There are certain songs that, whenever they are heard, have the power to send you back to a specific place in time. For me, one such song is Uncle Kracker’s hit “Follow Me.” I am vaulted back to the summer of 2000 in the front seat of my mother’s Honda. The song comes on the radio and she says, “Who’s the guy that sings this? What’s his name . Captain Kangaroo?”
It was one of those you-had-to-be-there moments, but we’ve laughed about that for years. Anyone else who was hypnotized by that song or the countless other Uncle Kracker hits will certainly not want to miss out when he stops by Remington’s Hunt Club along with Rehab on Thursday at 9 p.m.
Uncle Kracker and Rehab are coming through Starkville as part of the “Happy Hour Tour,” taken from the title of his latest release. Happy Hour is an easy blend of country-coated pop and rock and roll that displays not only the Detroit native’s natural likeability, but also his considerable gifts as a songwriter.
“Uncle Kracker has zero musical talent,” said Kid Rock in a press release. “No musician skills at all, but he’s a phenomenal songwriter &mdash very talented with words and melodies.”
Uncle Kracker (born Matt Shafer) had an early successful start to his music career from DJing in Kid Rock’s Twisted Brown Trucker Band to co-writing notable classics like “Bawitdaba,” “Cowboy” and “Only God Knows Why”.
Happy Hour is his first album in five years. After two years of touring behind his previous release, 2004’s Seventy Two & Sunny, he wrote and recorded an entire album but, according to his biography, he wound up tossing it entirely.
“I just decided it wasn’t the right record,” Uncle Kracker said in a press release. “It didn’t feel relevant. So I s—canned all the songs.”
He had to bring his best to the table when multiple Grammy Award-winning producer Rob Cavallo was brought on to the project.
“Basically, he wouldn’t put his hand on anything that wasn’t up to snuff,” Uncle Kracker said. “I co-produced my last couple of records, so it was nice to write something and take it to a producer and let him bring out what worked. Sometimes you can be too attached to a song to be open-minded about taking suggestions from anybody..It’s definitely a departure from what I was doing. I’m just looking forward to people hearing it.”
Uncle Kracker’s supporting act Rehab has been recognized all over the South for years. I know when I was in high school, a party wasn’t a party until everyone in awkwardly attendance hugged and belted out “Sittin’ at a Bar” in unison at least once. Named on Rolling Stone’s “Hot List” as an editors’ favorite in 2008, the Atlanta-based quintet has an unparalleled sound that fuses hip-hop and Southern rock, and a dedicated and an ever-growing fan base.
“Sittin’ at a Bar” has already reached over a million digital downloads, according to NielsenSoundScan. Rehab continues to write music compelling music that sparks a connection with its fans.
Uncle Kracker and Rehab aim to combine the sounds of all different areas from southern rock to hip-hop to laid-back country into one epic show that cannot be missed.
So do you yourself a favor this Thursday at 9 p.m. and consider the words of Rehab: sit at a bar on the inside, wait for your ride on the outside and, in the meantime, cut loose to the hooks and melodies of Uncle Kracker and Rehab’s “Happy Hour Tour.”
“At the end of the day, people want to have fun more than they want to cry,” Uncle Kracker said. “I realized that it was time for something a little more upbeat and positive, and that’s what I ended up with on Happy Hour.”
General admission tickets range from $19.25-$22.50. Tickets for the show are also available online at huntorbehunted.com.