Welcome to the Mellencamp Mural

You have landed on the John Mellencamp Mural and Green Space Online Guestbook.

We hope you enjoy your visit and are able to take some time to see and learn more about our “Small Town.”

Since the Mellencamp mural was painted by Indianapolis artist Pamela Bliss in 2019, hundreds, if not thousands, of people have visited from all over Indiana, the U.S. and even from other countries to see it.

This guestbook will allow people to document and share their visits and give us a better idea of how many people are visiting and where they are coming from.

The mural is located on the west-facing side of This Old Guitar Music Store, which was owned by the late Larry McDonald who played in garage bands with Mellencamp when they were young.

John was born Oct. 7, 1951, right here in Seymour and graduated from Seymour High School in 1970. Many of John’s family members still live in Seymour and remain active in the community.

His first album, The Chestnut Street Incident, was released by MCA Records in 1976. Three years later, he had his first big hit with “I Need a Lover.”

The 1982 album American Fool was the year’s best-selling album thanks to songs like “Hurts So Good and “Jack and Diane.”

In 1985, he helped launch Farm Aid to benefit American farmers and made his film debut in 1992, starring in and directing Falling From Grace, much of which was filmed in and around Seymour.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.

Besides music and acting, John Mellencamp is also a celebrated painter and owns the home where the Southern Indiana Center for the Arts is housed in Seymour. His son Speck, is the director of the center.

John Mellencamp continues to write and perform emotional and meaningful songs and recently collaborated with friend Bruce Springsteen for his upcoming 2022 album.

We are proud of John’s work in the arts and the contributions he has made to other causes he supports.