Uncle Kracker- Matt Shafer, DJ *Uncle* Kracker grew up in Mt.Clemens. "I started out with Bob by pestering him on the phone all the time," says Kracker. "He hung out with my older brother. We ended up becoming best friends." Six years later, after the release of Kid Rock's solo debut, "Grit Sandwiches for Breakfast," Kracker eased his way into a job, joining Kid Rock on the road to run lights, lug gear and serve as all-around gofer. "I was cost effective," he says. A rap fan ("and nothing but") during the early '90s, Kracker eventually got his break onstage, where Kid Rock put him behind the turntables. Unlike standard DJ schooling, honing skills through solitary hours in a bedroom, Kracker got his education in front of an audience. "I didn't even learn how to scratch 'til I was onstage at the shows," he says. As the decade moved on, Kracker and his mentor creatively grew together, shaping the music's direction and swapping discoveries: "I'd turn him on to Hank Williams, he'd turn me on to Corrosion of Conformity." Kracker's solo album, Doublewide, was recorded on the road during the last year. "It'll sound like it came out of the Kid Rock camp, but much more laid-back."

click links to view other bios and artist info on Uncle Kracker
CDNOW Biography
Launch.com Artist Page