John Cougar Mellencamp - Live In Bloomington, Indiana, 1987 (2016)

A pop sensation in the 1980s, singer-songwriter John Mellencamp has evolved into one of rock’s most enduring acts, and given voice to the small-town experience.
Synopsis

Born in 1951 in Seymour, Indiana, John Mellencamp began his musical career in the mid-1970s as Johnny Cougar. His breakthrough 1982 album, American Fool, featured the No. 1 track "Jack & Diane," and throughout the decade he cemented his popularity through hits like "Pink Houses and "Small Town." Mellencamp continued churning out music as his sound matured, returning to the spotlight in 2007 with his album Freedom's Road. Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the following year, he continues to release new material and tour regularly.

John Mellencamp was born on October 7, 1951, in Seymour, Indiana. A pop sensation in the 1980s, John Mellencamp has evolved into one of rock’s most enduring acts. He often give voice to the American small-town experience in his music—something he knows quite well from his childhood in Seymour.

Mellencamp, who recovered from neonatal surgery to correct a spinal defect, developed an early interest in music. He started playing in a cover band called Crepe Soul in his early teens. With a rebellious streak, Mellencamp hung out with his friends and partied instead of paying much attention to his schooling. His disciplinarian father, an executive with a local electronics firm, tried to motivate him to pursue athletics and his studies, with little luck. At the age of 18, Mellencamp eloped with his pregnant 21-year-old girlfriend, Priscilla Esterline. The couple soon welcomed a daughter, Michelle.

Mellencamp enrolled at Indiana's Vincennes University and attempted to gain steady employment before returning to his music. He recorded several demos of his songs and brought them to New York City to launch his career. After several misfires, the burgeoning musician landed a manager, Tony DeFries, who had worked with the likes of David Bowie. DeFries decided to change Mellencamp’s last name to Cougar, believing that it made him more appealing to the record-buying public. Mellencamp was not pleased with this decision and would later return to his birth name.

The first Johnny Cougar album, Chestnut Street Incident, was released by MCA in 1976, but failed to sell many copies. Derided by critics, Mellencamp was viewed by some as a lesser version of Bruce Springsteen or Bob Seger. MCA never released his second album and dropped him from the label, and Mellencamp soon parted ways with DeFries, as well.