Kid Rock Gives Michigan a Lift
He may not get the highest marks for imaginative song titles, but pop star Kid Rock is no slouch when it comes to home-state loyalty. The rocker has contributed his song "Detroit, Michigan," from his upcoming album Rebel Soul, to the state of Michigan's official tourism website, michigan.org.
"Detroit, Michigan / Ya heard about Marvin Gaye / We got him," the artist croons, in a song that references a number of Motor City celebs, including Motown singer/songwriter Gaye, "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin, and Grammy-winning rapper Eminem as well as civil rights activist Rosa Parks and automaker Henry Ford. Rock, who grew up in a Detroit suburb and has recorded such hits as as "Cowboy" and "Bawitdaba," shows his local pride (and party-hearty spirit) with lines such as "The Big Three baby and the finest cars / George Clinton's P Funk all stars / We spend our days on the line and our nights in the bars."
Michigan, of course, should require no arm-twisting where vacationers are concerned. The 11th-largest state, with a population of nearly 10 million, is home to a host of popular destinations, including:
Traverse City, on the shores of Lake Michigan, offers miles of beaches, wineries, scenic lighthouses, and some of the Midwest's best golf courses.
The Henry Ford, one of America's most popular historical attractions, is a museum, a village, an auto factory tour, and IMAX theater dedicated to the inventor of the assembly line and founder of, well, you know…
Mackinac Island, with its limestone bluffs, is a favorite summertime vacation spot for its historic forts and trails for biking, hiking, or horseback riding.
Detroit, best known for turning out world-class cars and groundbreaking R&B and techno music, is also gaining popularity for its downtown casinos like the Greektown Casino-Hotel, the Detroit Beer Company (across from the Detroit Opera House, home to Michigan Opera Theatre), and Diamond Jack's Detroit River Boat Excursions, a two-hour narrated river tour.