John Mellencamp Tickets

John Mellencamp News and Information No matter his name, John Mellencamp, AKA Johnny Cougar, AKA John Cougar Mellencamp is known as a legendary rocker, who helped to usher in a new sound of rock that has changed the sound of the genre today.

Mellencamp grew up in Indiana, and began performing in the band "Crepe Soul” as early as age 14. While he had an interest in music, he continued with his education and graduated from Vincennes University in 1974 and began to work for a phone company before finally heading to New York to score himself a record deal.

Mellencamp released an album under the moniker of Johnny Cougar against his will, and found a hit in Australia with "I Need a Lover” in 1978. Two years later, in 1980, Mellencamp released "Nothin Matters and What If It Did,” which included the minor hits "This Time,” and "Aint Even Done With the Night.” Mellencamps real breakthrough album was "American Fool” in 1982. The album included the massive hits "Hurts So Good” and "Jack and Diane,” plus "Hand To Hold On To.”

After finding initial success, Mellencamp quickly changed his name to John Cougar Mellencamp for "Uh-Huh” in 1983. The album included the hit singles "Authority Song,” "Pink Houses” and "Crumblin Down.” Mellencamp released "Scarecrow” in 1985 - the album included "Small Town,” "R.O.C.K in the U.S.A.” and "Lonely Ol Night.” He then headed out on the Scarecrow Tour, which included a number of '60s covers.

Mellencamp added fiddle player Lisa Germano to his group in 1985, and she really influenced his 1987 release, "The Lonesome Jubilee,” which was one of his most critically acclaimed albums. The next effort, "Big Daddy” in 1989, was a slower, more introspective album, and was his last album using the name "Cougar” - after that, he officially switched back to his birth name.

In 1991, he released "Whenever We Wanted” under his birth name, which included the hits "Get A Leg Up,” "Love and Happiness,” "Again Tonight” and "Now More Than Ever.” He then began his first massive tour since 1988, the Whenever We Wanted outing. "Human Wheels” in 1993 was his most critically acclaimed album, which included the massive hit "Wild Night,” his biggest success since "R.O.C.K in the U.S.A” in 1986.

As of late, Mellencamp has taken more of an interest in duets and covers, but he did release "Freedoms Road” in 2007, which includes the single "Our Country,” used on a very popular ad campaign for Chevrolet vehicles.