HOT GALLERY: Singers Who Rocked a Crossover into Country!
The most popular radio format in the United States, country music is nothing to scoff at. It has the largest and most loyal fan base, also making it one of the most demanding and critical of multi-genre crossover. So why have so many pop artists and rock stars made the attempt to build a bridge to troubled waters? Plenty of popular musical artists have Southern- or country-influenced pasts, but it takes guts and confidence to make a move from pop/rock to country and back again. In this hot gallery, find out which big-name artists scored a hit, both with fans and on the country music charts! By Brittany CarsonWith a hit like “Cowboy,” it’s no surprise this apple-picking Michigan native was destined for country greatness. After a three-year hiatus from rock ‘n’ roll, Kid Rock made a comeback in 2007 with the country hit “All Summer Long.” Rock’s foray into country has been anything but disappointing, as “All Summer Long” (which sampled Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and Warren Zevon’s “Werewolves of London”) was his first worldwide hit, catapulting his name, his album Rock N’ Roll Jesus, and his career back into stardom. Kid’s new stripped-down sound was continued on his 2010 hit single and album of the same name, Born Free. Here he is singing “Born Free” at the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Awards ceremony.