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Kid Rock

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Kid Rock

Robert James Ritchie (born January 17 1971), best known as Kid Rock, is an American rapper, singer and rock musician most notable for his albums Devil Without a Cause and Cocky and his hit singles "Bawitdaba" and "Picture." His backup band is known as Twisted Brown Trucker. Together, they fuse rap, hard rock, southern rock, country and blues. After Jive Records cut him loose in 1991 it would take a 8 year struggle for stardom (Kid Rock as stated 10 years, but Grits Sandwiches For Breakfast was on a major label). Kid Rock's brand of Lynyrd Skynyrd boogie rock meets Run DMC rhymes would finally make him a househould name in 1999. Devil Without A Cause's 3rd single "Bawitdaba" would help launch the "nu metal" explosion, also helping sky rocket Devil's sales to an staggering 11 million. When the nu metal field became watered down, Kid Rock bolted quickly shifting gears going into Southern Rock and Country music. It would pay off as he would have a massive cross-over hit in 2003 with Sheryl Crow called "Picture", which even garnerd nominations from the CMA's. Kid Rock and Twisted Brown Trucker currently plan on releasing "Rock And Roll Jesus" on September 25, 2007,according to billboard.com."Guilty" as been a confirmed track by DJ Paradime. Rolling Stone Magazine editor Christain Horde got a sneek peek of the new album confirming a 2nd song titled "So Hot". Horde says "The album is hot shit; a balls out rock record with strip club ready bangers like "So Hot" giant AC/DC style gutairs,better singing and only 1 rap song." A side project with Rev Run of Run DMC is also in the works.

Grits Sandwiches For Breakfast Era 1987-1991

Ritchie was born in Romeo, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.

Kid Rock's career started at the age of 11, as a member of the b-boy group 'The Furious Funkers'. Later, after the success of Run DMC and The Beastie Boys, he bought himself a cheap belt driven turntable, locked himself in his room, and honed his craft. In High School he would DJ parties for beer. He eventually joined Bo Wisdom of Groove Time Productions, in Mt. Clemens, where he played a few shows. It was during these shows that he was given his stage name; Wisdom dubbed him with the moniker 'Kid Rock' after fans had enjoyed watching "that white kid rock."

He started emceeing around this time as well, joining the Detroit Hip-Hop group The Beast Crew, which was comprised of The Blackman,Champtown,KDC,Crisp and Doc Rounce Cee. He also became friends with 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 of Jive Records to see him perform. This eventually led to a demo deal which developed into a full record contract. Against his parents' wishes, he signed the deal at the age of seventeen. Though he was now signed, he had a falling out with The Beast Crew when he got signed over fellow member Champtown (though Champ has spoken well about Rock in recent years, on the VH1 shows Behind the Music and Driven, Kid Rock speaks of the fallout on the songs "Killin Brain Cells" and "I Wanna Go Back"). He later became part of the 'Straight From The Underground Tour', where he found himself alongside several heavyweights of rap including Ice Cube, Too $hort, D-Nice, and Yo-Yo.

In 1990, Kid Rock released his debut album Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast on Jive Records. The first single, Yo Da Lin In The Valley, was banned by the FCC because of its raunchy subject matter and fined the State University of New York at Cortland $23,700 for airing it. In 1991, Jive dropped Kid Rock from their label, when fellow white rapper Vanilla Ice had a fall out with the hip-hop community after selling out, when it was found out his claimed "gangster" upbringing was false.

The Independent Days Era 1992-1997

In 1992, Kid Rock was picked up by an independent record label, Continuum Records, recording and releasing his second album The Polyfuze Method in 1993. While the album saw some college radio success at Central Michigan University, with "Back From The Dead being a top 20 hit. Its first official single "U Don't Know Me" failed to chart and the music video received no airplay on any of the major music video channels. After releasing an EP called Fire It Up in 1994, Continuum went bankrupt and Rock was without a deal again.

