantic released Devil Without a Cause
Devil Without a Cause
-Tracklisting for clean version:-Demos:-Samples:*"Bawitdaba"**"Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang*"Cowboy"**"Midnight Rider" by The Allman Brothers Band**"L.A...
behind the single "Welcome 2 The Party." Kid Rock went on the Vans Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
to support the album, performing one of his first New York City shows at Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side during the CMJ convention.
"Devil Without Cause Im Goin Platinum"
Sales of "Welcome 2 The Party" and Devil were slow, though the 1998 Warped Tour in Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
stimulated regional interest in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. This led to substantial airplay in the summer and fall of 1998 on rock staples in Massachusetts WZLX
WZLX
WZLX is a prominent classic rock radio station in the Boston, Massachusetts market. WZLX was one of the first classic rock FM stations in America...
and WAAF
WAAF (FM)
WAAF is a Boston, Massachusetts, area commercial Album Oriented Rock/Active rock radio station that mixes music that is popular in the modern rock, heavy metal and classic rock genres....
for the single "I Am The Bullgod." In December 1998, while dj'ing at a club he met and became friends with MTV host Carson Daly
Carson Daly
Carson Jones Daly is an American television host. He is the host of NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, a late-night talk show that began airing on January 7, 2002. Before his role as host of that program, Daly was a VJ on MTV's TRL, and a DJ for the Southern California based radio station KROQ-FM...
. He performed on MTV Fashionably Loud in Miami, then on MTV's Wanna B A VJ doing "My Name Is Rock" and was the DJ for TRL on the Spring Break Special as well as a judge on Say What Karaoke. This raised his profile so by April 1999 Devil Without a Cause had achieved a gold disc. In May 1999 the single "Bawitdaba
Bawitdaba
"Bawitdaba" is a song by American musician Kid Rock, from his album Devil Without a Cause. The song was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 2000 and it peaked at No. 10 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, No. 11 on the Modern Rock Charts, and No. 104 on the Hot 100 on July 13, 1999...
" off the album was released to radio outlets, and by June, Devil had gone platinum. Kid Rock went on the Limptropolis Tour with fellow nu metal acts Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
and Staind
Staind
Staind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
in the same month, his first major tour. By the time he made his career defining performance at Woodstock 1999
Woodstock 1999
Woodstock 1999, also called Woodstock 99, performed July 22–25, 1999, was the second large-scale music festival that attempted to emulate the original Woodstock Festival of 1969. Like the previous Woodstock festivals it was performed in upstate New York, this time in Rome, New York, around 200...
on July 24, 1999, he was double platinum. The following single "Cowboy
Cowboy (Kid Rock song)
"Cowboy" is a single by Kid Rock from his album Devil Without a Cause.He describes the song as "Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Run-D.M.C.." The song is a genre all to itself fusing elements of rap, folk and southern rock. The song contains samples of The Allman Brothers "Midnight Rider" and the piano break...
" was an even bigger hit. It was a mix of southern rock, country and rap that made the Top 40. Rock's next single, the rock ballad "Only God Knows Why
Only God Knows Why
"Only God Knows Why" is a southern rock ballad recorded by Kid Rock in 1998 on his album Devil Without a Cause. It peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100, #13 on Modern Rock Tracks, #5 Mainstream Rock Tracks and # 23 Hot AC. The song was the first recorded ballad on record by Kid Rock...
", was the biggest hit off the album charting at No 19 on the Billboard Hot 100. By the time the final single "Wasting Time
Wasting Time (Kid Rock song)
"Wasting Time" was the final single from Kid Rock's album Devil Without a Cause. The song blended bouncy hip hop vocals over a bluesy riff and gospel vocals provided by Thornetta Davis. The song's bass line sampled Fleetwood Mac's classic "Second Hand News"....
" was released the album had sold 7 million albums, Devil Without A Cause was certified 11 times platinum by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on April 17, 2003.
Rock was nominated as Best New Artist at the 2000 Grammy Awards, but lost to Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
. He was nominated for "Bawitdaba" for Best Hard Rock Performance, but lost to Metallica's "Whiskey in the Jar."
After reacquiring the rights to his early material in 2000, Rock released The History of Rock, a collection of remixed and re-recorded songs from The Polyfuze Method and Early Mornin Stoned Pimp. "American Bad Ass", one of two new tracks, was released as a single. It sampled the Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
track "Sad But True
Sad But True
"Sad but True" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released as the fifth and final single from their eponymous fifth album, Metallica....
".
On May 27 Kid Rock appeared on Saturday Night Live performing "American Bad Ass" and an acoustic version of "Only God Knows Why" that featured Phish's Trey Anastasio. Kid Rock joined Phish later in the year in Las Vegas, Nevada, for a set of cover songs.
A 2000 tour in which David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
performed as an opening act for Kid Rock was the subject of criticism from journalist Neil Strauss
Neil Strauss
Neil Darrow Strauss , also known by the pen names Style and Chris Powles, is an American and Kittitian author, journalist and ghostwriter...
, who alleged that Coe's songs were racist.
From June 30 to August 22, 2000, Kid Rock joined the Summer Sanitarium Tour
Summer Sanitarium Tour
The Summer Sanitarium Tour was Metallica's packaged tour in the Summer of the year 2000. Taking place in "stadiums, arenas, and yes, even speedways," the tour was one of the top grossing tours of the Summer. It was also the final tour for long-time bassist Jason Newsted who quit the band in January...
with Metallica, Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
, Powerman 5000
Powerman 5000
Powerman 5000 is an American Metal band formed in 1991. Through the span of over two decades, the group has released several albums and gained their highest commercial success with 1999's science fiction themed Tonight the Stars Revolt!...
, and System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
. Kid Rock filled in for James Hetfield
James Hetfield
James Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
of Metallica, singing vocals on the songs "Enter Sandman", "Sad But True", and "Nothing Else Matters" and the turntables for "Fuel", for three shows after Hetfield injured his spine riding a jet ski on Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee River. The lake encompasses of water, and of shoreline at normal level, a "full...
the day before the July 7 Atlanta concert.
On November 16, 2000 Joseph "Joe C" Calleja died in his sleep from Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease
Coeliac disease , is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages from middle infancy onward...
in Taylor, MI. The disease stunted his growth and forced him to take 60 pills a day. Joe C's final song was "Cool Daddy Cool" for the Osmosis Jones soundtrack. The band made a cameo in the movie as the band playing in the club scene. Kid Rock was referred to as Kidney Rock to go along with the cartoon aspect of being a cell in the body of Frank played by Bill Murray.
