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Robert James Ritchie (born January 17, 1971), best known as Kid Rock, is an American rapper, singer, and rock musician.

Early years

Robert James Ritchie was born in Romeo, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. His mother is Susan Elizabeth Ritchie. In addition he has several relatives in the Michigan area, including: Carol Ann (Shaheen), William Joseph, and Jill Suzanne. Growing up, Ritchie and his father, a well-to-do car dealer in the area, frequently disagreed over young Ritchie's lifestyle choices. Following a lawn mower accident that resulted in his brother, Billy, losing a leg, his father shifted the burden of holding down the house and all the reponsibilty of his brother on to young Robert (as related by the song "My Oedipus Complex"). This led to increased friction between the two.

Ritchie eventually left home and moved to the housing projects in Mount Clemens, Michigan, where he took his turntables to basement parties hoping for a chance to play. Bo Wisdom, of Groove Time Production, offered him an opportunity to spin for the crowd; and their enthusiasm for the young DJ led Wisdom to dub him with a moniker after watching "that white kid rock."

After working with Groove Time Productions and the Beastcrew laying down demos, Jive Records offered him a contract at the age of 17. Against his parents' wishes, he signed the deal. Later he became part of the "Straight From The Underground Tour" with several heavyweights of rap including Ice Cube, Too $hort, D-Nice, and Yo-Yo.

In 1990, Kid Rock released the album "Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast". The first single, "Yo Da Lin In The Valley", was mostly ignored by radio as it dealt largely with cunnilingus. The FCC later levied a US$23,700 fine on New York University for airing it.

The success and subsequent ridicule of Vanilla Ice made Jive nervous about Kid Rock, and the label eventually dropped him from their roster. He was later picked up by an indie record label, Continuum, recording "The Polyfuze Method" in 1993. The album saw some college radio success at Central Michigan University, and its first single, "Back From The Dead", became a Top 20 Hot Rap Track. The second single, "U Don't Know Me", flopped, and after 1994's "Fire It Up" EP, Continuum dropped him from the label. In 1992 he had a collaboration with the Insane Clown Posse on the song "Is That You?!" from their debut full-length album Carnival of Carnage for which he was paid $600, which was $100 more than they paid his rival Esham to appear on the album.

Kid Rock started his own label, Top Dog, and from July 1994 through March 1995, released monthly demo tapes called "The Bootleg Series". In 1995, he took a job as a janitor at Whiterooms Studios in order to pay studio fees. In the process, he released the local classic "Early Mornin' Stoned Pimp", of which he sold 100,000 copies out of his own basement. This success led him to once again push for a major label record deal.

On March 30, 1997, he performed a special showcase concert to attract major label attention; the only label that showed up was Atlantic Records. A rerelease of The Polyfuze Method with three bonus tracks was first available at this show. Following the performance, record executives said they loved him but expressed doubts about the strength of the material. Kid Rock returned to the studio and cut two additional demos, "I Got One For Ya" and "Somebody's Gotta Feel This", which finally clinched the record deal (for $100,000).

Mainstream success

In 1997, Kid Rock added Jason Krause and Stefanie Eulinberg a.k.a.Trucker Brown to his band, joining Kenny Olson, Jimmie Bones, Uncle Kracker, Mike Bradford, and Joe C. In August of 1998, he released Devil Without a Cause behind the single "Welcome 2 The Party" and went on the Vans Warped Tour.

"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 a video of "I Am The Bullgod" to MTV and with Carson's support, it became a moderate hit.

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. He performed with Aerosmith and Run DMC at MTV's 1999 VMA's, as well as at Woodstock 1999 and the Grammy Awards. He released three more singles from the album: "Cowboy"; "Only God Knows Why"; and "Wasting Time". Devil Without A Cause eventually sold 11 million copies.

In 2000, after acquiring 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" and was later used as professional wrestler The Undertaker's entrance song in World Wrestling Entertainment. Later that year, he joined the rock band Phish on stage for several songs at a concert in Las Vegas. At the end of 2000, Joe C died of celiac disease.

In 2001, Kid Rock released Cocky, which was marketed as the official follow up to Devil Without a Cause. Despite featuring new songs, the album did not reach the same level of success, mainly due to the decline of nu metal and fan rejection of the fusion of country music into many of the tracks. However, the release of "Picture," a country influenced duet with Sheryl Crow, introduced Rock to a new audience and was ultimately the most successful single on the album. Rock has since gained country music acclaim for such notable performances as his performance of "Luckenbach, Texas" on the Waylon Jennings tribute album I've Always Been Crazy; and his appearance on Country Music Television's Crossroads episode with Hank Williams, Jr.

In 2003, Kid Rock returned with a self-titled album which delved even deeper into country music, although the first single was a cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Makin' Love".

VH-1 aired A VH-1 Kid Rock Christmas on December 14, 2003. Rock performed classic tracks along with several new tunes, and along with Hank Williams, Jr., Shooter Jennings and Jesse James, they prepared Christmas (was actually Thanksgiving) dinner for Dre Dmato, Lee Ann Rimes, and Kid's parents. He later added a second country hit with "Single Father" in 2004.