Kid Rock then started his own label, 'Top Dog, and would release monthly demo tapes that he dubbed "The Bootleg Series" which feature demos of him and other unknowns in the Detroit area. He signed on Curt Hauer, Dave Long, and the Cook twins in Sterling Heights, MI, to be his "The Top Dog Interns", they would helped him promote his shows and design his own merchandise line in the Detroit area. Around the same time, Rock formed his back-up band Twisted Brown Trucker, later recruiting Joe C (who he met at a 1994 Roseville, MI concert) as part of the group. In 1995, Kid Rock took a job as a janitor at Whiterooms Studios in order to pay studio fees. While off the hours, he would record the material that would eventually make up his third album, Early Morning Stoned Pimp (He meet his future piano/organ player Jimmie Bones while recording Early Mornin Stoned Pimp). The album was released in 1996 and Rock would sell 14,000 copies of out of the trunk of his car and after concerts.

While Rock was now a household name in Michigan, he felt he still needed to get his name out there for the major labels. On March 30 1997, he performed a special showcase concert, with Jason Krause joining on metal guitar hours before the show, to attract major label attention. While many of the major record labels were invited, the only label that showed up was Atlantic Records. Following the performance, record executives said they loved him but expressed doubts about the strength of his material. Kid Rock returned to the studio and cut a six song demo tape the first two were "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" and "I Got One For Ya". After hearing the two songs, Jason Flom (President of Atlantic Records at the time) signed Kid Rock to a record deal for $100,000 without hearing the others first. (On both 'Behind the Music' and 'Driven', Flom said he had called Kid Rock back saying "I'll give you whatever you want.").

Devil Without A Cause Era 1997-2000

In 1997, Kid Rock added drummer/vocalist Stefanie Eulinberg to his band, joining Kenny Olson, Jason Krause, Jimmie Bones, Uncle Kracker, Mike Bradford, and Joe C. In August 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.

"Welcome 2 The Party" was ignored by audiences and Devil sat on the shelves collecting dust for eight months. A chance meeting at a New York nightclub with MTV VJ Carson Daly led to the video of "I Am The Bullgod" being aired on MTV. The song, originally on 1994's Fire It Up EP, became a minor rock hit at No 31. After two notable live performances at MTV's Fashionably Loud and Wanna B A VJ, Kid released the single, "Bawitdaba", to renewed interest and sales. His performance of the song at the 1999 MTV Movie Awards provided further exposure and a boost to album sales.

Kid Rock went on the Limptropolis Tour with Limp Bizkit and Staind soon after Bawitdaba was released. He performed a medley of "King Of Rock","Rock Box","Bawitdaba" and "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith and Run DMC at MTV's 1999 Video Music Awards, as well as at Woodstock 1999 . He released three more singles from the album: Cowboy, which fused country and folk music with rap, "Only God Knows Why", a Lynyrd Skynyrd-type ballad, and "Wasting Time," a playful ode to getting stoned and drunk. Devil Without A Cause eventually sold 11 million copies, and currently ranks as the 60 th best selling album of all time (link for best selling albums at bottom of page). He was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards at years end, but did not win any. He went on the first of two tours with Metallica from December 1999 through January 2000. The highlight of this period was probably his appearance at Pontiac Silverdome Millennium Show with Metallica, Ted Nugent, and Sevendust.

The History Of Rock Era 2000-2001

In 2000, after reacquiring the rights to his early material, he released The History Of Rock, a collection of remixed or re-recorded songs. The only new track, "American Bad Ass", sampled the Metallica track "Sad But True". It was nominated for Best Hard Rock Performance at the 2001 Grammy Awards. It was later used as professional wrestler The Undertaker's entrance song in World Wrestling Entertainment( He also recorded Chris Jericho's Theme Song in 2000).

