Have Coffee & Beer With Uncle Kracker
At 50, Uncle Kracker Shows No Signs Of Slowing Down
Coffee and beer may seem like an unlikely combo, but Uncle Kracker isn’t singing about blending the two beverages into some strange but vitalizing concoction. In the title track of his new album, he’s passing along his grandfather’s philosophies on life.
As its lyrics reveal, "Coffee and Beer" refers simply to what happens in the course of a regular day, from when you first get going in the morning to later on when you’re starting to wind down. That time in between, according to Uncle Kracker’s grandpa’s words of wisdom, is as precious as you choose to make it.
“Friends and foes may come and go,” he sings, and “love will persevere. The rest is just what happens ‘round here between coffee and beer.”
Give "Coffee and Beer" a listen below!
Uncle Kracker’s Best Outdoor Memories
The longtime performer, songwriter, and recording artist, whose given name is Matthew Shafer, says one reason he’s been in a contemplative mood lately is that he recently turned 50. Some of those deeper thoughts have turned to loved ones he’s lost over the years such as his grandfather, the late Lynford Smith.
“I miss him,” he says. “He was a big presence in my life and he taught me a lot. He was very simple in some ways but he was very smart and he loved his family. Success to him was making sure his family could eat and have a roof over their head. To him, that was what you worked for, and that was all you could ask for.”
One memory in particular will never grow old. In what sounds like a quintessential Michigan experience, the entertainer recalls the many good times they had together on Lake St. Claire.
“He would make sure we fished every Saturday and Sunday,” he says. “He’d be at my house at 5 a.m. and we’d be on the water by 6 and trolling for walleye.”
They bonded aboard what he remembers as a 1952 Chris-Craft that was 24 feet long. “I’m not positive about the length of it,” he says, “but it gave him plenty of room to untangle my lines, which I’m pretty sure he spent most of the weekend doing.”
Touring With Kid Rock, Kenny Chesney & More
It was also suburban Detroit where the young Matt Shafer first encountered Bob Ritchie, whom the world knows now as Kid Rock. As teenagers, they each had their eyes on a career in music as they explored the exciting sounds and culture of hip-hop. Uncle Kracker enjoyed his first dose of notoriety as the featured DJ/turntablist in Kid Rock’s touring band before scoring his own record deal. On his own, he knew he didn’t want to be pinned down to a particular musical style.
“I figured I didn’t come this far to just come this far and I didn’t see it going any farther by doing just one thing,” he says.
As a result, he broke out with major success as a pop singer. His finger-snapping “Follow Me” quickly went global, reaching number one in several countries, while his effervescent “Smile” went platinum three times over. His soulful remake of Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away” lingered at the top of the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart long enough to set a record.
In 2004, he teamed up with Kenny Chesney for the island-flavored country smash “When the Sun Goes Down.” Their association continues to this day with Uncle Kracker being part of Chesney’s recent summer stadium tour that also included the Zac Brown Band and Megan Moroney.
His opening set on the Chesney tour was just long enough to play his biggest hits. Uncle Kracker’s headlining shows at smaller venues such as festivals, clubs, and theaters are where you’re more likely to hear the more introspective songs from Coffee and Beer.
Coffee, Beer & Beyond
While the 13 catchy new songs on the album also cover a range of styles, most of it lands on country, or at least leans that way. That’s evident from the start, as “High on My Horse” kicks off with a steel guitar and banjo. While the toes-in-the-sand “Beach Chair” is the single getting traction, it’s a carefree throwaway compared to more thoughtful material like “Mark on Me” and “Sweet 16.”
Looking back as well as ahead, the multi-genre artist seems grateful for his career and his family life outside of the music business. Easygoing and upbeat during the interview, he says he envisions getting older as the grains of sand that you see slipping, faster and faster, from one end of an hourglass into the other.
"I do more reflecting nowadays than I did 20 years ago, and it’s hard not to,” he says. “I’ve gone through a divorce and I’ve married a second time and I have five kids— three with my first wife and two with my new wife. My three daughters are 25, 24, and 19 and then I’ve got two boys that are 8 and 4.”
He’s already taken his older son fishing but the younger one isn’t quite big enough to cast his first line. Maybe they’ll both grow to love it as much as their dad has since he started doing it when he wasn’t much older than they are now.
“I don’t know of anything more relaxing than fishing,” he says. “It’s probably one of my favorite things to do in life because of how therapeutic it is.”
Check out the official music video for "Beach Chair" below!
Editor’s Note: Give Coffee and Beer a good listen at unclekracker.com and be sure to check out his extensive performance schedule. You can catch him on the huge stadium tour with Kenny Chesney and others or at smaller, more intimate shows where he’s the headliner.