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The John Cougar Mellencamp years
Mellencamp changed his stage name to John Cougar Mellencamp for his 1983
follow-up, Uh-Huh, which was another top-10 hit and spawned several hit singles,
including the Americana of "Pink Houses," and the "Crumblin' Down."
During the recording of Uh-Huh, Mellencamp's backing band settled on the lineup
it would retain for the next several albums: Kenny Aronoff on drums and
percussion, Larry Crane and Mike Wanchic on guitars, Toby Myers on bass and John
Cascella on keyboards.
Mellencamp changed his billing for songwriting and production credits to simply
John Mellencamp, although his official name on album covers and other releases
was still John Cougar Mellencamp.
In 1985 Mellencamp released Scarecrow. The album's lyrics were socially aware,
with several songs focusing on the plight of the American family farmer, and
Mellencamp soon helped organize Farm Aid with Willie Nelson and Neil Young.
"Lonely Ol' Night", "Small Town", and "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." all became Top 10
hits and "Rain On The Scarecrow" and "Rumbleseat" garnered considerable play on
album-rock stations.
Prior to the Scarecrow Tour he added fiddle player Lisa Germano to his band to
accent and deepen his overall sound. Germano would remain in Mellencamp's band
until 1994.
Germano played a big role in Mellencamp's next LP, 1987's The Lonesome Jubilee,
which was departure from his earlier material as it incorporated country and
folk influences. It generated several more hit singles, "Paper in Fire," "Cherry
Bomb" and "Check It Out," along with hit album tracks like "Hard Times For An
Honest Man" and "The Real Life".
1989's Big Daddy was a quieter, mostly acoustic venture and was indeed the last
album to contain the "Cougar" moniker. Big Daddy contained songs like "Jackie
Brown," "Big Daddy of Them All" and "Void in My Heart."
John Mellencamp years
1991's Whenever We Wanted was the first album whose cover was billed to just
John Mellencamp. It yielded the Top 40 hits "Get a Leg Up" and "Again Tonight,"
along with mainstream rock hits "Love and Happiness" and "Now More Than Ever,"
and marked Larry Crane's departure from the band, replaced by guitarist David
Grissom. In January of 1992, Mellencamp launched the Whenever We Wanted world
tour. It marked the first time he was on the road since the Lonesome Jubilee
Tour ended in July of 1988
Dance Naked (1994) spawned his biggest hit in years, "Wild Night" (a cover of
Van Morrison's song, in the form of a duet with Me'Shell NdegeOcello). The album
saw Grissom replaced by guitarist Andy York -- still Mellencamp's guitarist to
this day -- and contained two protest songs in "L.U.V" and "Another Sunny Day
12/25."
Mellencamp returned in 1996 with Mr. Happy Go Lucky, with the aid of dance
producer Junior Vasquez. The song "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" became
his last Top 40 single.
Mellencamp left Mercury after Mr. Happy Go Lucky. Issued a day before his 47th
birthday in 1998, his self-titled debut for Columbia Records included the
singles "Your Life is Now" and "I'm Not Running Anymore," along with album
tracks such as "Eden Is Burning," "Miss Missy," "It All Comes True" and "Chance
Meeting At The Trantula." The switch in labels coincided with the talented Dane
Clark replacing the legendary Aronoff on drums.
In 1999 Mellencamp covered his own tunes as well as those by Bob Dylan and the
Drifters for his album Rough Harvest, one of two albums he owed Mercury Records
to fulfill his contract (the other was The Best That I Could Do, a best-of
collection).
The early 21st century found Mellencamp teaming up with artists such as Chuck D
and India.Arie to deliver Cuttin' Heads, spawning the radio hit "Peaceful World"
-- a duet with India.Arie. He performed "Peaceful World" at The Concert for New
York City as well as the 2001 United States Grand Prix and it was on a live
acoustic version on the benefit album God Bless America. Mellencamp embarked on
the Cuttin' Heads Tour in the summer of 2001, before the album was even
released. He opened each show on this tour with a cover of the Rolling Stones'
"Gimme Shelter."
Trouble No More followed in mid-2003 (see 2003 in music), a quickly-recorded
collection of folks and blues covers by artists such as Robert Johnson, Son
House, and Lucinda Williams. The album was also dedicated to Mellencamp's
friend, Billboard editor-in-chief Timothy White, who died from a heart attack in
2002.
Mellencamp participated in the Vote for Change tour in October of 2004 leading
up to the 2004 U.S. Presidential election. That same month he released the
two-disc career hits retrospective "Words and Music," which contained 35 of his
radio singles (including all 22 of his Top 40 hits) along with two new tunes,
the socially-conscious, R&B tinged single "Walk Tall" along with "Thank You" --
both produced by Babyface but written by Mellencamp. Throughout 2003 and early
2004, Mellencamp's music was frequently heard at campaign rallies for
then-presidential candidate John Edwards. The two most frequently heard songs
were "Your Life Is Now" and "Small Town," which was Edwards' official campaign
song. Mellencamp was also a contributor to Edwards' campaign, contributing
$2,000 to his effort in December 2003.
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