An Honest Man’s Podcast Talkin’ Mellencamp

Episode 16 - A Sneak Preview of the John Mellencamp Lyric Book

Thanks to the good folks at Rizzoli New York, Don and Mike were given an advance copy of the upcoming Mellencamp lyric book titled "The John Mellencamp Songbook - 50 Year

Episode 15 - Dancing Words Tour Recap and Possible 2027 Deep Cuts Tour

Don and Mike look back on the end of The Dancing Words Tour, preview Farm Aid 2026, and discuss a possible no hits, all deep-cuts theater tour in 2027 that has been discu

Episode 14 - Dancing Words Tour Song-By-Song Setlist Breakdown

Don and Mike have both witnessed John Mellencamp's 2026 Dancing Words Tour in person, and it's spectacular. In this episode, they break down the much-speculated setlist s

Episode 13 - Mellencamp in the Movies

Don and Mike discuss the three movies John has starred in along with his numerous contributions to movie soundtracks. As a bonus, they share a complete version of the ult

Episode 12 - Mellencamp in the 90's

Don and Mike discuss and break down John's output during the 1990's - a decade in which Mellencamp himself says his records were "uneven."

Episode 11 - An In-Depth Look at the Lost Masterpiece "Orpheus Descending"

Don and Mike take a song-by-song look into Mellencamp's latest release - 2023's "Orpheus Descending," which was named after a Tennessee Williams play and takes a dark loo

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 10 - Scarecrow vs. Born In The USA

Don and Mike compare and contrast Mellencamp's 1985 opus "Scarecrow" with Bruce Springsteen's 1984 mega-hit "Born In The USA," as they examine the similarities and differ

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 9 - The Top 10 Mellencamp Tours

What are the best tours John Mellencamp and his band ever embarked on? Don and Mike provide their top 10 list, complete with setlist highlights and interesting facts you

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 8 - A Deep Dive Into "American Fool"

Don and Mike go track-by-track through John's 1982 mega-hit album "American Fool," which went to No. 1, contained three huge hit singles, and was that year's best-selling

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 7 - Under The Covers

Don and Mike discuss their favorite cover songs by John Mellencamp. From folk songs, hard rock, gospel, soul, R&B, and much more, Mellencamp has covered a wide swath of m

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 6 - The Pat Peterson Interview

Don and Mike visit with long-time Mellencamp band member Pat Peterson, who contributed her soulful background vocals to John's band for nearly a quarter century (1982-200

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 5 - The John Mellencamp/George Green Collaboration

Don and Mike discuss the recent release of the previously unheard 1977 Mellencamp outtake "I Just Wanna Be Black" and then dive deep into the songs that John co-wrote wit

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 4 - Songs Inspired By The Midwest

Don and Mike break down the Mellencamp songs most inspired by John's Midwest roots.

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 3 - Deep Cuts

Don and Mike go beyond the hits and select their favorite Mellencamp deep cuts - songs that aren't widely known, but that all Mellencamp fans need to seek out.

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 2 - The Dancing Words Tour Setlist

Don and Mike create a potential setlist for the 2026 Dancing Words Greatest Hits Tour. What songs will John and the band play? What songs would Don and Mike like to hear?

An Honest Man's Podcast Episode 1 - The Dancing Words Tour

John Mellencamp fans Don Wilson - lead singer of the Mellencamp tribute band Mellencougar - and Mike Rainey discuss the upcoming Dancing Words Greatest Hits that is set t