Uncle Kracker: Bio And Career Highlights

Image credits: Wikimedia Commons

Uncle Kracker

Born

June 6, 1974

Died

Birthplace

Mount Clemens, Michigan, US

Age

52 Years Old

Horoscope

Gemini

Who Is Uncle Kracker?

Matthew Shafer is an American singer, musician, and songwriter known for his unique blend of country rock, pop rock, and rap rock. He gained early recognition as a turntablist for Kid Rock’s backing group Twisted Brown Trucker.

His solo career launched with the hit single “Follow Me,” which climbed to number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2001, establishing him as a distinctive voice in popular music.

Full Name	Matthew Shafer
Gender	Male
Relationship Status	Married
Net Worth	$5 million
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	White
Education	L’Anse Creuse High School
Father	Sunny Shafer
Siblings	Mike Shafer
Kids	Skylar Shafer, Madison Shafer, Troy Shafer, Miles Shafer, Ford Shafer

Early Life and Education

Born Matthew Shafer in Mount Clemens, Michigan, on June 6, 1974, he spent his youth in the Detroit area. His father, Sunny Shafer, owned a local gas station where Shafer worked until he was 21 years old.

He attended L’Anse Creuse High School and developed an early interest in music, particularly rap. A pivotal moment in his youth was meeting Kid Rock through a DJ competition involving his brother, Mike Shafer, leading to a long-standing friendship and collaboration.

Notable Relationships

Matthew Shafer was married to Melanie Haas from 1998 to 2014, and together they have three daughters: Skylar, Madison, and Troy.

More recently, Shafer married his second wife, Jenna, and they have two sons, Miles and Ford, bringing his total number of children to five.

Career Highlights

Uncle Kracker’s solo career began with the album Double Wide, which achieved double-platinum status and featured the chart-topping single “Follow Me,” reaching number one in several countries and number five on the Billboard Hot 100.

He further cemented his success with the hit cover of “Drift Away,” which spent a record-setting 28 weeks at number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and later found significant country music success with “Smile” and a duet with Kenny Chesney, “When the Sun Goes Down.”

Signature Quote

“I really subscribe to this mindset of just having fun. That’s what it’s always about. It’s the train that I’m forever on.”