(Reuters) (06/01/04)

By Ray Waddell

Edited By Michael Bennett

DETROIT, MI, USA - Despite the best efforts of music industry gatekeepers, young artists and their fans often seem to ignore the boundaries of genre.

Such is the case with UNCLE KRACKER, born Matt Shafer, who first surfaced as the DJ/hype man for Kid Rock.

Kracker then found platinum success as a solo artist with music increasingly distant from rap/rock bombast, with elements of R&B, soul, country and classic rock.

Kracker's newest album, "Seventy Two & Sunny," bows June 29 on Warner Bros. The Detroit native will support the record by opening the high-profile Kenny Chesney amphitheater tour with Rascal Flatts.

Chesney and Kracker hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart earlier this year with their duet, 'When the Sun Goes Down.'

Kracker admits he sometimes marvels at his country connection.

"If you would have asked me 10 years ago, I would have told you my first record would be a rap record," he says.

"Maybe not a normal rap record, more of a cross between Lynyrd Skynrd and Run-D.M.C."

"But I've always had a natural thing for country music. When I was a kid, George Jones and Patsy Cline were what my old man listened to, so I listened to it by default."

Kracker says his first concert was The Jacksons' "Victory" tour in 1984. "I don't remember shit about the show; I was 10," he says.

"I remember the jersey, 'cause I hated it. The sleeves were too long."

As he got older, Kracker went to rap concerts by acts like The Fat Boys, N.W.A and Run-D.M.C.

Later, he discovered Hank Williams Jr.

"Kid Rock and I went to a concert in, like, 1989 at the Breslin Center," Kracker says. "We walked out of that place blown away by the entire show."

Now Kracker and Williams are friends, though Kracker remains in awe of Bocephus.

"I've been onstage with a shitload of people, but I haven't seen anybody onstage like Hank Williams Jr. When he steps out there, he owns the entire place."

Kracker first toured with Kid Rock in 1998.

"I was the kid that hated being away from home, but I was with some of my friends, so it made it better," he recalls.

"Plus, I didn't have a choice. No way I could have said, 'I'm going to sit this out, guys.' I don't remember much; the first few years are an absolute blur."

Rock's first tour (behind his 1998 Lava/Atlantic Records album, "Devil Without A Cause") lasted a little more than three years.

"We were just kind of contained, almost like being in a time capsule," Kracker says. "By the time we got home, we didn't realize how big the record got."

Kracker began touring with his own material in 2000.

"By the time the Devil tour wound down -- before Kid put a stop to it -- we were doing arenas. Then I had to go promote my solo album, playing little clubs."

"It was almost depressing to go from a balls-out arena thing, plush hotels, then back to Microtels."

Kracker is excited about working with Chesney. "I got a half-hour to open for him, then the encore with him," he says.

"I couldn't ask for a better place. That's what I want to tap into."

No one should be shocked that Kracker is into the country thing, he adds.

"I'm not trying to bogart on anybody's shit," he says. "I always loved country music."

"It's not like I popped out of Kid Rock's womb and was like, 'Where's the country?"'

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