In a warm, honeyed drawl reminiscent of early Don Henley, rap-rocker Kid Rock earnestly croons his way through his new Eagles-twangy set called “Born Free,” through duets with Zac Browne, Martina McBride and Sheryl Crow (on the single “Collide,” featuring his longtime idol Bob Seger on piano).
Produced by Rick Rubin, the record finally reaches its zenith with “Times Like These,” a heartwarming ballad dedicated to Rock’s birthplace of Detroit with the lines, “I heard them say that you can’t save that town /But I won’t leave, I will stand my ground.”
He means it.
At 40, Rock — born Robert Ritchie, who plays Shoreline Amphitheatre on a bill with Crow on Friday — also maintains Malibu digs, but he hasn’t strayed far from his blue-collar Midwest roots.
That’s exemplified by his recent No. 1 mash-up single “All Summer Long,” which combined melodies from two of his favorite childhood anthems, Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” and his recent business endeavors, which revolve around giving back to Detroit.
SOURCE: Tom Lanham / SFExaminer
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