Kid Rock Gets Into Spirit of Season by Paying off $81,000 Worth of Walmart Layaway Items

Kid Rock followed in the footsteps of filmmaker Tyler Perry and New Orleans Saints owner Gayle [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

Kid Rock followed in the footsteps of filmmaker Tyler Perry and New Orleans Saints owner Gayle Benson by paying off thousands of items on layaway at a Walmart to help families in need this holiday season.

On Friday afternoon, Kid Rock tagged Perry on Twitter, writing, "Great idea! I followed your lead and paid off the layaway at my local Walmart in Nashville. Merry Christmas and God Bless You!"

According to WBIR, Rock called a Walmart in Nashville to pay off 350 layaway accounts, totalling $81,000.

"Kudos to Kid Rock for making such a gesture in our community," store manager Tom Meyer told the local NBC affiliate. "I think that's a pretty Nashville proud moment."

Meyer said the singer, whose real name is Robert James Richie, told him he wanted to spread some holiday cheer. He later came into the story himself to make the payment. Meyer said he was surprised by the gesture and has enjoyed letting customers know their balance was paid off. He is also giving the customers a card explaining that Rock paid off their balance.

"Merry Christmas from your neighbor," the card reads.

Rock's kind gesture came after the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that Benson paid off more than 400 layaway accounts at a New Orleans Walmart, totalling almost $100,000.

On Thursday, sources told TMZ that Perry paid off the layaway accounts at two Walmarts in the Atlanta area. At the first store, he paid $178,000, then dropped $256,000 at another store. Perry later confirmed his charitable action, but said he wanted to remain anonymous.

"I know it's hard times, a lot of people are struggling," the Boo 2! A Madea Halloween star said in a video on Twitter. "I'm just really, really grateful to be able to be in a position to do this. So, God bless you. Go get your stuff. Merry Christmas."

"This totally ROCKS! Thank you [Kid Rock] and [Tyler Perry] for your amazing generosity," read a message on the Walmart Twitter account.

Rock's kind gesture came after his recent controversial comments about The View co-host Joy Behar, which led to him being removed as the grand marshal of the Nashville Christmas parade earlier this month.

On Friday, organizers of the Christmas parade in Leiper's Park, Tennessee invited Rock to walk in the parade, even though Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider is already their grand marshal. Due to inclement weather in Tennessee this weekend, the parade was postponed until Dec. 12.

Photo credit: Getty Images

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