Kid Rock

Kid Rock was born Robert James Ritchie on January 17, 1971, in Romeo, Michigan, a small town north of Detroit. In the 1980s, Ritchie became interested in hip-hop, began to breakdance, and taught himself how to rap and DJ while performing in talent shows in and around Detroit. His rap group in the '80s was known as the Beast Crew, and through those Detroit circles he signed with Jive Records when he was just 17, releasing his debut LP, Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast, in 1990. Early success proved elusive, and by 1994 he had assembled a permanent backing outfit: by 1994, Kid Rock's live performances had mostly been backed by DJs Blackman and Uncle Kracker, but Kid Rock soon began to utilize more and more live instrumentation into his performances, and formed the rock band Twisted Brown Trucker. The breakthrough came with his fourth studio album. Devil Without a Cause, released on August 18, 1998, saw Kid Rock continuing to develop his sound, and marked the finalization of his stage persona as a "redneck pimp." The album was a major commercial success, and spurred by the popularity of the single "Bawitdaba," it sold over 14 million copies, was certified diamond, and received critical acclaim for its genre-mixing sound. The record's success was fueled further by extensive promotion, as Kid Rock's appearances on HBO, MTV, and at Woodstock 1999 helped push the album's popularity behind his breakthrough hit single "Bawitdaba." The touring band behind these anthems included his band Twisted Brown Trucker, whose wild collision of classic rock, old-school rap, and Southern-fried funk backed his redneck-and-proud persona. He followed with 2001's Cocky and 2002's country-leaning ballad "Picture," a duet that became a genuine crossover moment: Kid Rock's 2002 ballad "Picture," which he sang with Sheryl Crow, gave him his first country hit, reaching No. 4 on the Hot 100 of the pop charts. Kid Rock's career arc through the 2000s continued to broaden his sound and audience. His self-titled 2003 album leaned into southern rock and blues rock, and by early 2004 he was touring arenas with a stable lineup, backed by his band Twisted Brown Trucker, guitarists Kenny Olson and Jason Krause, keyboardist Jimmie Bones and drummer Stefanie Eulinberg, in support of the self-titled album, which debuted at No. 8 on The Billboard 200. He later documented years of touring on a live release, Live Trucker, released February 28, 2006 by Top Dog and Atlantic Records, recorded across venues including DTE Energy Music Theatre, Pine Knob, and Cobo Hall in Detroit and St. Louis. Over the years Kid Rock earned five Grammy Award nominations and forged a lasting bond with fellow Michigan rocker Bob Seger, eventually sharing festival and arena bills together as their careers intertwined.