In early 2001, Rock inducted Aerosmith into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
and performed "Sweet Emotion
Sweet Emotion
"Sweet Emotion" is a song by American rock band Aerosmith, released by Columbia Records in April 1975 on the album Toys in the Attic and was released as a single a month later on May 19th . The song began a string of pop hits and large-scale mainstream success for the band that would continue for...
" at the induction ceremony. The same year, Rock landed his first acting role in the David Spade
David Spade
David Wayne Spade is an American actor, comedian and television personality who first became famous in the 1990s as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, and from 1997 until 2003 when he starred as Dennis Finch on Just Shoot Me!. He also starred as C.J...
white trash
White trash
White trash is an American English pejorative term referring to poor white people in the United States, suggesting lower social class and degraded living standards...
comedy Joe Dirt
Joe Dirt
Joe Dirt is a 2001 American comedy film starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Brian Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan, Adam Beach and Kid Rock. The film was written by Spade and Fred Wolf.-Plot:...
. His character was Robbie a redneck bully to Joe Dirt who was chasing after Joe's unaware love interest Brandy.
"American Bad Ass" was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 2001s Grammy Awards. Losing out to Rage Against The Machine's "Guerilla Radio". The History of Rock would go on to be certified double platinum.
In November, Kid Rock released Cocky, which was marketed as the official follow up to Devil Without a Cause. With the era of rap metal on the decline, Kid Rock included several southern rock and country ballads on the album. The first single, "Forever
Forever (Kid Rock song)
"Forever" was the first single released from Kid Rock's 2001 album Cocky. The song was a message to critics who had panned his music. Kid Rock stated his formula of hip hop,southern rock and heavy metal would last forever despite what they thought....
", featured his standard brash rap-rock sound, but lacked the selling power of "Devil Without A Cause". The songs "Lonely Road of Faith
Lonely Road of Faith
"Lonely Road of Faith" was the second released single off Kid Rock's 2001 album Cocky. The song is a melodic, piano-driven country ballad about a relationship on the rocks. Surprisingly, this song was written in 1995. It remained unreleased, however, until the 2001 release of Cocky...
"and "You Never Met a Motherfucker Quite Like Me
You Never Met a Motherfucker Quite Like Me
"You Never Met a Motherfucker Quite Like Me" as was the third single off Kid Rock's third album Cocky. The song peaked at #32 on the mainstream rock charts in 2002. The middle of the song pays homage to Lynyrd Skynyrd's classic "Free Bird"...
" were released as singles, but were not successful, and the album struggled to reach platinum a year later. Rock had problems with the release of "Picture
Picture (song)
"Picture" is a song by American singer Kid Rock, co-written and originally recorded with Sheryl Crow. The song is taken from Kid Rock's album Cocky. It was released as a single by Kid Rock featuring Allison Moorer on 12 November 2002...
", a country-influenced duet with Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
: his label felt it was wrong for his image, and was not keen to spend more money promoting a flagging album; then, when they agreed to release it, Sheryl Crow's label initially refused to give permission. Rock, meanwhile, made a radio version with Allison Moorer
Allison Moorer
Allison Moorer is an American alternative country singer and the younger sister of Shelby Lynne. She signed to MCA Nashville in 1998 and made her debut on the U.S...
, which was gaining airplay. When "Picture" was released it introduced Kid Rock to a wider audience, and was ultimately the most successful single on the album. The song would chart at No 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No 17 on Country radio. The song remains his most successful pop song in the U.S. to date.
On December 14, 2001, CMT
Country Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
aired an episode of Crossroads
Crossroads (CMT TV series)
CMT Crossroads is a television show broadcast on Country Music Television and Palladia that pairs country music artists with musicians from other music genres. Each episode of CMT Crossroads features a different set of stars playing together....
featuring Rock with Hank Williams, Jr.
Hank Williams, Jr.
Randall Hank Williams , better known as Hank Williams, Jr. and Bocephus, is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of Southern rock, blues, and traditional country...
The episode drew 2.1 million viewers, a record on CMT. He would perform for troops in January 2002 on an MTV USO Special at Germany's Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base
Ramstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
along with Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
and Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
.
At the end of 2002, Uncle Kracker
Uncle Kracker
Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
left the band to pursue a solo career, and Detroit underground rapper Paradime
Paradime
Paradime, birth name Freddie Beauregard, does the turntables and back up vocals for Kid Rock. He first appeared on the Detroit hip-hop scene in 1991 in the form of a solo album, which sold only a few hundred copies...
replaced him. Kid Rock made his second movie, Biker Boyz
Biker Boyz
Biker Boyz is a 2003 film about a group of underground motorcycle drag racers. It stars Laurence Fishburne, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Luke, Meagan Good, and Larenz Tate and is written and directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood...
, with Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
.
Kid Rock to Rock n Roll Jesus (2003–2009)
In 2003, Kid Rock returned with an eponymous albumKid Rock (album)
Kid Rock is an eponymous album by Kid Rock, his sixth studio album overall, and his fourth Atlantic Records album. It was released in 2003. It was critically acclaimed by Rolling Stone Magazine, they named it one of the 50 Greatest Albums of 2003...
, almost stripping away the accustomed rap metal sound he had created, opting for southern rock and several country ballads in the wake of "Picture"'s success. The album's lead single was a cover of Bad Company
Bad Company
Bad Company were an English rock supergroup founded in 1973, consisting of two former Free band members — singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke — as well as Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Peter Grant, who, in years prior, was a key component of...
's "Feel Like Makin' Love
Feel Like Makin' Love (Bad Company song)
"Feel Like Makin' Love" is a song by British supergroup Bad Company. The song originally appeared on the LP Straight Shooter in April 1975 and was released as a single in August of the same year...
". A media blitz accompanied the single capped off by the VH-1 special called A Kid Rock Christmas, which aired on December 14, 2003. He would release "Cold and Empty", "Jackson, Mississippi" and "I Am" I Am (Kid Rock song)
I Am (Kid Rock song)
"I Am" is a song from Kid Rock's self titled release Kid Rock. It was the fourth single from the album and with no music video it peaked at #28 on the Mainstream Rock charts.-Content:...
to minor success on radio. The David Allan Coe-penned "Single Father", became his second charting country song, although like the other singles it was minor hit at #50. Kid Rock would be his lowest selling mainstream studio album of his career with 1.4 million copies sold.
Kid Rock was involved in the halftime show controversy
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
Super Bowl XXXVIII, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004 from Houston, Texas on the CBS television network in the United States, was noted for a controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a...
at Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game played on February 1, 2004 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas to decide the National Football League champion following the 2003 regular season....
in Houston, Texas on February 1, 2004. He was criticized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Veterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a congressionally chartered war veterans organization in the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, VFW currently has 1.5 million members belonging to 7,644 posts, and is the largest American organization of combat...
for desecrating
Flag desecration
Flag desecration is a term applied to various acts that intentionally destroy, damage or mutilate a flag in public, most often a national flag. Often, such action is intended to make a political point against a country or its policies...
the American flag, by wearing one slit in the middle as a poncho.
