This is Pharazon, but I thought I’d switch characters to respond .
Yeah, he used to live east of town between Bloomington and brown county (used to go past going to brown county state park and [little] Nashville, IN), but as far I know he lives on Monroe Reservoir south of town and has for quite a few years. I’m quite familiar with Bloomington, since I went to college there. I never personally met Johnny Cougar, but I saw he a couple of times. I have a high school + college friend who still lives just west of Bloomington very near where three of us lived just after graduating college, and the few times I visit him a year (really should visit more…), I kind of hope to see Mellencamp at the mall or maybe if I stop at Kroger for something on the way to or from my friend’s house…but I haven’t seen him in the 9-ish years I’ve been back in southern Indiana. Maybe if I went to the Bluebird some evening I’d see him, but I don’t drink anymore (I’m a alcoholic and abused it along with my prescriptions at the time…) and haven’t since Nov '07. I’ve only been a bar once since…and it was the Bluebird there in Bloomington to see Jamey Johnson with the mentioned friend his brother (I could probably go to bars/taverns and be fine at this point…but just I just don’t trust myself with it…that was a special occasion because it was the first time his brother was doing something like this in public since becoming blind…).
Anyway, I’ve seen John Mellencampin in concert once when he and John Fogerty performed together in Indianapolis in that time period (though I like ole Johnny Cougar, I went specifically to see John Fogerty: I had driven to seen him before that during his Deja Vu tour stop in Peoria, and I’ve been once more to see him a couple of years ago when performed again in Indianapolis). I have a friend who works for a family who owns both a trucking company and a limousine/party-bus livery across from Louisville, and I know John’s sister Laura has hired vehicles during the Derby on John’s behalf. Don’t know if they still do that or not during the Derby, since my friend hasn’t mentioned much about that part of the business in a while.
I enjoyed it (and the cover of Young Lust which I listened too; one of my favorite songs)! My favorite of Johnny Cougar’s is Rain on the Scarecrow since it was so pertinent at the time and through to today around these parts. Second favorite is I Need a Lover, but I do enjoy many of his other songs and albums.
I like Taylor’s more recent stuff. She’s actually written songs that don’t have to do with her crying into her pillow or her collection of billionaire cats. That being said… she reminds me of the the line from Suicide Squad: “That’s a whole lot of Pretty and a whole lot of Crazy.”
Kid Rock? Good for listening to while you’re on the freeway in your car.
Country music in general? I like it when I’m at the bar. Of course, I haven’t been to a bar in a while.
Corb Lund.
Chris Stapleton.
Matt Mason.
Cody Hibbard.
Cody Jinks.
Whiskey Myers.
Bryan Martin.
The Dead South.
Tim Montana.
Classic country singers I’ve always liked:
Stompin’ Tom Connors.
Hank Snow.
Ian Tyson.
Willie Nelson.
Waylon Jennings.
Kris Kristofferson.
Johnny Cash.
Dolly Parton.
John Denver.
There’s probably more honestly…
Edit: Yup! Forgot Tim Montana.
Edit #2: Also I’ll just say Darius Rucker gets an Honorable Mention for ‘Wagon Wheel’ because while I’ve never thought of him as a ‘Country Singer’ myself that song was pretty country and pretty dang good.
Edit #3: Jeez… This will be the last update I swear to Ian Tyson.
I’m just going to say that I liked “Fist City” better.
And here’s a “compare-and-contrast” set for you: Dolly Parton begging the other woman to leave her man alone in “Jolene”, versus Loretta Lynn offering the other woman a chance to taste-test her knuckles in “Fist City.”
I also enjoy country music by forgotten 80’s rockers who decided country music was the only way to maintain their music career. This guy was the lead singer for the band Cinderella in the 80’s.
You have far greater knowledge of him than I do, and I can’t help but be a little bit envious. You have your John stories, and I have my Steven ones.
I truly appreciate that you enjoyed the songs that I managed to record over the years. I borrowed my friend’s acoustic to record Pink Houses. The same friend played and sang most of Young Lust. I played lead guitar, drums, and backing vocals. It’s one of my all time favorite songs.
At my age it was really nice to relive my younger years and capture it for posterity, and to also get an opportunity to share my passion from time to time with nice people such as yourself.
Side note: my great aunt recorded this song among a couple of others that were popular for a time. Her sister, my 86 year old aunt, still sings around the country, mostly in Christian competitions/celebrations.
I am not a real fan of country music, especially modern iterations. But there are a few older artists I love. I always preferred my country music to have a story.
My all time favorite artist for the genre was Marty Robbins.
Now it’s not full on country, and is more on the side of folk, but Shawn James makes some damn nice music.
A few examples: Curse of the Fold, Through the Valley, and Midnight Dove
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I enjoyed it (and the cover of Young Lust which I listened too; one of my favorite songs)! My favorite of Johnny Cougar’s is Rain on the Scarecrow since it was so pertinent at the time and through to today around these parts. Second favorite is I Need a Lover, but I do enjoy many of his other songs and albums.
I couldn’t find a Lighter Emoji so I guess we’re going Medieval.
