Kid Rock’s Famous Fans Praise His Country Roots

Kid Rock may be considered a rock 'n' roller or professional party boy to some, but those who really know him insist he's the real thing -- a true musician and music lover.

Jimmy DeMartini, long-time violinist for the Zac Brown Band, says the band spent several days with Kid at his Detroit ranch not long ago. "I think people might see him as more a rock star because of the tabloids," says Jimmy. "He is such a genuine person when you meet him and get to know him. The biggest misconception is that he's just in all of this for the money. That's not true. He's a really a big fan of music. [What] he really enjoys about our band is that we did it the grassroots way."

That grassroots strategy included years of playing at Zac's Place, a restaurant Zac and his dad owned and operated not far from their Dahlonega, Ga., home. Even now that they've become major hit-makers, the band still strive to make each concert seem like something akin to a gathering with friends, complete with food and a meet-and-greet.

Randy Houser is another musician who shatters the Kid Rock mystique. The two got to know each other when Kid Rock hosted the 2010 CMT Music Awards. Randy was one of the musicians who helped Kid start the show by performing 'Cowboy.' Kellie Pickler, Trace Adkins, Zac Brown, Jamey Johnson, Martina McBride and Hank Williams Jr. were also involved in the performance.

"Where Kid Rock is coming from, that's where a lot of us are coming from. It's basically, 'Let's have a good time. Let's forget about all our problems for a little while and have a good time,'" Randy tells Ohio's Portsmouth Daily Times. "Sometimes we don't want to talk about our problems and things like that in songs."

Kid Rock's latest album, 'Born Free' -- featuring Zac Brown and Martina McBride, among others, is expected to be released September 7.