Grammy winner John Mellencamp to perform in Kelowna this fall
Grammy Award winner John Mellencamp is including Kelowna in the Canadian leg of his “Sad Clowns and Hillbillies” tour, bringing his band to Prospera Place on Saturday, Nov. 10.
The tour, which began last year in Denver, is in support of his 23rd studio album, which he recorded, in part, with country singer Carlene Carter, daughter of June Carter Cash. Although mostly identified as a rock star, his music has often crossed boundaries into country, folk and pop.
In addition to his Grammy for best rock male performance (“Hurt So Good”), he has been nominated 12 other times. In 2008, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Next month, he will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as, with only a few exceptions, he writes his own material.
The artist previously known as John Cougar hit the Billboard Top 40 singles chart on 21 occasions, first with “I Need A Lover” in 1979 and most recently with “Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)” in 1996. His top 10 hits include “Hurt So Good,” “Jack & Diane,” “Crumblin’ Down,” “Pink Houses,” “Lonely Ol’ Night,” Small Town,” “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A. (A Salute to ’60s Rock),” “Paper in Fire,” “Cherry Bomb” and the Van Morrison cover “Wild Night.”
His commercial and critical peak was in 1983 when the album “American Fool” reached No. 1 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for album of the year (losing to “Toto IV.”) “Jack & Diane,” his only single to reach No. 1, was included on that album.
Among the social causes Mellencamp supports is Farm Aid, which addresses the struggles of American farmers hoping to avoid bank foreclosures. Mellencamp famously wrote a song about the issue, “Rain on the Scarecrow,” a minor hit from his 1985 album “Scarecrow.” He co-founded the Farm Aid concert benefits with Willie Nelson and Neil Young.
Mellencamp often supports Democratic presidential candidates, playing “Pink Houses” at the inauguration party for Barack Obama.
The Canadian leg of his tour features 40 dates, beginning Sept. 26 in Moncton, N.B. Other dates in B.C. include Kamloops, Cranbrook, Victoria, Dawson Creek, Abbotsford and Prince George.
Mellencamp last appeared in the Okanagan in June 2012 when he performed at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.
Tickets for the Kelowna date go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at selectyourtickets.com, by phone at 250762-5050 or in person at the Prospera Place box office.