Kid Rock made cameo appearances in the music videos for Gretchen Wilson's songs "Redneck Woman" and "All Jacked Up".

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 Gretchen Wilson dueting on "Picture". Other highlights included "Only God Knows Why", the medley of "Somebody's Gotta Feel This" and "Fist Of Rage", and a thrash metal take on Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love".

Kid Rock today

Kid Rock's talent can be illustrated by the fact he is credited on his albums for not only vocals, but guitar (steel, rhythm, electric and acoustic), bass, percussion, mixing, mellotron, keyboard, backing vocals, slide guitar, scratching, programming, producer, and even banjo. He is famous for his high-energy personality on and off stage. Kid Rock's music has changed and evolved considerably over time, which has caused him to lose and gain millions of fans.

Kid Rock And Twisted Brown Trucker will release a live DVD of their performance at the Palace of Auburn Hills on May 12 and May 13, 2006 by the end of 2006.

A new studio album from Kid Rock is in the works and is set for release in Febuary 2007. In a recent interview with Real Detroit Weekly, Rock said he is attempting to create "a timeless rock-n-roll record" so there will be no rap or country on it; Rock also said the record will be produced by Rick Rubin and will feature the J. Geils Band's Peter Wolf ; as well as Fats Domino a tribute song to New Orleans from the outcome of Hurricane Katrina.

Twisted Brown Trucker

Twisted Brown Trucker was Bob Ritchie's band formed in 1994, with Bob Ebeling in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

Current members

• Kenny Tudrick (lead guitar)
• Jason Krause (metal guitar, acoustic guitar)
• Jimmie Bones (keyboard, organ, piano, clavinet, Wurlitzer, harp, Jew's harp)
• Stefanie Eulinberg (drums, vocals)
• Aaron Julison (bass, vocals)
• Paradime (turntables, vocals)
• Karen Newman, Lauren Creamer, Thornetta Davis, Misty Love (vocals)

Former members

• Uncle Kracker (turntables, vocals 1990-2002)
• Bob Ebeling (drums 1993-1997)
• Kenny Olson (lead guitar 1994-2005)
• Joe C (Vocals-died in 2000)
• Mike Bradford (bass guitar 1999-2001)
• Lonnie Moxley (bass guitar 1995-1997)
• Bobby East (lead guitar, bass guitar, slide guitar 2001-2005)
• Chris Labroux (drums 1997)
• Smith Curry (steel guitar, dobro 2005)

Personal life

Kid Rock has one son, Robert James Ritchie Jr., born June 14, 1993 to Kelley South Russell; a Detroit auto worker. In the fall of 2001 Kid Rock began dating actress and model Pamela Anderson. In April 2002 they announced their engagement, but during the fall of 2003 Kid Rock and Anderson broke up. During the break up with Anderson, he briefly dated Conchita Leeflang. However on July 18, 2006 Anderson announced that the pair are engaged again. The couple wed in St. Tropez on July 29, 2006, though this was not considered legal by French authorities. The couple had two additional weddings later, including one in Detroit.

Rock is known for his outspoken political views. He is known as a supporter of U.S. President George W. Bush and right-wing causes, and once refused to watch Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, a politically-charged documentary which investigated the Bush family's connections to the Bin Laden family of Saudi Arabia.[1]

He was scheduled to perform at a pre-inauguration youth concert for President Bush, but the profanity and sexual innuendo in his lyrics caused the Bush campaign to reconsider. Rock's lyrics for "Pimp of the Nation," which mentions "pimpin" Barbara Bush, the President's mother, may also have acted as a deterrent.

Rock was arrested in February of 2005 and charged with misdemeanor assault after a fight in a strip club DJ in Nashville, Tennessee.

The California pornography company Red Light District claims to have acquired a 1999 sex tape in which Kid Rock and Creed frontman Scott Stapp engage in sex acts with four groupies. They plan to release the tape in 2006. Counsel for Kid Rock and Scott Stapp have obtained a temporary injunction to prevent the video from being distributed online. Rock's attorneys are seeking to convert the TRO into a Permanent Injunction, thereby assuring that the tape never sees the light of day.

On November 27, 2006 Pamela Anderson filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The move came after Kid Rock and Pamela Anderson saw a private screening of the film 'Borat', when he was said to be furious with Pamela Anderson's role in the film.

He currently resides in Clarkston, MI.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Singles

Cold And Empty Was # 20 On AC Charts If Someone Could Add It In No Clue How 2

Other releases

Fire It Up! (EP, January 1, 1994)

The Polyfuze Method Revisited (May 30, 1997)