The following month, Kid inducted Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
. In September 2005
, Kid Rock filled in for Johnny Van Zant
Johnny Van Zant
John Roy "Johnny" Van Zant is an American musician and the current lead vocalist of Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. He is the younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder and former lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant and .38 Special founder Donnie Van Zant.Van Zant performed during the 1970s with...
, the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
on the band's hit "Sweet Home Alabama
Sweet Home Alabama (song)
"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd that first appeared in 1974 on their second album, Second Helping.It reached #8 on the US charts in 1974, and was the band's second hit single.-Creation and recording:...
" at the Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
benefit concert.
He performed the theme song for Spike TV's Striperella, which featured Pamela Anderson in 2003, the song was entitled "Erotica".
Live Trucker
Live Trucker is a live album by Kid Rock released on February 28, 2006. It is composed of songs from his homestands of Clarkston and Detroit's Cobo Hall . The album contained the last two performances of Joe C...
, comprising songs from his homestead performances in Clarkston (on September 1, 2000, and August 26 through August 28, 2004), and Detroit's Cobo Hall
Cobo Hall
Gavin Hamilton memorial arena is a major convention center situated along Jefferson Ave. in downtown Detroit, Michigan, USA. It was named for Albert E. Cobo, mayor of Detroit from 1950 to 1957. Designed by Gino Rossetti, opened in 1960. Expanded in 1989, the present complex contains of exhibition...
(March 26, 2004). The album contained the last two performances of Joe C.
Joe C.
Joseph "Joe C." Calleja was an American rapper and musician. His popularity and fame were based on his relationship as hype man and comic relief for fellow rapper Kid Rock.-Condition:Calleja was born in Taylor, Michigan...
on "Devil Without a Cause" and "Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp," as well as Kid dueting with country star Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
on "Picture."
He brought Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
back from semi-retirement during his pre-Super Bowl concerts on February 2 and 3, 2006 in Detroit. The two performed a version of Seger's "Rock 'n' Roll Never Forgets" on both nights. Kid Rock would appear on Bob Seger's album, Face the Promise, on a Vince Gill
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
cover of "Real Mean Bottle," a tribute to country legend Merle Haggard
Merle Haggard
Merle Ronald Haggard is an American country music singer, guitarist, fiddler, instrumentalist, and songwriter. Along with Buck Owens, Haggard and his band The Strangers helped create the Bakersfield sound, which is characterized by the unique twang of Fender Telecaster guitars, vocal harmonies,...
. He would make a cameo in the movie Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector is a 2006 comedy film starring American stand-up comedian Larry the Cable Guy. Larry, a municipal restaurant health inspector, is assigned a new rookie partner after recklessly closing restaurants for code violations, Amy Butlin , by his boss, Bart Tatlock...
and was in an episode of CSI: New York in 2006.
He inducted Lynyrd Skynyrd into the 2006 Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and performed "Sweet Home Alabama" with them.
Rock n Roll Jesus
Rock N Roll Jesus
Rock n Roll Jesus is Kid Rock's sixth album under the Atlantic Records umbrella and his seventh studio album overall. The album was released October 9, 2007. Rob Cavallo co-produced the album with Rock. Mike E. Clark produced the track "All Summer Long." The album was not available at the iTunes...
was released on October 9, 2007, becoming Kid Rock's first album to go number 1, selling 172,000 copies in its first week. He made the cover of Rolling Stone magazine for the second time, and appeared for the first time on Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
to discuss the new album.
The album's first two singles were successful on rock radio in "So Hott
So Hott
"So Hott" is the lead single from American singer Kid Rock's album Rock n Roll Jesus.The song is about a strong obsession for a woman. The song was his best charting rock song peaking at #2 on the Mainstream Rock Chart and #13 on the Modern Rock chart. This song was #38 on Rolling Stones list of...
" and "Amen
Amen (Kid Rock song)
"Amen" is the second single from American singer Kid Rock's album Rock n Roll Jesus. Kid Rock says that this is the greatest song he has ever written. The acoustic guitar intro samples the Bob Seger song "You'll Accomp'ny Me". It is an acoustic arranged song that touches on such subjects as...
". The album's third single "All Summer Long
All Summer Long (Kid Rock song)
"All Summer Long" is the title of a song recorded by Kid Rock. It was released in 2008 as the third single from his ninth studio album Rock n Roll Jesus. The song contains musical and lyrical references to several hit songs of the 1970s, including Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and Lynyrd...
", became a global hit. It utilized a mash up
Mashup (music)
A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...
of Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
's "Sweet Home Alabama
Sweet Home Alabama (song)
"Sweet Home Alabama" is a song by Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd that first appeared in 1974 on their second album, Second Helping.It reached #8 on the US charts in 1974, and was the band's second hit single.-Creation and recording:...
" and Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon
Warren William Zevon was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his sometimes sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes.Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known...
's "Werewolves of London
Werewolves of London
"Werewolves of London" is a rock song composed by LeRoy Marinell, Waddy Wachtel, and Warren Zevon and performed by Zevon. Included on Zevon's 1978 album Excitable Boy, it featured accompaniment by bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac.The single was released by Asylum as...
". "All Summer Long" would chart at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Rock n Roll Jesus" returned to the Top 10 for 17 straight weeks. Both "Roll On" and the title track were released as follow-up singles. The album's final single was "Blue Jeans and a Rosary" which was a minor country hit at No. 50.
In 2008, Kid Rock recorded "Warrior" for a National Guard advertising campaign.
Kid Rock performed on VH1 Storytellers on November 27, 2008, giving an insight to how he wrote some of his hit songs. On April 5, 2009 he performed a 5-song medley at WrestleMania XXV
WrestleMania XXV
WrestleMania XXV was the twenty-fifth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 5, 2009 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas...
.
He was nominated for best rock album and best male pop/rock performance for "All Summer Long" at the 2009 Grammys. He lost to Coldplay's Viva La Vida for best Rock Album and John Mayer's "Say" for Best Male Pop/Rock Performance. He achieved his first country award winning for Best Wide Open Country Video for "All Summer Long" at the 2009 CMT Awards.
On May 22 Kid Rock's June 8, 2008 concert at Germany's Rock AM Festival was aired on every MTV affiliate around the world on their debut show "World Stage".
