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.

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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 -