Kid Rock Impresses Sheryl Crow, Talks About Influences

NY (Top40 Charts) - Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow had gone out a few times before the rap-rocker became involved with Pamela Anderson, and Rock made several appearances at Crow's impromptu New York City club shows earlier this summer. Crow marvels at Rock's musical talent outside of rap-rock.

Crow told Esquire magazine that Rock is all about giving people what they want. "He has an overview of what entertainment is that just blows my mind, a great scope of what people want and what's considered kind of challenging to the audience. The other thing is he's wildly talented. As he gets out and plays with other people, people are shocked at how talented he is."

Rock has jammed with everyone from ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons and Metallica to Aerosmith and Hank Williams Jr. He recently told what shapes his sound. "It was just all my influences from growing up with Johnny Cash and Bob Seger. And then my older brothers and sisters into the Tubes and Van Halen, then me all into the hip-hop. And then I really got into the Southern rock with [Lynyrd] Skynyrd and Marshall Tucker, and I love the old country and Hank Williams and George Jones and Waylon Jennings. I know all that music like the back of my hand, and I play all the instruments. I taught myself every instrument after I learned the turntables when I was young. It wasn't really like I was trying to put styles together to create something different, because even the whole rap rock thing, I feel it could be a fad."

Kid Rock just completed 15 songs for release on his forthcoming, still-untitled album, which is due before the end of the year.