John Williams was born in Floral Park, New York, on February 8, 1932, to John and Esther Towner Williams. A well-known Democratic supporter, Mellencamp had his representatives ask Republican presidential candidate John McCain to stop playing his songs “Our Country” and “Pink Houses” during his rallies, according to People magazine.Hey Kids, Meet John Williams (1932-Present) American Composer, Conductor, and Pianist In 2008, he found his music caught up in the midst of the election-year politics.
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5 on the Billboard charts, Freedom's Road included the ubiquitous single "Our Country," which was featured in a series of Chevrolet commercials and earned a Grammy nomination. The release of a greatest hits album in 2005 seemed to herald a return to the pop culture spotlight, and in 2007 Mellencamp capitalized on the momentum with the unveiling of Freedom’s Road. "Mellencamp's best music is rock 'n' roll stripped of all escapism, and it looks directly at the messiness of life as it's actually lived." He was also honored for his impressive body of work with the 2001 Billboard Century Award. "John Mellencamp is arguably the most important roots rocker of his generation," said Billboard editor-in-chief Timothy White. While no longer a mainstay on the pop charts, the artist continued churning out music that reflected his musings on life and middle age via the albums John Mellencamp (1998), Rough Harvest (1999) and Cuttin' Heads (2001). This subject was especially close to his heart: A co-founder of Farm Aid, an organization dedicated to supporting American family farms, Mellencamp helped organize its first concert in 1985 and remained active on the charity's board.
in the U.S.A (A Salute to 60's Rock)” to the more introspective “Small Town,” to the stormy dirge “Rain on the Scarecrow,” which explored the plight of the family farmer. Mellencamp's next album, the widely acclaimed Scarecrow (1985), featured a mixture of styles, from the uptempo “R.O.C.K. The following year, Mellencamp enjoyed more commercial success with Uh-Huh, which became a Top 10 album on the strength of three hit singles: “Crumblin’ Down,” “Pink Houses” and “Authority Song.” Now calling himself John Cougar Mellencamp, he was also garnering stronger critical acclaim for his songwriting abilities. The videos for both songs were often played on MTV, further boosting the artist's popularity.
For “Hurts So Good,” another hit from the album, Mellencamp won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male. His ode to a young couple in middle America, “Jack & Diane,” reached the top of the pop charts. Mellencamp’s big breakthrough came in 1982 with the chart-topping album American Fool. The couple had two daughters, Teddi Jo and Justice, before divorcing in 1989. His first marriage ended in divorce, and he wed Vicky Granucci in 1981. While his career was gaining traction, Mellencamp was going through some changes in his personal life. His next effort, Nothing Matters and What If It Did (1980) had two successful singles, “This Time” and “Ain’t Even Done With the Night.” upon its release with the John Cougar album in 1979. His single "I Need a Lover" became a hit in Australia in 1978, and then a Top 30 track in the U.S. Mellencamp’s fortunes eventually improved. Mainstream Success: "Jack & Diane" and "Hurts So Good" MCA never released his second album and dropped him from the label, and Mellencamp soon parted ways with DeFries, as well. Derided by critics, Mellencamp was viewed by some as a lesser version of Bruce Springsteen or Bob Seger. The first Johnny Cougar album, Chestnut Street Incident, was released by MCA in 1976, but failed to sell many copies. Mellencamp was not pleased with this decision and would later return to his birth name.
DeFries decided to change Mellencamp’s last name to Cougar, believing that it made him more appealing to the record-buying public. After several misfires, the burgeoning musician landed a manager, Tony DeFries, who had worked with the likes of David Bowie. He recorded several demos of his songs and brought them to New York City to launch his career. Mellencamp enrolled at Indiana's Vincennes University and attempted to gain steady employment before returning to his music.