I had the opportunity to be around my kids a lot. I guess I could have kept working, but I had them when I was 47. You only get to see all this stuff once. I just chose to work at home and watch them.

In 2001 and 2002 Seger won the prestigious Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race aboard his 52-foot (16 m) sailboat Lightning. As of 2006 both Stranger in Town and Against the Wind had sold over 5 million copies each in the United States. Back in '72 featured the studio version of Seger's later live classic Turn the Page; Rosalie a song Seger wrote about CKLW music director Rosalie Trombley (and which was later recorded by Thin Lizzy); and "I've Been Working" a song originally by Van Morrison a strong influence on Seger's musical development.

Seger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. A roots rocker with a classic raspy shouting voice Seger wrote and recorded songs that dealt with love women blue-collar themes and was an exemplar of heartland rock.