Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, was noncommittal. He had given the candidate his blessing to use his hit song, the patriotic anthem “Born Free,” at all of his campaign events, but before agreeing to show up at a Romney rally, he needed to speak with the man in person.

Aides to Mr. Romney agreed. So on Thursday, Mr. Romney, accompanied by a senior adviser and a security guard, piled into an S.U.V. and drove to Kid Rock’s home in Clarkston, Mich., according to a campaign aide.
.
For an hour, the two men spoke. Kid Rock was not bashful about directing the conversation, as Mr. Romney recalled on Monday night.

“He put a piece of paper in front of me,” Mr. Romney said. “He’d written down some questions for me. First of all, he said, ‘Mitt, if you’re elected president, will you help me help the state of Michigan?’ And I said I would. He said, ‘If you’re elected president, will you help me help the city of Detroit?’ I said I would.”