John Mellencamp Biography

Many years ago, John Mellencamp, on the advise of industry experts, took the name “Johnny Cougar” as a more appealing-sounding moniker to launch a music career. It wouldn’t be long before it was no longer needed.

John Mellencamp’s breakthrough 1982 album, American Fool, rocketed to success on the strength of the singles “Jack and Diane” and “Hurt so Good.” With a hit comfortably sitting at the top of the charts, Mellencamp insisted on modifying his billing to John Cougar Mellencamp for his 1983 follow-up, Uh-Huh.  With another top ten hit, " Pink Houses"  he returned to his given name of John Mellencamp for his songwriting and production credits, even though John Cougar Mellencamp would still appear on album covers for another few years.

Scarecrow, an album with a number of songs to increase awareness for the struggle of the American family farmer, was released in 1985, and soon after John Mellencamp assisted Wilile Nelson in the foundation of Farm Aid. With "Small Town", "Lonely Ol' Night", and "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." all becoming Top 10 hits, Scarecrow quickly became iconic for Heartland Rock.

The Lonesome Jubilee, in 1987, brought John Mellencamp several more hits, including “Cherry Bomb” and “Paper in Fire.” 1991’s Whenever We Wanted finally billed the artist as John Mellencamp, and yielded the hit “Get a Leg up.”

Human Wheels, Dance Naked, Mr. Happy Go Lucky, and other albums followed for the next ten years.

Life, Death, Love and Freedom was released in 2008, and launched Mellencamp’s collaboration with famed producer T-Bone Burnett. The ninth Top Ten album of John Mellencamp’s career, Life, Death, Love and Freedom debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 50,000 copies in its first week.

Later that same year, John Mellencamp toured New Zealand and Australia with Sheryl Crow, and in 2009, he launched a tour of minor league ballparks, accompanied by Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan. While on that tour, Mellencamp again produced an album with T. Bone Burnett, and No Better Than This peaked at number ten on the charts, becoming the 10^th Top Ten album of John Mellencamp’s career.

In addition to his achievements in music, John Mellencamp has appeared in a number of films, including After Image and Falling from Grace. He has sold more than 25 million albums in the United States alone, and far more worldwide.