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John Mellencamp
Oct. 7, 1951
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Artistfacts:
| Mellencamp never allowed his music to be used in commercials until he made a deal with Chevrolet to use his song "Our Country" in a 2006 advertising campaign. Mellencamp's reasoning was that music industry consolidation had forced quality songs off the airwaves, and using songs in commercials would be the best way to reach an audience. |
| His manager, Tony DeFries, gave him the name "Johnny Cougar." He started using "John Cougar Mellencamp" in the early '80s and eventually dropped the "Cougar." DeFries is the same guy who persuaded David Jones to change his name to David Bowie. |
| In 1985, he helped organize the first Farm Aid benefit concert, and has performed at every one since. |
| He is married to model Elaine Irwin. They met on the set of his video "Get A Leg Up." |
| An accomplished painter, one of his paintings hangs in the Governor's Mansion in Indiana. (thanks, Robbie - Denver, CO) |
| During the Vietnam war, he was exempt from the draft because of an operation he had in his younger days which caused him to lose two vertebrae from his spine. He was born with a form of spina bifida. |
| In 1988, he became a grandfather at age 37 when his 18-year-old daughter from his first marriage to Priscilla Esterline had a baby. |
| He is a 1972 graduate of Seymour High School in Indiana. He went on to Vincennes University in Vincennes, Indiana(next to the Walbash river) to pursue a degree in broadcasting. He used to walk around barefoot and shirtless playing his guitar. (thanks, Pete - Louisville, KY) |
| He gave the commencement speech and received an honorary degree at the University of Indiana on May 6, 2000. He never graduated college. |
| As a teenager, Mellencamp was rebellious, often getting in trouble with the law. He formed his first band at the age of 14, and continued to play throughout his teens. When he was 17, he eloped with Pricilla Esterline, his pregnant girlfriend, and tried to support his family by working a series of blue-collar jobs. By the time he was 24, he decided to move to New York City and try to break into the music industry. (thanks, Stevie Lee - WSFR, Louisville, KY) |
| In 2008, he was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame along with The Dave Clark Five, The Ventures, Leonard Cohen and Madonna. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France) |
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Comments:
| He was approached by Hines Ketchup Company in the late 80's to use "Hurts So Good" for one of their adds. He claimed that he "didn't need the money..." My uncle, who actually wrote the song, would've gotten a substantial cut from this deal, which would eventually feed down to me and my family... And also, I do agree about those Chevy ads... one time this year, during a Colt's sunday night, that Chevy commercial played 23 times, twice playing back to back... - Michael, Seymour, IN |
| Well, so much for never using his music in a commercial! Could they POSSIBLY run that "My Country" commercial any more than they already do??
Mike in PHX 11/16/06 - Mike, Phoenix, AZ |
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