The Roots of an American Rocker tour winds fans through John Mellencamp’s small town. Ain’t T
here aren’t any little pink houses ! on The Roots of an American ! Rocker, a tour in Seymour, Ind., ! but there is a whole lot of John TMellencamp nostalgia. Located about an hour-and-a-half south of Indianapolis off Interstate 65, Seymour (population 18,500) is the kind of sleepy little Hoosier town time seems to have forgotten, populated with friendly folks, old-fashioned main street storefronts, historical homes, century-old churches and a set of rail- road tracks. The Grammy Award-winning Mel- lencamp was born here on Oct. 7, 1951; his family’s German ancestors settled in Seymour in the 1850s and descen- dants still live in the area today. Mellencamp cut his musical teeth by playing dances in church basements and other venues around town. In 1976, he released his first album, Chestnut Street Incident, as Johnny Cougar, fol- lowing it up with several chart-topping records, including American Fool, Uh- Huh, Scarecrow and The Lonesome Jubilee. Mellencamp’s earnest, humble style and dedication to the farming industry have established him as a voice of Midwesterners, and his distinc- tive, down-to-earth sound has become an indelible thread in the fabric of American music. Fans—affectionately called Mellen-
JACKSON COUNTY VISITOR CENTER VISITOR COUNTY JACKSON heads—make regular pilgrimages to
28 HOME&AWAY JULY/AUG 2014 ITY SIGNAGE BY AMY LYNCH C MY LYNCH / MY LYNCH Ain’t That America? A
see firsthand where their idol grew up Mellencamp songs provide a sound- and got his start, leading the Jackson track between the stops. County Visitor Center to put together Although some locations, such as the an hour-long driving tour called The Rok-Sey Roller Skating Arena and Roots of an American Rocker. Shields Junior High School, have long since gone to pasture, many are still ELLENCAMP AND SIBLINGS ELLENCAMP M
On Tour alive and well. Visitors can get a / CVC “The tour began as a small flyer glimpse of the eight-room farmhouse J around 1999,” said Jane Hays, the Jack- Mellencamp references in Cherry son County Visitor Center’s public Bomb, order a burger to eat in the car relations manager. “Much later, the at the retro Rockford Ridge Drive-In or subject of an audio version of the tour belly up to the counter at Larrison’s was discussed by our visitor center Diner for an old-fashioned ice cream board, and production began around soda. 2010.” Music isn’t the only medium in which An audio CD, available from the Mellencamp has made a name for him- HURCH visitor center at 100 N. Broadway St. self; he’s also an accomplished artist. C for $13.99, provides commentary and Several paintings—along with a guitar, directions for a self-guided driving tour concert posters and other memorabil- RESBYTERIAN that takes in 14 local sites. ia—remain on permanent display at the P IRST “We’ve had fans from all over the Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, F country, and even Australia, visit and one of the later stops on the tour. request the CD,” Hays said. “Any Mellencamp fan knows where AMY LYNCH / AMY LYNCH During the tour, visitors take a peek he’s from, and he doesn’t hesitate to talk at Mellencamp’s childhood home, the and brag about his ‘small town,’” Hays hospital where he was born, schools he said. “Seymourians are proud of John attended and a few of his favorite teen- Mellencamp. He’s a hometown boy who age hangouts. Some locations will look went far.” familiar to more astute fans, having served as backdrops for some of Planning Your Trip Mellencamp’s music videos and film For more information about The sites for his semi-autobiographical Roots of an American Rocker tour, NDIANA CENTER FOR THE ARTS THE NDIANA CENTER FOR 1992 feature movie Falling from Grace. call (812) 524-1914 or visit www.jackson I Family members and former school- countyin.com. H&A OUTHERN S
mates offer insightful anecdotes and / CVC
narration, and snippets of familiar Amy Lynch is a writer from Indianapolis, Ind. J
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