Kid Rock went on the Summer Sanitarium Tour with Metallica, Korn, Powerman 5000, and System of a Down. Kid Rock filled in for James Hetfield of Metallica for three shows after Hetfield was injured. Kid didn't know all of the lyrics, so he had to read them off a sheet of paper. Metallica members Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett joined him on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno for an all-star performance of 'American Bad Ass'. Kid Rock appeared on Saturday Night Live doing American Bad Ass with snippets of Sweet Home Alabama, Back In Black and La Grange. The second song was Only God Knows Why, and was arranged by David Allan Coe and featured Phish's Trey Anastasio.

Later that year, he joined Phish on stage for several songs at a concert in Las Vegas. At the end of 2000, Joe C died of Celiac disease. Kid Rock inducted Aerosmith into the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame and performed Sweet Emotion with them at years end. He would have a role in the David Spade film Joe Dirt before going to work on 'Cocky'.

The Cocky Era 2001-2003

He began dating actress/model Pamela Anderson after the two met at a VH-1 tribute to Arethra Franklin in early 2001. In November of that year, Kid Rock released Cocky, which was marketed as the official follow up to Devil Without a Cause. The first single feature his staple sound of rap rock and funk in "Forever," followed by the country blues ballad "Lonely Road Of Faith" and the Southern Rock styled "You Never Met A Motherfucker Quite Like Me". Despite the new tunes it was initially a disappointing album at just barely over 2 million.

However, the release of "Picture," a country-influenced duet with Sheryl Crow, introduced Kid Rock to a new audience. "Picture" was ultimately the most successful single on the album; it would eventually be certified Gold. Behind "Picture," sales of Cocky eventually reached 5 million. Interestingly, neither his record company nor Sheryl Crow's wanted anything to do with "Picture" as a single. Allison Moorer redid the song for the single version after Kid Rock released the song against his labels wishes; as it began climbing the country charts, Sheryl Crow's label caved and the orginal version was finally released. In the song "Midnight Train to Memphis" the country to rap change is signaled by David Spade speaking a line.[1].

On December 14, 2001 CMT Crossroads with Hank Williams, Jr. aired , in which 2.1 million people tuned in, a record on CMT.On January 1,2002 Kid Rock was featured on MTV's USO Special performing "American Bad Ass" and "Lonely Road Of Faith" for troops stationed at Germany's Rammstein Airbase.The year ended on a sad note at Vh-1 Big In 02 Awards he along with Chuck D and Grandmaster Flash performed a tribute medley to Run DMC and murdered member Jason Mizell also known as Jam Master Jay.

At the end of 2002, Uncle Kracker left the band to start his own music career. Detroit underground rapper Paradime replaced him. In April of 2002 Kid Rock became engaged to Pamela Anderson; the engagement was later called off. Kid Rock also made his second movie, Biker Boyz, with Laurence Fishburne.

A New Direction 2003-2006

In 2003, Kid Rock returned with a self-titled album which delved even deeper into country music. The first single was a country/hard rock cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love". Other hits included the blues-influenced "Jackson, Mississippi" about heroin addiction; "Cold And Empty" about losing a love interest to the road life; the patriotic ballad "I Am"; and the teary eyed ode to his son "Single Father", which would become his second country hit in 2004.

VH1 aired A VH1 Kid Rock Christmas on December 14 2003. Rock performed classic tracks along with several new tunes from his self-titled release. Along with Hank Williams, Jr., Shooter Jennings and Jesse James, they prepared Christmas (was actually Thanksgiving) dinner for Drea De Matteo, Leann Rimes, and Kid's parents. Kid Rock performed at Super Bowl XXXVIII, receiving criticism for his choice to wear the American flag as a poncho.

Kid Rock appeared later that year in Jesse James' documentary Motorcycle Mania 3. During a pit stop at a Mexican hotel, he performed a cover of Charlie Daniels "A Long Haired Country Boy." Kid Rock continued his move towards country music with a performance of "Rock N Roll Pain Train" and a country take on Queen's "Fat Bottom Girls" on CMT Outlaws in October of 2004. At Spike TVs Autorox awards in 2005, he took a shot at the people who had him and Twisted Brown Trucker removed from playing at the presidential inauguration concert. Rock altered a verse on "Cowboy" to Party people here's the scoop,I've been around the nation entertaining the troops then I got bumped off the inauguration, I don't give a fuck I'm the pimp of the nation. Kid Rock was arrested soon after for beating a DJ at a Nashville, TN strip club. He inducted Bob Seger into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 2005. Kid Rock filled in for Johnny Van Zant, the lead singer of Lynyrd Skynyrd on the band's "Sweet Home Alabama" at the Hurricane Katrina benefit concert.

