A Ride Back Home Video - Song From Life Death Love and Freedom
Troubled Land Music Video - Song From Life Death Love And Freedom
“My Sweet Love” Music Video – Song from John’s New Album Life, Death, Love & Freedom
My Sweet Love Web Only Video
“Jena" Music Video – Song from John’s New Album Life, Death, Love & Freedom
John Mellencamp Life, Death, Love & Freedom EPK
Born October 7, 1951 in Seymour, Indiana, John Mellencamp fell in love with
music at an early age and was gigging in local bars and fronting a soul band by
the time he was 14. His professional music career began in earnest in 1976 when
MCA Records released his first album, The Chestnut Street Incident. His manager
dubbed him Johnny Cougar out of his belief that nobody would buy a record by
anybody named Mellencamp. John protested but was overruled -and eventually, of
course, reclaimed his birth name as his public name.
After releasing a few albums, he broke out in 1979 with his first hit, "I Need A Lover" In 1982 his fifth album American Fool was the year's best-selling album
on the strength of two huge hits, "Hurts So
Good," and the number 1 single "Jack & Diane,"
In 1985, John's concern for the plight of the American farmer, which had been
voiced in the Scarecrow album, brought him together with Willie Nelson and Neil
Young in launching Farm Aid. It became an annual event and has helped make
people aware of the issues farmers face and their effect on the entire nation.
By the early 1990's "Cougar" was finally gone from John's name and a string of
successful albums as John Mellencamp--Whenever We Wanted, Human Wheels and Dance Naked (including the number 2 single "Wild Night")--were released. In 1991 John
made his film debut, starring in and directing Falling From Grace, a modest box
office success that was well received by critics. He met model Elaine Irwin that
year when she starred in the video for his hit "Get A Leg Up." They were married
later that year and now have two boys, Hud and Speck. John also has three
daughters, Michelle, Teddi Jo and Justice, from earlier marriages.
John continued to tour throughout 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006. He received
the 2001 Billboard Century award in recognition of all that he had accomplished
over the course of his career and was honored with the Woody Guthrie Award in
2004. Previously, he was awarded a Grammy and had been nominated a total of 11
times.
Words & Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits was released in 2005. It was his
first career-spanning collection and featured 35 of his biggest hits plus two
new songs, one of which, "Walk Tall," was backed with an award-winning video
that condemned discrimination. It was followed in January of 2007 by a new
studio album,Freedom's Road. It featured the hit song "Our Country" and the singles "Someday" and "The Americans." Bowing at number 5, it was the highest
debuting album of his career and led to a Grammy nomination for "Our Country" in
the best Solo Rock Performance category. John promoted the album extensively by
performing on numerous TV shows and touring throughout North America from the
Fall of 2007 to early 2008.
By summer 2007 John had already begun working on his next album with Grammy
winning producer T Bone Burnett. Life, Death, Love, and Freedom was released on
July 15, 2008, with John and the Mellencamp band commencing on a corresponding
summer tour that included a stop in Australia in the Fall. But a career landmark
occurred on March 10, 2008, when John was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall
Of Fame by previous inductee Billy Joel at the annual induction ceremony in New
York City.
He hardly rested on his laurels. This year has seen the release of Life, Death, Live and Freedom (an acclaimed live disc containing most of the songs from
Life, Death, Love, and Freedom), and John's participation in the concert event
of the summer, The Bob Dylan Show with John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson. During
days off John commenced recording of his next studio album, No Better Than This,
for release in early 2010. Having stated his intention of making a different
kind of album, he recorded at several historic facilities including the first
African-American church in the U.S. (in Savannah, Georgia), the legendary Sun
Studios in Memphis, and the Gunter Hotel in San Antonio, where blues pioneer
Robert Johnson recorded blues staples like "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Crossroad
Blues." In order to get the sound and feel of these vintage blues recordings, he
taped his new songs using antique recording equipment.
At the same time John compiled a four-CD box set, "On The Rural Route 7609" made
up mainly of versions of some of his classic songs other then the well known
ones in general release. These included two particularly innovative tracks from
two iconic individuals not generally associated with music recordings: race
relations expert Dr. Cornel West, who dramatically recited the lyrics to "Jim
Crow," and Academy Award-winning actress Joanne Woodward-John's favorite
actress-who likewise provided an emotionally charged reading of the lyrics to
"The Real Life." "7609" is due for release in late 2009.
Work continued, too, on the stage production of the "Ghost Brothers of Darkland
County," John's musical theater collaboration with Stephen King, as well as a
novel CD/book product that T Bone Burnett was producing. Due also in early 2010,
the package involves big name music artists speaking King's dialog and singing
John's songs.
Meanwhile, John also continued his other career activity-painting. Having first
come to New York with the intention of studying painting if his music career
aspirations didn't pan out, he started painting in earnest in the 1980's as a
way to be creative in a more self-contained manner. His style has evolved over
the years as evidenced by several gallery shows and published portfolios, and in
recent years he has increased his output by completing nearly 100 new works.
Incidentally, some of John's paintings can be seen here on his Myspace home
page; more recent work can be found on his web site.
John has said many times in interviews that you will never meet anyone luckier
than John Mellencamp. He is grateful for the support of those who have enjoyed
his work and career over the years. If he has any advice to offer, it is to be
tenacious: John's found that far too many people quit too soon in the face of
early disappointment. While his own early efforts may have been faltering, he
stayed with it--and that tenacity has been rewarded with the successes that
continue to the present.
PLEASE JOIN US, SISTERS AND BROTHERS, IN CONTACTING YOUR CONGRESS-FOLK AND OUR PRESIDENT, TO REMIND THEM WE VOTED THEM IN TO OFFICE TO END THESE FUTILE, ENDLESS, IMMORAL WARS. WE ENTRUST THEM TO RESTORE OUR BILL OF RIGHTS AND THE GENEVEA CONVENTIONS, STOP TORTURE, AND END THE OCCUPATIONS NOW! Peace! www.rethinkafghanistan.com www.aclu.org/fusion www.michaelmoore.com www.antiwar.com
The way to godliness is in not tying to be godly. To be godly means to be like God. No one can be just like God, but we can have some resemblance to Him. But this is not our purpose. It’s the natural result of another purpose. Our sole purpose is to become forgiven. If we can know that we are forgiven, this will revolutionize our lives. The way to become forgiven is to simply trust that Jesus took our punishment on the cross and then rose from the grave. The whys and hows of the cross are super profound, but it is not necessary to understand the deep things of God to be forgiven. Believing the fact of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is all you must worry about. The wonderful meanings of all that Jesus has done are revealed to us over time. Simple faith in the cross will give us encouragement and hope. When we are free and clear before God, we can spread that hope to others. Believe me, they want to have this hope in such a world. So stop trusting in those charlatans in leisure suits. Trust in the meek and lowly One, who came to be our Savior. Don’t go to those religious buildings to get forgiveness. Go to the cross!
John, Thank you for adding me. I really appreciate you joining me on my author page. My fiction novel with a CD soundtrack is due out in a few weeks. Wishing you a great musical weekend.
Thanks for the add. I am a lyricist/songwriter, recovering from back surg. #4, I'm not a performer. I'd love to hear your voice sing some of my creations. Much Happiness, Success and Peace to You, Bethany
HEY JOHN, EVERYBODY STILL LOVES ALL YOUR SONGS WE DO WHEN WE PLAY AT THE BARS AND CLUBS. THATS WHEN THEY GET UP AND START ROCKIN. THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT MUSIC. KEEP ON ROCKIN... TRUE BLOOD!
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