You go to LA, or you go to New York, and it's really fun to go there. But they're not grounded. Everybody is just competing all the time for the limelight. It's too much entertainment industry. There are too many choices. And it's distracting to me.

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.