What is there to be afraid of? The worst thing that can happen is you fail. So what? I failed at a lot of things. My first record was horrible.
~John Mellencamp

I’m your average Joe guy. I don’t really care for politicians.
~John Mellencamp

Induction of John Mellencamp @ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

From Wikipedia:

Also known as	Johnny Cougar John Cougar John Cougar Mellencamp
Born	October 7, 1951 (age 61) Seymour, Indiana, United States
Genres	Rock, heartland rock, roots rock, folk rock,hard rock, folk
Occupations	Musician, singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, harmonica

John Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951) is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock which emphasizes traditional instrumentation. He has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has amassed 22 Top 40 hits in the United States. In addition, he holds the record for the most tracks by a solo artist to hit number-one on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, with seven, and has been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning one. His latest album, No Better Than This, was released on August 17, 2010 to widespread critical acclaim.

Mellencamp is also one of the founding members of Farm Aid, an organization that began in 1985 with a concert in Champaign, Illinois to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on their land. The Farm Aid concerts have remained an annual event over the past 27 years, and as of 2012 the organization has raised over $40 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture.

Mellencamp was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 10, 2008 by Billy Joel. His biggest musical influences are Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, James Brown and The Rolling Stones. Said longtime Rolling Stone contributor Anthony DeCurtis: “Mellencamp has created an important body of work that has earned him both critical regard and an enormous audience. His songs document the joys and struggles of ordinary people seeking to make their way, and he has consistently brought the fresh air of common experience to the typically glamour-addled world of popular music.”

My fav Mellencamp song (Egil) – Rain On The Scarecrow (Live 2008):

… and my favorite (Hallgeir) – Small Town (live, 1987)

Album of the day:  John Mellencamp -Scarecrow (1985):

Other October 07:

El Corazón (English: The Heart) is the seventh album by country rock underground icon Steve Earle, released in 1997.

Released	October 7, 1997
Genre	Country rock, Roots rock, Country
Length	45:07
Label	Warner Music
Producer	Twangtrust

 

Dale Watson (born October 7, 1962 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American alternative country/Texas Country singer, guitarist, songwriter, and self-published author based in Austin, Texas. He is championed “Ameripolitan” as a new genre of original music and positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music. As a result, his record sales have been slow, but he has become a favorite of critics and alt-country fans.

Uncle Dave Macon (October 7, 1870 – March 22, 1952), born David Harrison Macon—also known as “The Dixie Dewdrop”—was an American banjo player, singer, songwriter, and comedian. Known for his chin whiskers, plug hat, gold teeth, and gates-ajar collar, he gained regional fame as a vaudeville performer in the early 1920s before going on to become the first star of the Grand Ole Opry in the latter half of the decade.

– Egil & Hallgeir