At the 2008 Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
Kid Rock was meant to appear between Seether
Seether
Seether is a post-grunge/alternative metal band from Pretoria, South Africa, formed in 1999. The band is currently signed to Wind-up Records...
and Disturbed on the Main Stage but pulled out at the last minute. It was first announced that this was due to illness. Rock later claimed he left the festival grounds after becoming dissatisfied with the amenities. But, the following year, Download's booker theorized that it had been due to a broken heart.
On July 3, 2009 "Rock N Roll Jesus" was certified triple platinum by the RIAA.
Kid Rock held the largest headline concert of his career the weekend of July 17 and 18, 2009, at Comerica Park
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....
in Detroit. 80,000 people attended the two shows.
Born Free (2009–present)
In April 2010 Kid Rock started the Born Free era off with a spring cruise dubbed "The Chillin The Most Cruise". Then he followed that up by hosting the CMT Awards in June and performed "Cowboy".Kid Rock released Born Free on November 16, 2010 and it debuted at No 5 selling 189,000 copies in its first week. This album has already been certified platinum. The album was produced by Rick Rubin and featured David Hildago and Matt Sweeny on guitar as well as Chad Smith on drums and Benmont Tench on keys and piano. The album became his first album without a parental advisory sticker on it. The album's lead single was the patriotic "Born Free." It was the theme song to the 2010 MLB playoffs on TBS as well as WWE's Tribute To The Troops Special. The album reached gold status on December 15, 2010. The album's current single is "God Bless Saturday". The album features Martina McBride and T.I. on "Care", Sheryl Crow and Bob Seger on "Collide", Zac Brown on "Flying High" and Trace Adkins on "Rock Bottom Blues". Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow finished the music video for "Collide" while he was on tour in Wichita, Kansas. He also released a Detroit-only EP called Racing Father Time containing alternate versions of "Slow My Roll" and "Lonely Road Of Faith" along with new songs "The Midwest Fall" and "Fuckin' Forty". The latter was co-written with John Eddie. "The Midwest Fall" is another emotional song about a man losing his job on the autoline.
On January 15, 2011 Kid Rock celebrated his 40th birthday with a performance at Ford Field in Detroit. The marathon concert featured Uncle Kracker, Peter Wolfe, Rev Run, Sheryl Crow, Cindy Crawford, Jimmie Johnson and Anita Baker.
Kid Rock is currently writing songs for his successor to Born Free. "We've already started writing for the next record and talking about the feel and where we want to go with it," Rock told Billboard.com during a press conference Thursday announcing an Aug. 12 stadium show in his home town of Detroit. "I think 'Born Free' was kind of a transitional record with [producer] Rick Rubin and going into the rootsy, American blues/rock 'n' roll vibe. I'd kind of like to go back to something like maybe a 'Cocky' feel -- that record, but knowing more now and trying to put those elements together." Rock's other future plan includes coming to terms with video footage he has accumulated over the years and possibly making some commercially available in the near future. "It's something I struggle with," he acknowledged. "I've probably shot six DVDs, professionally, had them edited and everything. But it's like anything; if you go see a sporting event or whatever, it's always better live. It's just tough to capture it on tape." Rock promised that "there will be something... I think for Christmas" and possibly from his recent show at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which he called "one of my best performances to date." He added that he may also consider releasing live footage via his web site.
Musical style and influences
Kid Rock's musical style ranges from Midwest hip hopMidwest hip hop
Midwest hip hop is hip hop music performed by artists from the Midwestern United States. In contrast with its East Coast, West Coast and Southern counterparts, Midwest hip hop has very few constants...
and heavy metal to country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
and rap rock
Rap rock
Rap rock is a cross-genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock is often confused with rap metal and rapcore, subgenres that include heavy metal-oriented and hardcore punk-oriented bands, respectively....
. His influences include Warren Zevon
Warren Zevon
Warren William Zevon was an American rock singer-songwriter and musician noted for including his sometimes sardonic opinions of life in his musical lyrics, composing songs that were sometimes humorous and often had political or historical themes.Zevon's work has often been praised by well-known...
, Jim Croce
Jim Croce
James Joseph "Jim" Croce January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973 was an American singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, Croce released five studio albums and 11 singles...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
, David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe
David Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
, Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
, Whodini
Whodini
Whodini is a hip hop group that was formed in 1981. The Brooklyn, New York-based trio consisted of vocalist and main lyricist Jalil Hutchins; co-vocalist John Fletcher, aka Ecstasy ; and turntable artist DJ Drew Carter, aka Grandmaster Dee.-Early years:Whodini was among the first hip-hop groups to...
, Too Short, Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
and Esham
Esham
Rashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
.
Twisted Brown Trucker
Twisted Brown Trucker is Kid Rock's band, formed in 1994 in Sterling Heights, MichiganSterling Heights, Michigan
Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 129,699...
. The original lineup included Kenny Olson
Kenny Olson
Kenny Olson is a guitarist from the Detroit, Michigan area. He played in Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band. Along with Jason Krause, he played guitar on Kid Rock's studio albums Devil Without a Cause , The History of Rock , Cocky , and Kid Rock .Kenny Olson currently lives in Nashville,...
on lead guitar, Uncle Kracker
Uncle Kracker
Matthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
on turntables, Andy Gould and George Metropolous on guitar, Paul Anthony on bass and Bob Ebeling on drums. The band's first involvement was on the 1994 demo of "Dark & Gray" on his Bootleg Series Tapes, they would make three more appearances on the tapes in Watch Me Come, Only a Dog and Box #10. Trucker became both Rock's studio and live band in 1997.
Chris Peters was the studio guitarist for The Polyfuze Method and Fire It Up. Matt O'Brien (Bass) and Kenny Tudrick (Guitar, Drums) were studio musicians for Devil Without a Cause.
Kenny Olson went on to form numerous bands for more creative outlets. A Pack of Wolves, The Flask, Five Star Carni, The Motorfly's, and most recent (2010) 7 Day Binge. He has also made appearances on many other recordings such as the song "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" which can be found on the Les Paul & Friends CD as well as a version of "Little Wing" with Chaka Khan on "The Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix" among numerous others.
Tudrick is with the band Detroit Cobras, who he was with before touring on Kid Rock's 'Live' Trucker tour.
Percussionist Larry Frantangelo won a Detroit Music Award in 2009 for Outstanding Urban/Funk Musician.
Current members
- Jimmie "Bones" Trombley – keyboards, piano, organ, harmonica, backing vocals (1996–present)
- Marlon YoungMarlon YoungMarlon Young is a guitarist from Pontiac, Michigan who became the new lead guitarist for Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band in 2007. He was in Kid Rock's live band in 1996. He left in 1997 and was replaced by Jason Krause so he could pursue his own goals. He become lead guitarist for the band...
