Bio
Uncle Kracker cuts right to the chase. He knows people want to kick back, forget about their troubles, and have a good time, so he’s always willing to oblige. For more than two decades, the multi-platinum artist born Matthew Shafer has consistently soundtracked those good times with his boldly breezy blend of country, pop, and rock, spiked with a splash of hip-hop.
The world first met Uncle Kracker during his stint in Kid Rock’s Twisted Brown Trucker Band, where he lent his songwriting and musical talents to seven tracks on the RIAA Diamond-certified Devil Without a Cause. Fans truly fell in love with him, however, on his 2000 solo debut, Double Wide. The album debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200, earned a double-platinum certification, and paved the way for the gold-certified follow-up No Stranger to Shame in 2002.
Uncle Kracker has impressively topped charts across three different genres, earning No. 1s on the Pop, Adult Contemporary, and Country charts. His platinum hit “Follow Me” reached No. 1 in four countries, while the double-platinum “When the Sun Goes Down,” a collaboration with Kenny Chesney, topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
He made chart history with his cover of Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away,” which spent 28 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Adult Contemporary radio, earning the distinction of “the most weeks atop any Billboard chart.” Meanwhile, “Smile” became a cultural crossover success, reaching triple-platinum status and landing dozens of sync placements, including in The Office and a tribute montage to Regis Philbin during his final episode of Live with Regis & Kelly.
Following his 2012 country album Midnight Special, Uncle Kracker released singles including “Endlessly,” “Floatin’,” and “No Time to Be Sober.” Right on cue, he continues to create new music, with Coffee & Beer serving as his latest full-length album and featuring singles including “Beach Chair,” “Reason to Drink,” and “Sweet 16.”
