He's a philanthropist, an actor, a painter, and a political activist who just happens to be one of the premier singer-songwriters of his generation. And now he's coming to Sioux Falls.

John Mellencamp will perform at the Washington Pavilion, Wednesday night, November 2, 2016. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and GRAMMY winner is criss-crossing North America on his 'Plain Spoken Tour', with special guest Carlene Carter.

Tickets go on sale to the general public, Friday, April 29 at 10:00 AM. You can get tickets at the Washington Pavilion Box Office or by calling (605) 367-6000.

Mellencamp, was born in Seymour, Indiana, in October of 1951. He started his first band at the age of 14, and released his first album, Chestnut Street Incident, in October of 1976, under the stage name Johnny Cougar.

He first cracked the Top 40 with the single 'I Need A Lover', in 1979, and reached superstar status with the release of his fifth album, American Fool, in April of 1982. That album yielded a #2 single, 'Hurts So Good', and the only #1 song of his career, 'Jack and Diane'.

The timing of American Fool coincided with the early days of MTV, putting Mellencamp's videos into heavy rotation , and propelling the album to #1 on the Billboard Chart.

By 1983, he added Mellencamp back to his name, beginning with the Uh-Huh album. Scarecrow and The Lonesome Jubilee followed over the next four years, along with five more Top 10 singles.

In 1985, Mellencamp joined Willie Nelson and Neil Young to found Farm Aid, which has become an annual event, raising more than $48 million for struggling family farmers over the last three decades.

Mellencamp's 20th studio album, Plain Spoken, was released in September of 2014. This month, he is receiving the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Founders Award, which recognizes pioneering songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators.


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