– lead & rhythm guitar (1996–1997, 2007–present) - Jason Krause – rhythm & lead guitar (1997–present)
- Stefanie Eulinberg – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1998–present)
- ParadimeParadimeParadime, birth name Freddie Beauregard, does the turntables and back up vocals for Kid Rock. He first appeared on the Detroit hip-hop scene in 1991 in the form of a solo album, which sold only a few hundred copies...
– turntables, programming, keyboards (2002–present) - Aaron JulisonAaron JulisonAaron Julison Raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Julison is the bassist and backing vocalist for Kid Rock and the Twisted Brown Trucker Band. His music roots were laid in being a roadie for a Christian band by the name of SoZo...
– bass guitar, backing vocals (2003–present) - Shannon CurfmanShannon CurfmanShannon Marie Curfman is an American blues-rock guitarist and singer. She came to prominence in 1999, at the age of 14, with the release of her first album, Loud Guitars, Big Suspicions, which she recorded a year earlier.Curfman has toured with John Mellencamp, Buddy Guy, George Thorogood and The...
– backing vocal & guitar (2010-present)
with:
- Larry Frantangelo – percussion (2007–present)
- David McMurray – saxophone (2007–present)
- Jessica Wagner;– backing vocals (2007–present)
- Tyra Juliette -backing vocals (2007–present)
Former members
- Barbara Payton- backing vocals (2007–2009, on and off)
- Stacy Michelle- backing vocals (2007–2009)
- Kenny OlsonKenny OlsonKenny Olson is a guitarist from the Detroit, Michigan area. He played in Kid Rock's Twisted Brown Trucker Band. Along with Jason Krause, he played guitar on Kid Rock's studio albums Devil Without a Cause , The History of Rock , Cocky , and Kid Rock .Kenny Olson currently lives in Nashville,...
– lead guitar (1994–2005) - Uncle KrackerUncle KrackerMatthew Shafer is an American rock musician known as Uncle Kracker. His singles include "Follow Me", "Smile", and "Drift Away". His music was more rap rock-based at the start of his career before turning in a more rock and Top 40 style music direction on later releases.-Biography:Shafer was born...
– turntables (1994–2002) - Joe C – backing vocals (1994–2000)
- Andy Gould – rhythm guitar (1994–1995)
- George Metropolous – rhythm guitar (1994–1995)
- Paul Anthony – bass (1994–1995)
- Bob Ebeling – drums (1994–1995)
- Bill Keros – drums (1995)
- Eric Hogemeyer – drums (1995)
- Jeff Hall – rhythm guitar (1995–1996)
- Chris Zuccaro – drums (1995–1998)
- Ray Echlin – bass (1996)
- Lonnie Motley – bass (1996–1998)
- Chris Lebroux – bongos (1997)
- Thornetta DavisThornetta DavisThornetta Davis is an American Detroit blues and rhythm and blues singer. She has opened for Bonnie Raitt, Gladys Knight, and Etta James, and sang backing vocals on Bob Seger's 1991 album, The Fire Inside...
– backing vocals (1997–1998) - Mike Bradford – bass (1998–2001)
- Misty Love – backing vocals (1998–2001)
- Shirley Hayden – backing vocals (1998–2001)
- Bobby East – bass (2001–2003)
- Smith Curry – dobro (2004–2005)
- Karen NewmanKaren NewmanKaren Newman is a professional singer based in Detroit, Michigan. Newman was raised in the Michigan towns of Rochester and Grand Blanc, and studied music at Oakland University. She is best known for being "the voice" of the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings, regularly performing the...
– backing vocals (2004–2005) - Lauren Creamer – backing vocals (2004–2005)
- Kenny Tudrick – lead guitar (2005–2006)
Marriage to Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
, after the two met at a VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
tribute to Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
. By April 2002, he and Anderson were engaged, but the engagement was later called off. They later got married in a surprise wedding in July 2006 after it was reported Anderson was pregnant. They divorced 5 months later because Rock wanted to live in Detroit and Anderson wanted to stay in Los Angeles. It has been suggested that his no-show at the Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
2008 was due to a broken heart.
Kid Rock has stated in numerous interviews that he is a lover of hunting and fishing. He has hunted with his good friend Hank Williams Jr. several times. When Rock and Pamela Anderson divorced, it was rumored that Rock's hunting passion was the cause of the relationship's end, Anderson being a keen animal rights activist.
Rock later claimed, however, that the divorce was due to Anderson openly criticizing his mother and sister in front of his son from a previous relationship, Robert Jr., which Rock took offense to. Rock has actively raised Robert Jr., born in 1993, as a single father since birth, and continues to live with him in Michigan.
On July 6, 2011, Kid Rock appeared on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Piers Morgan Tonight
Piers Morgan Tonight
Piers Morgan Tonight is a talk show on CNN, hosted by Piers Morgan. The show premiered on January 17, 2011 and filled the former Larry King Live timeslot. The theme music is written by Anthony James, composer and CEO of British company Music Candy, and his writing partner Yiorgos Bellapaisiotis,...
show where he said he has no regrets about anything he has done in the past. He declined to say whether his marriage to Pamela Anderson had taught him any lessons.
Legal troubles
Kid Rock has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement:In March 1991 and September 1997, Kid Rock was arrested in Michigan for alcohol related incidents.
In February 2005, he was arrested on assault charges for punching DJ Jay Campos in 'Christies Cabaret' strip club
Strip club
A strip club is an adult entertainment venue in which striptease or other erotic or exotic dance is regularly performed. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or bar style, but can also adopt a theatre or cabaret-style....
. Rock pleaded no contest and was sued for $575,000 by Campos.
Kid Rock was cited for assault on Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
drummer Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee
Thomas Lee Bass , best known as Tommy Lee, is an American musician and founding member of glam metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem, and has pursued solo musical projects...
on September 9, 2007 at MTV's Video Music Awards, and pled guilty.
In October 2007, Kid Rock was involved in a brawl at a Waffle House
Waffle House
Waffle House is a restaurant chain with over 1600 locations found in 25 states in the United States. Most of the locations are in the Southern United States, where the chain remains a regional cultural icon...
in Atlanta and charged with simple battery. He pleaded nolo contendere
Nolo contendere
is a legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend." It is also referred to as a plea of no contest.In criminal trials, and in some common law jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of...
("no contest") to one count, was fined $1,000, required to perform 80 hours of community service and complete a 6-hour course on anger management.
Sex tape
Kid Rock and Scott StappScott Stapp
Scott Alan Stapp is an American musician and singer-songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Creed, of which he is a founding member. His debut solo album, The Great Divide, was released in 2005. A second album, Between Lust and Love, is currently in production...
, singer of the band Creed
Creed (band)
Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...