He was a surprise guest at Dr Phil's 500th show, performing an acoustic version of "Cowboy." Kenny Olson was oddly absent from the performance. Dr. Phil revealed that Kid Rock was his favorite singer. In 2005, Kenny Olson left the band over a dispute about the band's music direction. He now has his own band, The Flask. Olson was permanently replaced by The Detroit Cobras' Kenny Tudrick on the 2006 "Live" Trucker Tour. Bob inducted Lynyrd Skynyrd into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

A sex tape made after a 1999 Miami concert featuring Kid Rock and Scott Stapp surfaced in January of 2006. The two had release of the video blocked in court.

Live' Trucker Era 2006-2007

On February 28 2006, Kid Rock released his first live album, Live Trucker, comprising songs from his homestands of 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 duetting with Gretchen Wilson on "Picture". Other highlights included "Only God Knows Why", the medley of "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" and "Fist Of Rage", bridgle by a thrash metal take on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love". He brought back the 'King Of Detroit' Bob Seger from the dead during his Super Bowl concerts on February 2 and 3, 2006.The two performed an arousing 'Rock N Roll Will Never Forget" on both nights. Kid Rock would appear on Bob Seger much anticapated, 10 years in the waiting, 'Face The Promise' on a Vince Gill cover 'Real Mean Bottle" a tribute to Merle Haggard. Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson had a surprise wedding in July of 2006 after it was reported Anderson was pregnant. They divorced 5 months later after Anderson reportedly had a miscarriage. Kid Rock says the pregnancy was false and he was used as a baby sitter for her kids to go out and party without him. The movie Borat might have been the final straw as Kid was angered over her part and stormed out of a personal screening with a group of friends. In November of 2006 Kid Rock performed his classic 'I Am The Bullgod' and reaching deep into the catalog 'Baby Come Home' on a TBS USO Special, the following month he along with Billy Gibbons and Nickleback performed ZZ Top's classic 'Tush' at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards.Kid Rock spent Christmas with the troops stationed in Iraq, in his blog on his myspace page he said he sadly witnessed 9 soldiers die. In January of 2007, Kid Rock and Jerry Lee Lewis made a music video for their single 'Honky Tonk Women' and later performed together on the Tonight Show.Jerry Lee Lewis would release a DVD of Last Man Standing in March of 07 with the two performing another live version of 'Honky Tonk Women' as well as Chuck Berry's "Little Queenie". Devil Without A Cause was named the 68th best album ever in the 'Definitive 200' by the NARM and the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame in 2007.On April 7, 2007 Kid Rock presented ZZ Top with a star at the Southwest Texas Hall of Fame.

Rock And Roll Jesus

Kid Rock's new album is set for release on September 25 2007,according to billboard.com.In an interview with Real Detroit Weekly in 2006, Rock said he is attempting to create "a timeless rock-n-roll record". Rock also said the record will be produced by Rick Rubin as well as Rob Cavallo, and will feature the J. Geils Band's Peter Wolf; the album has been rumored to have a tribute song to New Orleans from the outcome of Hurricane Katrina with Fats Domino on vocals as well as a guest spot from the Root's Questlove. Kid Rock stated to billboard.com that the album will be full of "bangers" and he will do a full-out media blitz (which he has never done). DJ Paradime confirmed a tracked called "Guilty" from the upcoming album. Golfer John Daly recently got to hear Kid Rock work on the new album while Daly was staying their during the 2007 Buick Open.Daly stated 'their's one hell of a country song on their" as well as him saying he does background vocals on a track. Rolling Stone has confirmed the new album is entitled Rock And Roll Jesus while confirming a track called "So Hot".

