John Mellencamp To Donate Archives To Indiana University

Bruce Henne | 03-20-2023

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(hennemusic) John Mellencamp will donate an archived collection of his life and work to Indiana University. The collection will include items related to his iconic artistry, social activism and philanthropy, and it holds original creative works, photographs, instruments and other significant memorabilia.

IU President Pamela Whitten announced the news at the Mellencamp Symposium held recently on the IU Bloomington campus. "John's impact on music and American culture is immense," said Whitten. "On behalf of Hoosiers everywhere, I am exceptionally proud of John's lifelong association with IU and deeply grateful to him for selecting the university as the permanent home for his archives. His collection will be an incredible resource for arts scholars and a clear source of inspiration to our students. We are thrilled to honor him and celebrate his many contributions to music, art and IU."

The donation of his archives was one of several announcements made at the one-of-a-kind symposium that brought academic scholars, music industry leaders, journalists and more to campus for a deep dive into the cultural and social impact of Mellencamp's vast oeuvre; the day included interactive talks, panel discussions and a live interview with the Hoosier singer.

A Bloomington resident whose music career spans more than four decades, Mellencamp kicked off his extensive Live and In Person 2023 North American tour at Indiana University Auditorium with two shows early last month.

Mellencamp's latest studio album is 2022's "Strictly A One-Eyed Jack", which features multiple songs co-written with and featuring Bruce Springsteen; he also released a deluxe reissue of his 1985 album classic, "Scarecrow", last fall.

Get more details about the archives and stream the "Small Town" video here.