, appear in a sex tape from 1999 in which the two have sex with four groupies. California pornography company Red Light District planned to release the tape in 2006, but one of the women involved filed to block it. Ritchie also filed an injunction, called Stapp an "idiot," and blamed him for the tape's leak.
Charity work
Kid Rock has been involved with many charitable organizations but his main support has gone to Operation HomefrontOperation Homefront
Operation Homefront is a nonprofit 501 organization that provides emergency assistance for military troops, the families they leave behind, and wounded warriors when they return home. The organization raises funds to provide emergency, financial, and morale assistance to families while troops are...
. Kid Rock has frequently partnered with Jim Beam
Jim Beam
Jim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It is currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 , seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand, which was given the name...
to make large donations to the organization. He is close friends with Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...
as he helps with charity events, and Kid Rock narrated Tony Stewart: Smoke, a documentary of Stewart's 2002 championship season.
Political views
Kid Rock has been an outspoken supporter of the Republican Party and publicly expressed his support for George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
in the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
. He has attended many Republican events as well as performed for American service men and women in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Kosovo, and has performed for soldiers in Great Britain at R.A.F. bases such as RAF Lakenheath. In October 2010 he performed at Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
and Stephen Colbert
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.Colbert originally studied to be an...
’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, DC.
Discography
- 1990: Grits Sandwiches for BreakfastGrits Sandwiches for BreakfastGrits Sandwiches for Breakfast is Kid Rock's debut album, released by Jive Records in 1990. A college radio station, WSUC-FM 90.5 Cortland, NY which played an uncensored version of the song "Yo-Da-Lin in the Valley" was fined $23,750 by the FCC. Jive dropped Kid Rock soon after and Kid Rock...
- 1993: The Polyfuze MethodThe Polyfuze MethodThe Polyfuze Method is the second album from Kid Rock, released in 1993 on indie label Continuum Records. The album has been long out of print and nearly impossible to find at any store, but can still be found used for sale on the Internet. The Polyfuze Method shows Kid Rock developing a more rap...
- 1996: Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp
- 1998: Devil Without a CauseDevil Without a Cause-Tracklisting for clean version:-Demos:-Samples:*"Bawitdaba"**"Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang*"Cowboy"**"Midnight Rider" by The Allman Brothers Band**"L.A...
- 2000: The History of Rock
- 2001: Cocky
- 2003: Kid RockKid Rock (album)Kid Rock is an eponymous album by Kid Rock, his sixth studio album overall, and his fourth Atlantic Records album. It was released in 2003. It was critically acclaimed by Rolling Stone Magazine, they named it one of the 50 Greatest Albums of 2003...
- 2006: Live TruckerLive TruckerLive Trucker is a live album by Kid Rock released on February 28, 2006. It is composed of songs from his homestands of Clarkston and Detroit's Cobo Hall . The album contained the last two performances of Joe C...
- 2007: Rock n Roll JesusRock N Roll JesusRock n Roll Jesus is Kid Rock's sixth album under the Atlantic Records umbrella and his seventh studio album overall. The album was released October 9, 2007. Rob Cavallo co-produced the album with Rock. Mike E. Clark produced the track "All Summer Long." The album was not available at the iTunes...
- 2010: Born FreeBorn Free (Kid Rock album)-Critical:Upon its release, Born Free received positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 67, based on 8 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable...
- 2012: Chillin' The Most
Tours
- 1989: Straight From the Underground Tour (opened for Ice CubeIce CubeO'Shea Jackson , better known by his stage name Ice Cube, is an American rapper and actor. He began his career as a member of the hip-hop group C.I.A. and later joined the rap group N.W.A. After leaving N.W.A in December 1989, he built a successful solo career in music, and also as a writer,...
, Too $hortToo $hortTodd Anthony Shaw , better known by the stage name Too Short , is an American rapper, producer, and actor who started his career at the age of fourteen in East Oakland, Oakland, California.-Career:...
, D Nice and Yo-Yo) - 1998: LollapaloozaLollapaloozaLollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
Tour - 1998: Vans Warped Tour
- 1998–99: White Thrash on Dope Tour (with Monster MagnetMonster MagnetMonster Magnet is an American stoner rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf , John McBain and Tim Cronin...
and Hed PE) - 1999: Destroy Your Liver Tour
- 1999: Limptropolis Tour (with Limp BizkitLimp BizkitLimp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
and StaindStaindStaind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
) - 1999: European Tour (with Blink-182Blink-182Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
) - 1999: Between the Legs Tour (with Powerman 5000Powerman 5000Powerman 5000 is an American Metal band formed in 1991. Through the span of over two decades, the group has released several albums and gained their highest commercial success with 1999's science fiction themed Tonight the Stars Revolt!...
, Professional Murder MusicProfessional Murder MusicProfessional Murder Music is an Alternative Rock band, from Los Angeles, California.They are currently signed and own indie label, Wormhole Records. Their music has been used for such film soundtracks as End of Days, Ginger Snaps, Valentine, and Jet Grind Radio, a video game for the Sega Dreamcast....
) - 1999-00: Millennium Tour (with MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, SevendustSevendustSevendust is an American heavy metal band from Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1994 by bassist Vince Hornsby, drummer Morgan Rose and guitarist John Connolly. After their first demo, lead vocalist Lajon Witherspoon and guitarist Clint Lowery joined the group...
and CreedCreed (band)Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...
) - 2000: Summer Sanitarium Tour (with Metallica, KornKornKorn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
, System of a DownSystem of a DownSystem of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
, Powerman 5000) - 2000: The History of Rock Tour (with DopeDope (band)Dope is an American rock band from Villa Park, Illinois, formed in 1997 in Chicago, Illinois.To date, the band has released five full-length studio albums, their most recent being No Regrets which was released on March 10, 2009.-History:...
) - 2001: The American Bad Ass Tour (with BuckcherryBuckcherryBuckcherry is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1995. The band released two albums, Buckcherry and Time Bomb , before partially dissolving in the summer of 2002. In 2005, lead vocalist Josh Todd and lead guitarist Keith Nelson reformed Buckcherry and released a new album...
, FuelFuel (band)Fuel is an American rock band formed by guitarist/songwriter Carl Bell and bassist Jeff Abercrombie in 1989. Originally known as Small the Joy, they changed the group's name to Fuel sometime in 1994...
and David Allan CoeDavid Allan CoeDavid Allan Coe is an American outlaw country music singer who achieved popularity in the 1970s and 1980s. He has written and performed over 280 original songs throughout his career...
) - 2002: The Cocky Tour (with Lit, Tenacious DTenacious DTenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...
and SalivaSaliva (band)Saliva is an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in September 1996 and currently under Island Records. Saliva released their self-titled debut album on August 26, 1997, under Rocking Chair Records....