Kid Rock Projects In The Work

Rappers Beanie Siegel[2], MURS[3], Trick Trick, and DMC have all expressed interest with working with Bob on their 2007 forthcoming albums.

Legendary rap pioneer Reverend Run has confirmed an album with Kid Rock called "Running With The Kid" a play off of Eric Clapton and BB King "Riding With The King".The release date is unknown but Run says they are going to work on it by the end of April 2007.

Twisted Brown Trucker

Twisted Brown Trucker is Bob Ritchie's band formed in 1994, with Bob Ebeling in Sterling Heights, Michigan.The bands first involvement was on the 1994 demo of Dark & Grey they became both his studio and live back up band in 1997. Dubbed by Kid Rock as "The Loudest Band In America Today", they are well known for the hodge podge of multiple genres, sometimes mixing them in a single song. The line up went through a change for the 1st album with Atlantic on "Devil Without A Cause", its since seen 2 major changes with Uncle Kracker going solo full time in 2002 and Kenny Olson and Smith Curry leaving in 2005.The background singers for the live shows have worked with Bob Seger (Karen Newman) and The Faces (Lauren Creamer) respectively. Misty Love, Shirly Hayden and Thornetta Davis are the studio background vocals.

Current members

Former members

Discography

Please see Kid Rock discography, for a complete discography

  • Dec,1990 Grits Sandwiches For Breakfast
  • Mar,1993 The Polyfuze Method
  • Jan,1994 Fire It Up ! (EP)
  • Jan,1996 Early Mornin Stoned Pimp
  • May,1997 The Polyfuze Method Revisted
  • Aug,1998 Devil Without A Cause
  • May,2000 The History Of Rock
  • Nov,2001 Cocky
  • Nov,2003 Kid Rock
  • Feb,2006 'Live' Trucker
  • Sept,2007 Rock And Roll Jesus

Awards

Kid Rock has won 15 awards out of 38 Nominations

Grammys

  • 1999 Nominee Best New Artist
  • 1999 Nominee Best Hard Rock Performance for Bawitdaba
  • 2000 Nominee Best Hard Rock Performance for American Bad Ass

American Music Awards

  • 2000 Nominee Best New Artist
  • 2000 Nominee Favorite Pop/Rock Artist
  • 2001 Male Artist Of The Year
  • 2003 Male Artist Of The Year
  • 2003 Nominee Pop/Rock Male Album Of The Year For Cocky

Billboard Music Awards

  • 1999 Best New Pop/Rock Artist
  • 1999 Best New Hard Rock Artist
  • 1999 Best New Male Artist

Country Music Award's

  • 2002 Nominee Vocal Event Of The Year For 'Picture'

CMT Flameworthy Awards

  • 2002 Nominee Male Video Of The Year

VH1 Big In 03

  • Nominee For Song Of The Year for Picture

BMI Awards'

  • 2002 Songwriter of The Year for Picture

Detroit Music Awards

  • 1999 Outstanding National Album for Devil Without A Cause
  • 1999 Outstanding National Single for I Am The Bullgod
  • 1999 Outstanding National Single Nominee for Bawitdaba
  • 1999 Outstanding Hip-Hop Writer/Producer (Urban/Techno/Funk)
  • 1999 Outstanding National Spokesperson for Detroit
  • 2000 Outstanding National Compilation Album for History Of Rock
  • 2000 Outstanding National Single for American Bad Ass
  • 2000 Outstanding National Single Nominee for Cowboy
  • 2000 Outstanding National Duet for Higher w Robert Bradley
  • 2000 Outstanding Hip-Hop Writer/Producer (Urban/Techno/Funk)
  • 2001 Outstanding National Album Nominee for Cocky
  • 2001 Outstanding National Single Nominee for Forever
  • 2002 Outstanding National Single Nominee for Picture
  • 2003 Outstanding National Album Nominee for Self Titled
  • 2003 Outstanding National Single Nominee for Feel Like Makin Love
  • 2004 Outstanding National Single Nominee for Jackson, Mississippi
  • 2004 Outstanding National Single Nominee for Cold And Empty
  • 2007 Outstanding National Album Nominee for 'Live' Trucker

