About this item
Throughout his prolific career, John Mellencamp has performed more than twenty Top 40 hits, has been nominated for thirteen Grammy Awards, and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Hits like "Jack and Diane," "Small Town," and "Cherry Bomb" are iconic American songs that have played an important role in defining midwestern music and developing the rock genre. Despite his critical and commercial success, however, the rough guy from a small town writing songs about everything he "learned about living" is often omitted from the ranks of America's songwriting elite.In Mellencamp, David Masciotra explores the life and career of one of America's most important and underrated songwriters, persuasively arguing that he deserves to be celebrated alongside artists like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Bob Dylan.
About the Author
David Masciotra is the author of five books, including "I Am Somebody: Why Jesse Jackson Matters" (I.B. Tauris) and "Mellencamp: American Troubadour" (University Press of Kentucky) . He has written for Salon, the Progressive, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and many other publications on politics, the arts, and history. Visit www.davidmasciotra.com.