) - 2002: Girls of Summer TourGirls of Summer TourThe Girls of Summer Tour was a North American concert tour headlined by Aerosmith that ran from August to December 2002. The tour was put on in support of the band's 2-disc compilation, O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits, a comprehensive collection which spanned their whole career...
(opening for AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
with Run-D.M.C.) - 2004: Rock n Roll Pain Train Tour (with Puddle of MuddPuddle of MuddPuddle Of Mudd is an American rock band from Kansas City, Missouri, USA. To date the band has sold over 7 million albums, and have had a string of #1 mainstream rock singles in the United States. Their major-label debut Come Clean has sold over 5 million copies...
, Gov't MuleGov't MuleGov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...
, Jerry CantrellJerry CantrellJerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with the grunge/metal band Alice in Chains, as lead guitarist, backing and co-lead vocalist, and co-lyricist. He performs lead vocals on his solo projects, and is part of Alice in Chains' harmonizing...
) - 2005: Lazy Muthafuga Tour (only 6 concert dates)
- 2006: 'Live' Trucker Tour (with Ty Stone, Peter FramptonPeter FramptonPeter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
(opened in Auburn Hills, Michigan) and WhitestarrWhitestarrWhitestarr is an American rock band from Malibu, California. The band has garnered attention owing to the members' relationships and to their television series...
) - 2007–2008: Rock n Roll Revival Tour (with Reverend Run, Dicky Betts, Duane Betts, Peter WolfPeter WolfPeter Wolf is an American Rhythm and Blues, Soul and Rock and Roll musician, best known as the lead vocalist for the J. Geils Band from 1967 to 1983; and for a successful musical solo career to date with writing partner Will Jennings.- Life and career :Wolf was born in the Bronx, New York...
, Lynyrd SkynyrdLynyrd SkynyrdLynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
, in a revue style) - 2008: Rock n Roll Revival Tour: European Tour
- 2008: Rock n Rebels Tour (with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Backdoor Slam)
- 2008: European Tour (with Finger Eleven)
- 2008: All Summer Long Tour (4 nights at Pine Knob with Uncle Kracker & Rev Run)
- 2009: Rock n Rebels Tour II (with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights, Black Stone Cherry, Alice in Chains, Cypress Hill, Robert Randolph and the Family Band)
- 2010: The Circle Tour (opening for Bon Jovi)
- 2011: Ford field, detroit Michigan 40th Birthday Bash-January
- 2011: Born Free Tour (with Sheryl Crow)
- 2011: (Fall) Care - Club Tour for charity
Filmography
- The Howard Stern Show (8 episodes, 1999–2008)
- Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
(Musical Guest, 2000) - The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
(1 episode, 2000) - WWE RawWWE RAWWWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
(Musical Guest, 2000) - Joe DirtJoe DirtJoe Dirt is a 2001 American comedy film starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Brian Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan, Adam Beach and Kid Rock. The film was written by Spade and Fred Wolf.-Plot:...
(2001) - Osmosis JonesOsmosis JonesOsmosis Jones is a 2001 live-action/animated comedy film directed by Tom Sito and Piet Kroon for the animated segments and the Farrelly brothers for the live-action segments...
(Voice, 2001) - Kid Rock: Lonely Road of Faith (2001)
- King of the HillKing of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
(2002) - Punk'dPunk'dPunk'd is an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. It bore a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show Candid Camera and to TV's Bloopers...
(1 episode, 2003) - Biker BoyzBiker BoyzBiker Boyz is a 2003 film about a group of underground motorcycle drag racers. It stars Laurence Fishburne, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Luke, Meagan Good, and Larenz Tate and is written and directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood...
(2003) - StripperellaStripperellaStripperella was an American animated series created by Stan Lee. The main character, voiced by and based on Pamela Anderson, is a stripper named Erotica Jones who is also the superheroine/secret agent Stripperella. The series was produced by The Firm and Spike Animation Studios...
(You Only Lick Twice, 2003) - CMT OutlawsCMT OutlawsCMT Outlaws was an annual concert featuring country music's outlaws. The CMT Outlaws show was aired on Country Music Television.-2004:* Hank Williams, Jr.* Lynyrd Skynyrd* Kid Rock* Big & Rich* Gretchen Wilson* Montgomery Gentry* Shooter Jennings...
(2003) - South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
(2004) - CSI: NYCSI: NYCSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
(1 episode, 2005) - Larry the Cable Guy: Health InspectorLarry the Cable Guy: Health InspectorLarry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector is a 2006 comedy film starring American stand-up comedian Larry the Cable Guy. Larry, a municipal restaurant health inspector, is assigned a new rookie partner after recklessly closing restaurants for code violations, Amy Butlin , by his boss, Bart Tatlock...
(2005) - Motorcycle Mania 3 (2005)
- Coors Light Mountain Jam (2005)
- StackedStackedStacked is an American television sitcom that premiered on Fox on April 13, 2005. On May 18, 2006, Stacked was canceled, leaving five episodes unaired in the United States. The last episode aired on January 11, 2006...
(1 episode, 2002) - The 2006 Billboard Music Awards (2006)
- VH1 StorytellersVH1 StorytellersStorytellers is a television music series produced by the VH1 network.In each episode artists perform in front of a live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat similar to MTV Unplugged...
(2008) - WrestleMania XXVWrestleMania XXVWrestleMania XXV was the twenty-fifth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 5, 2009 at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas...
(Musical Guest, 2009) - 2010 Spike Guy Choice Awards (Presenter, 2009)
- Top Gear (U.S. TV series)Top Gear (U.S. TV series)Top Gear is a motoring television series, based on the BBC series of the same name. The show's presenters are professional racing driver Tanner Foust, actor and comedian Adam Ferrara, and automotive and racing analyst Rutledge Wood. As with the original British version, the show has its own version...
(1 episode, 2010) - "Late Night with Jimmy FallonLate Night with Jimmy FallonLate Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
" (1 episode, 2011)
Awards and nominations
- Grammy Awards
- 2000 Best New Artist (Nominated)
- 2000 Best Hard Rock Performance for "Bawitdaba" (Nominated)
- 2001 Best Hard Rock Performance for "American Bad Ass" (Nominated)
- 2009 Best Rock Album for Rock n Roll Jesus (Nominated)
- 2009 Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "All Summer Long" (Nominated)
- Academy of Country MusicAcademy of Country MusicThe Academy of Country Music was founded in 1964 in Los Angeles, California as the Country & Western Music Academy. Whereas the Country Music Association, founded in 1958, was based in Nashville, the Academy sought to promote country music in the western states. Among those involved in the...