Metro Times Detroit Awards

  • 1991 Best New Rap/Techno Artist

MTV Music Awards

  • 2000 Nominee Best New Artist
  • 2000 Nominee Best Music Video for Bawitdaba
  • 2001 Nominee Favorite Hard Rock Performer
  • 2001 Nominee Best Music Video for Cowboy

Tours

  • 1989 Straight From The Underground Tour- Opening Act For Ice Cube, Too Short, D-Nice, Yo Yo ( 40 Dates)
  • 1991 Unknown Titled Tour-Opening Act For Esham (20 Dates)
  • 1998 Lollapolaza Tour (?? Dates)
  • 1998 Vans Warped Tour (33 Dates)
  • 1998-99 White Thrash On Dope Tour-Opening Act for Monster Magnet
  • 1999 Destroy Your Liver Tour- 20 Dates 1st Headlining Tour
  • 1999 Limptropolis Tour-33 Dates Opening For Limp Bizkit with Staind as 1st act
  • 1999 European Tour-12 Dates With Blink 182 Opening
  • 1999 Spread Your Legs Tour-33 Dates With Powerman 5000 and Professional Murder Music Opening
  • 1999-00 Millennium Tour-11 Dates Opening for Metallica with 7Dust as 1st act
  • 2000 Summer Saniturm Tour- 12 Dates w Metallica, Korn,System Of Down, Powerman 5000
  • 2000 The History Of Rock Tour-20 Dates
  • 2001 The American Bad Ass Tour-18 Dates w David A Coe, Buckcherry,and Fuel Opening
  • 2001 European Tour- 3 Dates Opening for Guns N Roses (Tour Canceled when Axl Did His Thing)
  • 2002 The Cocky Tour- 54 Dates With Saliva, Lit,Tenacious D Opening
  • 2002 Girls Of Summer Tour-53 Dates Opening for Aerosmith w Run DMC as 1st act
  • 2004 Rock N Roll Pain Train Tour-110 Dates With Puddle Of Mudd, Govt Mule, White Starr, Jerry

Cantrell as rotating opening acts

  • 2005 Lazy Muthafuga Tour- 7 Festival Dates
  • 2006 'Live' Trucker Tour-59 Dates with Ty Stone, Peter Frampton Opening

Television and Movie Appearances

  • Colin's Sleazy Friends (1999)
  • Buttman Awards 9 (Co Host w Jonathan Davis) (1999)
  • Joe Dirt (2000) played "Robbie"
  • The Simpsons (2000) played himself
  • Osmosis Jones (2001) played "Kidney Rock"
  • VH-1 Driven (2001)
  • King Of The Hill (2002) played himself
  • Biker Boyz (2003) played "Dogg"
  • Stacked (2005) cameo as a deliverman
  • CSI New York (2005) played himself
  • Larry The Cable Guy:Health Inspector (2005) played himself
  • VH-1 Behind The Music (2006)
  • Joe Dirt 2 (Release TBA)


Artist Kid Rock Has Influenced

  • Big And Rich
  • Black Magic Crossing
  • Cowboy Troy
  • Eminem
  • Gretchen Wilson
  • Harm's Way
  • Huck Johns
  • Insane Clown Posse
  • Jocaine And 75 North
  • Johnny Lawerence
  • Kirk Dubb
  • Paradime
  • Saliva
  • Uncle Kracker


See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.funtrivia.com/en/Music/Kid-Rock-10836.html
  2. ^ Beanie Sigel Wants Eminem, Kid Rock, Scarface To Be Key To His Solution Mtv.com retrieved on June 18, 2007
  3. ^ Young/Gifted/Beautiful /Black


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