Other singles

• "Yo Da Lin In The Valley" (Grits Sandwiches For Breakfast)
• "Prodigal Son" (The Polyfuze Method)
• "Back From The Dead" (The Polyfuze Method)
• "My Oedipus Complex" (The Polyfuze Method)
• "U Don't Know Me (The Polyfuze Method)
• "Welcome 2 The Party (Ode 2 The Old School)" (Devil Without A Cause)
• "Heaven" w/ Uncle Kracker, Paradime
• "Naked Women And Beer" w/ Hank Williams Jr
• "New Skin" w/ Method Of Mayhem
• "The F-Word" w/ Hank Williams Jr
• "Gimmie Back My Bullets" w/ Lynyrd Skynyrd
• "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" w/ Nickelback
• "Luckenbach, Texas " w/ Kenny Chesney
• "Spank" w/ Kenny Wayne Sheppard
• "Son Of Detroit" (Live Trucker)
• "Bawitdaba" (Live Trucker)
• "Cowboy" (Live Trucker)
• "Picture ft Gretchen Wilson" (Live Trucker)
• "Rock N Roll Pain Train" (Live Trucker)
• "Early Mornin Stoned Pimp" (Live Trucker)
• "Only God Knows Why" (Live Trucker)
• "Real Mean Bottle" w/ Bob Seger
• "Honky Tonk Woman" w/ Jerry Lee Lewis

Other appearances

• 1989 Doc Rounce Cee "And The Groove Time Posse" (scratches)
• 1990 Double E MC Twinns "Sex On The Brain" (producer,performer)
• 1991 "Yo Da Lin In The Valley" 12" vinyl
• 1991 "X Rated Raps" (Yo Da Lin In The Valley))
• 1991 Beastcrew's Chapter 1 album (performer)
• 1992 ICP's Carnival Of Carnage (performer)
• 1992 "Back From The Dead" single
• 1993 "U Don't Know Me" single
• 1994-1995 Bootleg Series Demo Tapes (cassette)
• 1994 Harm's Way "Cut Corners (EP)" (producer,performer)
• 1994 Harm's Way "Chiato Diablo" (producer,performer)
• 1997 Road Rash 3 Soundtrack (Somebody's Gotta Feel This)
• 1996 "Detroit Rock City Soundtrack" (Westside aka Paid)
• 1998 The Howling Diablos' Its My Party EP (It's My Party Live)
• 1999 Eminem's Slim Shady LP (scratches on "Just Don't Give A Fuck")
• 1999 "Deep Porn Soundtrack" (Fuck My Ass)
• 2000 Maximum Kid Rock
• 2000 Devil Knows My Name DVD
• 2000 Star Profile
• 2000 "Motorcity Motormouth DVD
• 2000 Ready To Rumble Soundtrack (Bawitdaba Lower Than You Remix)
• 2000 WCW Mayhem The Music (Blast aka Shotgun Blast)
• 2000 Uncle Kracker's Double Wide (Heaven)
• 2000 The Crow: Salvation soundtrack (Warm Winter)
• 2000 Run DMC's Crown Royal (School Of Old)
• 2000 Methods Of Mayhem self-titled (New Skin)
• 2000 South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut soundtrack (Kyle's Momma Is A Big Fat Bitch)
• 2000 Hank Williams Jr's Stormy (Naked Women And Beer)
• 2000 A Tribute To Kid Rock
• 2000 Robert Bradley's Black Water Surprise (Higher)
• 2000 Sun Records Recording (Drinkin Wine Spo Dee Dee)
• 2000 Any Given Sunday (Fuck That)
• 2000 Murder 1's American Junkie (No Women,No Cry)
• 2000 The Simpsons: Kill The Alligator And Run (guest voice)
• 2001 Osmosis Jones soundtrack (Cool Daddy Cool)
• 2001 Road Trip soundtrack (Early Mornin Stoned Pimp)
• 2001 Hank Jr Ameria Club Recordings (The F-Word)
• 2001 Willie Nelson's The Great Divide (Last Stand In Open Country)
• 2002 Uncle Kracker's No Stranger To Shame (producer)
• 2002 "WWF Forceable Entry" (Legs-Stacy Kiebler)
• 2003 A Tribute To Weylon Jennings (Luckenbach,Texas)
• 2003 Charlie's Angels soundtrack (performer)
• 2003 Lynyrd Skynyrd's Vicious Cycle (Gimmie Back My Bullets)
• 2004 Uncle Kracker's 72 And Sunny (producer)
• 2004 Willie Nelson's Angels And Outlaws DVD (Shotgun Willy/ Whole Lotta Shakin Goin On))
• 2005 Sheryl Crow's Best Of (Picture)
• 2005 Allison Moorer's Show (Bully Jones)
• 2005 R. L. Burnside's A Bothered Mind (My Name Is Robert Too)
• 2005 Kenny Wayne Sheppard's A Place You're In (Spank)
• 2005 A Tribute To Kid Rock And His Roots
• 2005 Paradime's 11 Steps Down (Foul Mouff)
• 2005 Gretchen Wilson's "All Jacked Up Target Exclusive CD"(Other Side Of Me)
• 2005 Troy Olsen "N/A" (Rock This Honky Tonk)
• 2006 DMC's Checks,Thugs And Rock N Roll (Find My Way)
• 2006 Bob Seger Face The Promise (Real Mean Bottle)
• 2006 Jerry Lee Lewis Last Man Standing (Honky Tonk Woman)

See also

• List of best-selling albums in the United States - RIAA certified list.

References

External links

• Official site
• Extreme Kid Rock
• Kid Rock Music Videos

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