- 2003, Vocal Event of the Year: "Picture" (Nominated)
- American Music AwardsAmerican Music Awards-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
- 2008, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist (Nominated)
- 2003, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist: (Winner)
- 2003, Favorite Pop/Rock Album: Cocky (Nominated)
- 2001, Favorite Male Pop/Rock Artist: (Winner)
- 2000, Favorite Alternative Artist: (Nominated)
- 2000, Favorite Pop/Rock New Artist: (Nominated)
- Billboard Music Awards
- 1999 Best New Artist (Winner)
- 1999 Best Hard Rock Performance for "Bawitdaba" (Winner)
- 1999 Best New Hard Rock Artist (Winner)
- MTV Video Music AwardsMTV Video Music AwardsAn MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
- 2001, Best Male Video: "Cowboy" (Nominated)
- 2001, Best Rock Video: "Cowboy" (Nominated)
- 2000, Best Male Video: "Bawitdaba" (Nominated)
- 2000, Best New Artist: "Bawitdaba" (Nominated)
- Teen Choice AwardsTeen Choice AwardsThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
- 2003, Choice Love Song: "Picture" (Nominated)
- 2003 Choice Hookup Song: "Picture" (Nominated)
- Detroit Music AwardsDetroit Music AwardsThe Detroit Music Awards was initially proposed in 1988. Presented by the Motor City Music Foundation, the multi-genre awards ceremony was established to bring recognition to Detroit area musicians. The first award show was held in 1992 at Detroit's Music Hall, and moved to the State Theatre in...
- 1999
- Outstanding National Album for Devil Without a Cause (Winner)
- Outstanding National Single for "I Am the Bullgod" (Winner)
- Outstanding National Single for "Bawitdaba" (Nominee)
- Outstanding National Hip Hop Writer/Producer (Winner)
- 2000
- Outstanding National Album for History of Rock (Nominee)
- Outstanding National Single for "American Bad Ass" (Winner)
- Outstanding National Single for "Cowboy" (Nominee)
- Outstanding National Duet for "Higher" with Robert Bradley (Winner)
- Outstanding National Spokesperson (Winner)
- 2001
- Outstanding National Album for Cocky (Nominated)
- Outstanding National Single for "Forever" (Nominated)
- 2003
- Outstanding National Single for "Picture" (Nominated)
- 2004
- Outstanding National Album for Kid Rock (Nominated)
- Outstanding National Single for "Cold and Empty" (Nominated)
- Outstanding National Single for "Jackson, Mississippi" (Nominated)
- 2006
- Outstanding National Album for Live Trucker (Nominated)
- 2008
- Outstanding National Album for Rock n Roll Jesus (Winner)
- Outstanding National Single for "So Hott" (Nominated)
- Outstanding National Single for "Amen" (Nominated)
- 2009
- Outstanding National Single for All Summer Long (Winner)
- Outstanding National Single for Roll On (Nominated)
- 1999
- MTV European Music Awards
- 2008 Most Attictive Track for "All Summer Long" (Nominated)
- BMI Songwriting Award
- 2002 "Picture" (Winner)
- CMT Music AwardsCMT Music AwardsThe CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The awards ceremony is held every year in Nashville, Tennessee, and broadcast live on CMT. Voting takes place on CMT's website, CMT.com.-History:...
- 2003 Choice Male Video for "Picture" (Nominated)
- 2009 Video of The Year for "All Summer Long" (Nominated)
- 2009 Wide Open Country Video of the Year for "All Summer Long" (Winner)
- World Music Awards
- 2008 Worlds Best Male Pop Artist (Winner)
- 2008 Worlds Best Pop/Rock Artist (Winner)
- People's Choice AwardsPeople's Choice AwardsThe People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett...
- 2009 Best Rock Song for "All Summer Long" (Winner)
- Kid's Choice Awards
- 2009 Favorite Male Singer (Current Nominee)
- Echo Award (Germany)
- 2009 Hit Of The Year for "All Summer Long" (Winner)
Other ventures and honors
- He has his own clothing line called Made in Detroit which he purchased from its creator, Detroit designer Robert Stanzler, in 2003. Stanzler, a longtime friend of Kid Rock, is mentioned by name in Rock's song "Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp".
- Wayne State University named a scholarship after Kid Rock for musicians. Kid Rock is using his clothing line to fund it.
- He was Grand MarshalGrand MarshalGrand Marshal is a ceremonial, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "Marshal" with the first usage of the term "Grand Marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders...
of the Krewe of EndymionKrewe of EndymionThe Krewe of Endymion is one of only three Super Krewes, defined by spectacular floats and celebrity Grand Marshals, and is the largest of the 80 or so parades participating in New Orleans Mardi Gras. Many people begin saving their viewing spots for this parade in the early morning hours although...
Mardi GrasMardi GrasThe terms "Mardi Gras" , "Mardi Gras season", and "Carnival season", in English, refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, beginning on or after Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday...
parade in New Orleans on February 21, 2009 and was accompanied by The Chee-WeezThe Chee-WeezThe Chee-Weez is a New Orleans, Louisiana area cover band that was formed in 1997 by Kris LaCoste shortly after parting ways with his previous cover band "Black Diamond". After Kris left, its remaining members went on to form Tom's House and played original music until they disbanded just prior to...
, a local area cover bandCover bandA cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
. - He released his own beer called Bad Ass Beer on July 17, 2009 released over the entire midwestern part of the U.S.
- Kid Rock is a steadfast loyal supporter of the United States military. He gave proceeds of a concert to the families affected by the bombing of the USS ColeUSS Cole bombingThe USS Cole Bombing, or the USS Cole Incident, was a suicide attack against the United States Navy destroyer on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored and refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden. Seventeen American sailors were killed, and 39 were injured...
in 2000. He has quietly made numerous trips with the USO, and on his own, to play concerts for soldiers overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait. He also made his album Born Free available to military members to download for free.
Sources
- Christe, IanIan ChristeIan Christe is an author, disc jockey and publisher. He attended The Clarkson School's Bridging Year and Indiana University....
(2003). Sound of the Beast: The Complete Headbanging History of Heavy Metal. HarperCollins. ISBN 0-380-81127-8
External links
- Kid Rock at Imeem.com
- Kid Rock Interview on The Hour with George StroumboulopoulosGeorge StroumboulopoulosGeorge Mark Paul Stroumboulopoulos is a Canadian television and radio personality, best known as the host of CBC Television's George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight and being a VJ for Canadian music television channel MuchMusic...
- UK Interview (11/8/2008)http://www.thrashhits.com/2008/08/kid-rock-%E2%80%9Ci-was-the-kid-with-the-vial-full-of-rocks%E2%80%A6%E2%80%9D/