[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unclekracker_dsc30191.jpg]]
Matthew Shafer (born June 6, 1974), known professionally as [[StageNames Uncle Kracker]], is an American singer, rapper, and musician focusing on {{country|Music}} {{rock|Music}}, {{pop}} rock, {{rap rock}}, and {{country rap}}. Throughout the 1990s, Kracker was a protégé of Music/KidRock and even played some instruments for Kid Rock, but he did not break out on his own until 2000's ''Double Wide'', which produced his debut single "Follow Me". His second album, ''No Stranger to Shame'', accounted for his biggest hit in a cover of Dobie Gray's "Drift Away", with which he set a record for the longest run at #1 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary charts.

Outside a guest appearance on Music/KennyChesney's 2004 chart-topper "When the Sun Goes Down", Kracker was relatively quiet until 2009 (thanks in part to his next album spending forever in DevelopmentHell), when his career caught fire again with "Smile", a crossover hit that went Top 40 at pop, and Top 10 at both AC and country. Ever since he has focused mainly on country-rock albums.
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!!Studio discography:
* ''Double Wide'' (2000)
* ''No Stranger to Shame'' (2002)
* ''Seventy Two and Sunny'' (2004)
* ''Happy Hour'' (2009)
* ''Midnight Special'' (2012)
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!!Tropes present:
* CheapHeat: "Smile" changes the line "Spinnin' like a record, crazy on a Sunday night" to name-drop the station playing the song.
* CoveredUp:[[invoked]] {{Defied|Trope}} with his cover of "Drift Away", which features the song's most famous artist, Dobie Gray, singing a portion.
* GenreRoulette: Country Rock, RapRock, and Pop Rock. His work since about 2009 suggests that he's trying to make CountryMusic his primary genre.
* RearrangeTheSong: "Smile" was remixed for country radio. The remix appears on the EP ''Happy Hour: The South River Road Sessions''.
* SingerNameDrop: The fadeout of "When the Sun Goes Down" has Kracker and Chesney ad-libbing lines about each other, including "Uncle Kenny's hotter when the sun goes down" and "She thinks Kracker's sexy" (which also doubles as a ShoutOut to Chesney's "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy").
* WhenSheSmiles: "Smile" is about how his lover's smile makes him feel happy at any time.
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