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Cover Story by BOBBY REED
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Time and success haven’t mellowed
John Mellencamp. The 53-year-old Heartland rocker
remains a headstrong, energetic and outspoken artist who
wants to do things his own way.
This isn’t to say that Mellencamp hasn’t matured and evolved.
By his own admission, he certainly has changed over the decades
since he catapulted to musical fame in the early 1980 s as a defi
ant singer-songwriter with a distinct sound and style.
“Young people have a terrible problem,” Mellencamp says. “They
want certain things. But as you get older, you realize that you don’t
really want anything, but you would prefer it. There’s a difference between
wanting and preferring. Now I say, ‘I prefer to do it this way,’ instead of‘l
gotta do it this way,’ which is how 1 used to be.”
Seated in the control room of his recording studio in Belmont, Ind.,
not far from his longtime home in Bloomington (pop. 69,291), Mellen
camp has the air of contentment that comes with hard-won success. His
unique talents as a singer-songwriter hive allowed him to tour the world
and collaborate with many icons.
“I am so fortunate,” he says. “I have worked with Larry McMurtry,
one of the greatest American novelists. 1 am working with Stephen King
right now, who is a great American novelist. I’ve gotten to work with
Bob Dylan, Donovan, John Fogerty and Willie Nelson. As far as that
goes, 1 can’t think of anybody else that I even care to meet. I’ve already
met all my heroes.”
Mellencamp was born and raised in nearby Seymour, Ind. (pop.
18,101), which is about an hour south of Indianapolis. His father, Rich
ard, worked as an electrical contractor, and his mother, Marilyn, was a
homemaker and postal employee. With the exception of a brief stint in
the late 1970s —when lie moved to London for professional reasons—
Mellencamp has spent his entire life in southern Indiana.
Although lie’s a Grammy winner who has sold more than 40 million
albums, Mellencamp maintains a relatively normal life when he’s not on
tour. While he may be approached by autograph-seeking fans, he doesn't
hesitate to attend local public events and run errands.
“I’ve had a pretty up-and-down career,” Mellencamp admits. “But
even at the height of my career, I never allowed my career to get in
the way of me doing anything. I never stopped myself from going
someplace just because I might have to sign an autograph. The thing
that I have found, which is lucky for me, is that most people like John
Mellencamp.”
A friend to farmers
After early struggles in die music business, the singer skyrocketed to
stardom with his 1982 album American Fool, which contained the smash
hits Hurts So Good and Jack & Diane.
Back then, lie used the stage name John Cougar, which had been
foisted upon him by a manager. On the cover of his classic 1983 album
Uh-Huh. he billed himself as John Cougar Mellencamp. He eventually
dropped ‘Cougar” and simply used die surname that appears on his
birth certificate.
Capitalizing on die music-video revolution of die 1980 s, Mellencamp
became a mainstay on MTV, thanks to videos such as Pmk Houses , Small
'Fount and Crumblin’ Douv. His lyrics poignantly described the trials and
Photo; Arnaldo Magnate Getty lnag~:
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•American Profile