Kid Rock was a bizarre influence in my youth.  I was at the “mold-able” age when “Cowboy” and “Bawitdaba” hit the charts, which erroneously led me to believe that everyone from Detroit was exactly like him.  Obviously, I was terrified of going even to a state that bordered Michigan—even though I did enjoy the Wolverines—all because of the fairly crass rocker/rapper.  Young Ben T. regularly got confused why there weren’t cowboys in Detroit, too.

While his career has vacillated wildly, from marrying and divorcing Pamela Anderson, assaulting Tommy Lee and then peculiarly evolving into a country artist, Rock still tours major venues and coasts off his popular summer anthem.  Some find Rock’s “All Summer Long” to be incredibly catchy, but his hardcore, rebellious fans would consider this a desertion of his roots (if those hardcore, rebellious fans are still kickin’, that is). 

Kid Rock hits Darien Lake tonight with Sheryl Crow for a 7:30 p.m. show.  The duo isn’t all that surprising—here’s what Crow had to say, albeit a little creepily, about Mr. Rock:

“Any day, any hour of the day or night, if [Rock] calls me I’m totally there. I’m such a huge fan of his, and I love the guy,” Crow told Billboard.com.  “He’s a great songwriter, and I feel like our collaboration together is always easy and it just…works.”  Enlightening. 

Odds are quite high that Rock will have a new tour bus driver after 2009’s earned a DWI.  Let’s hope everyone stays safe this time!