John Mellencamp Surprising Fans With This Amazing Talent
Most of the world knows John Mellencamp for being a great musician. But it turns out that he’s a pretty darn good painter too. Dan’s Papers is a lifestyle publication based…
John Mellencamp
Kevin Winter / Staff via Getty ImagesMost of the world knows John Mellencamp for being a great musician. But it turns out that he's a pretty darn good painter too.
Dan’s Papers is a lifestyle publication based out of the East Coast area. This month, on November 17, they released the 62nd volume of the magazine. And the picture that was on the cover immediately got a lot of attention from the public. Partially because of the unique talent shown in the artwork. And partially because of who the art was attributed to.
The artwork shows a neo-expressionist painting of a young women with her hand on her chin. At the bottom of the cover photo is the caption "Art By John Mellencamp". It turns out that Mellencamp has been dabbling in art since he still had the Cougar in his name. The particular piece of artwork on the magazine cover is titled Kiki. And was done out of oil paints, house paints and charcoal, Dan's Papers revealed.
Mellencamp first starting painting in the 1980's, according to the art gallery that represents him.
Through an interview with Avalon Ashley Bellos, Dan's Papers said that he was heavily inspired by German expressionists. Bellos is the gallery director for an East Coast based art gallery called DTR Modern Gallery, which represents Mellencamp's work.
Bellos told Dan's Papers that Kiki was the first painting that Mellencamp showed to the gallery owner, Ted Vassilev. Even though he had been talking with the Jack & Diane singer for almost a decade about displaying his art. It finally came to fruition this year, when Vassilev visited Mellencamp's compound to procure the artist's collection.
And Kiki is just one of many paintings Mellencamp has contributed to the gallery. His artwork is mostly of humans, and shows a depth of emotion quite difficult for many to capture in a painting. You can see all of his art on the DTR Modern Gallery website.
Want more John Mellencamp news? Try this one.
Iconic Drummer Kenny Aronoff Talks About Relationship With John Mellencamp
Kenny Aronoff is one of the most sought-after drummers/percussionists in the world. His unique skills and talents transcend all musical genres, and this weekend (Saturday, March 4) he's in Las Vegas, with The Jim Irsay Band.
Aronoff is the "go-to" drummer, and his resume of artists he has both played and recorded with is a “who’s who” of music royalty. From The Rolling Stones, Sting, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Billy Gibbons, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Rod Stewart, and Elton John, to Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, The Smashing Pumpkins, Jon Bon Jovi, Kid Rock, B.B. King, Celine Dion, Steven Tyler, Dave Grohl - and so many, many more. Probably too many to name here to be honest!
Mike and Carla had a really fun conversation with Aronoff. He talked about joining John Cougar (at the time) Mellencamp, recording 10 albums, and touring with him over a 17-year period. Kenny’s innovative style and solid back-beats became the driving force behind Mellencamp’s long run of hits in the ’80s and ’90s.
This weekend Kenny Aronoff joins The Jim Irsay Band for a special performance at the Downtown Las Vegas events center.
Before sports became his life’s work, Jim Irsay was a musician. Born in Chicago’s North Shore suburb of Lincolnwood, he was an eight-year-old concert violinist at the music academy at Northwestern University in nearby Evanston, Illinois.
Irsay told the Las Vegas Sun "I gave it up for sports at the age of 12, much to my mom’s chagrin.” I still got involved with guitar, studied classical guitar and of course rock ‘n’ roll, but I was never in a band. The NFL was always the thing I chased and still is my main job, so to speak, but through it all, there was music. The 63-year-old businessman, philanthropist is principal owner of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts.
Now Irsay is in a band , and they will perform a free concert at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, Saturday night, March 4.
Irsay sings and plays guitar - this weekend he's fronting a group of performers including drummer Kenny Aronoff, bassist Mike Mills (of R.E.M.) and blues guitarist and singer Kenny Wayne Shepherd, country superstar Vince Gill, ZZ Top legend Billy Gibbons and Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills & Nash - who will do a tribute to David Crosby.
The concert is free and open to the public. You can get tickets right here!
Here are a few songs the iconic Kenny Aronoff played on -
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