John Mellencamp Coming to Wisconsin State Fair

Wisconsin State Fair officials are excited to announce the third show slated for the Main Stage presented by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino.

Rockin’ in the U.S.A. star and Grammy-winning artist John Mellencamp will sing his setlist of rock ‘n roll classics on Friday, August 4. Mellencamp’s passion for music started at a young age, and his career in music, spanning more than 35 years, has seen him transition from pop star to one of the most highly respected singer/songwriters of a generation. Mellencamp released his first album, The Chestnut Street Incident, in 1976, but rose to stardom with the 1979 hit “I Need a Lover” from the album American Fool, which became the year’s best-selling album.

Known early in his career as John Cougar, he gained fame and climbed the charts with singles like “Jack & Diane” and “Hurts So Good.” He made name for himself while playing more than 1,000 shows in a decade, and eventually transitioned back to his birth name, John Mellencamp. After a brief hiatus in the early ‘90s, he found his way back into the world of rock ‘n roll, and by the early 2000s, released hits like “I’m Not Running Anymore,” “Peaceful World” and “Your Life is Now.” 

In 2008, the 13-time Grammy-nominated artist was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Mellencamp has also been honored with the 2001 Billboard Century Award, the 2004 Woody Guthrie Award and the Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting, among many other accolades.

Outside of the music world, Mellencamp is a dedicated humanitarian. Along with Willie Nelson and Neil Young, he launched Farm Aid in 1985, an annual concert benefitting American family farmers. In 2012, he was honored with the John Steinbeck Award for his contributions to society. Mellencamp also joins Tony Bennett, Billy Joel and Arlo Guthrie as a recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Championship Award. His upcoming full-length album, Sad Clowns & Hillbillies, set to be released on April 21, is his twenty-third over the course of a remarkable career.

Tickets for John Mellencamp will be $59 and $49 and will go on sale on Friday, February 24 at 9:00 AM at WiStateFair.com and the State Fair Ticket Office. The opening act for this show will be announced in the future. All seating for this show is reserved. All Main Stage tickets include fair admission when purchased prior to entering the Fair Park.

The 2017 Wisconsin State Fair will take place Thursday, August 3 through Sunday, August 13.