With the 2012 US presidential elections approaching, Obama's Democrats and Romney's Republicans are trying their best to drum up as much support as they can from influential US cultural figures and music stars.
Acts such, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Trace Adkins and Kid Rock were all set to perform at the Republican Party's National Convention in Tampa, Florida last weekend - until, that is, hurricane Isaac put paid to the scheduled musical performances.
There are sure to be more Republican music stars performing at rallies in the coming months though - so as Mitt Romney tries to whittle down President Obama's slender lead in the polls, what other popstars past and present have thrown their weight behind the Grand Old Party? Here, Gigwise lists a few familiar faces who are likely to mark an 'x' next to Romney's name in November...
Alice Cooper - As well as being a keen advocate of school summer holidays, Cooper is also a Republican party supporter. During the 2004 presidential elections, he told the Canadian Press: "when I read the list of people who are supporting Kerry [Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen among them], if I wasn''t already a Bush supporter, I would have immediately switched."
Dave Mustaine - A Bush supporter in 2004, the Megadeth frontman is not fond of the current president. As well as suggesting recent shootings in the US were part of an Obama administration conspiracy, last year he called Obama "the most divisive president we''ve ever had. I''ve never, in my 50 years of being alive, listened to an American president try and turn one class of people against another class of people."
Lynyrd Skynyrd - The southern rock legends have long been Republican supporters and were due to play at the party''s 2012 National Convention last weekend, only for the pesky Hurricane Isaac to force them to cancel for safety reasons.
50 Cent - Following Kanye West''s famous criticism of George W. Bush after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Curtis Jackson expressed support for the President, stating that if his felony convictions did not stop him from voting he would have voted for Bush. This time around his vote may be just a little harder to call, though, as he expresses agreement with Obama''s support for gay marriage.
Johnny Ramone - Although the punk guitarist died in 2004, he was known for being one of the few Republicans in rock music. At the Ramones'' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, he thanked fans and said "God bless President Bush, and God bless America". He was also a fan of President Ronald Reagan, once stating that "he was the best President of my lifetime."
Ted Nugent - the solo star and former Amboy Dukes guitarist is a big supporter of gun ownership rights, once even nearly running for Governor of Michigan. He isn''t a fan of the President though. "Obama''s a piece of shit, and I told him to suck on my machine gun," he once said on stage. He also told the NRA convention earlier this year: "If Barack Obama becomes the president in November, again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year."
Gene Simmons - Despite voting for Obama in the last election, the Kiss frontman has endorsed Mitt Romney this time around in an interview from this April, stating: "America should be in business and it should be run by a businessman."
Kid Rock - Pamela Anderson''s ex-husband has allowed Romney to officially make use of his music in campaign events, and he has this year also performed at various shows in support of the Republican''s candidacy.
John Rich - The country music star and Big & Rich member supported John McCain''s campaign for president in 2008 so strongly that he even released a new song on his website entitled ''Raisin'' McCain''. He has also joined Kid Rock and Ted Nugent in announcing his support for Romney in the 2012 elections.
Jessica Simpson - the singer endorsed George W. Bush for president in 2004, with her father kindly clarifying her political convictions on her behalf: "We are huge fans of him and of his family, his girls. Jessica loves the heck out of him." So earth-shattering was this admission that it even inspired former-Moldy Peaches member Adam Green to write a song about Simpson (''Jessica'').
