Mellencamp Receives Prestigious “Q Award” in London
John Mellencamp was awarded Q Magazine’s prestigious “Classic Songwriter” title at today’s star-studded 2008 Q Awards with Russian Standard Vodka presentation at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
The award was presented personally by Q editor Paul Rees.
Best known in the U.K. for “Jack and Diane,” Mellencamp said in his acceptance speech, “I wrote that song 30 years ago--that ‘Jack and Diane song’--and people are still playing it. The whole thing about being a songwriter is to show some humility when you are writing a song--you want something that goes into people’s hearts…I’m still hoping to write that song!”
The title places Mellencamp in celebrated company. Billy Bragg won it last year, and previous winners include Elton John and Noel Gallagher of Oasis. Additionally, Mellencamp was in a group of other Q Award winners including Coldplay (Best Act in the World), Grace Jones (Q Legend), Adam Ant (Q Icon) and Glen Campbell (Q Legend).
Mellencamp, along with Coldplay and Campbell, will now appear on the popular “Later…with Jules Holland” BBC-TV program tomorrow—his 57th birthday (to air on Fri, Oct 10th). He will perform “Longest Days” acoustically, and will also perform a five-song acoustic mini-set of songs from “Life, Death, Love, and Freedom” on Wednesday at the famed Borderline club for key radio, retail and press representatives, as well as 20 lucky fans who were able to secure tickets.
There are other promotional activities forthcoming for Mellencamp during this trip. He has not toured the U.K. or Europe since the “Whenever We Wanted Tour” in 1992, though he has returned for similar undertakings in support of “Mr. Happy Go Lucky” in 1996 and “John Mellencamp” in 1999.
Mellencamp, of course, lived in England for a brief time during his early career years when he was making the 1978 album "A Biography." His current travels immediately followed his performance at the Oct. 3 YouthAIDS benefit in Washington, D.C., where he performed six songs in honor of his friend MTV CEO Judy McGrath, who was being honored by the education/prevention group.
The award was presented personally by Q editor Paul Rees.
Best known in the U.K. for “Jack and Diane,” Mellencamp said in his acceptance speech, “I wrote that song 30 years ago--that ‘Jack and Diane song’--and people are still playing it. The whole thing about being a songwriter is to show some humility when you are writing a song--you want something that goes into people’s hearts…I’m still hoping to write that song!”
The title places Mellencamp in celebrated company. Billy Bragg won it last year, and previous winners include Elton John and Noel Gallagher of Oasis. Additionally, Mellencamp was in a group of other Q Award winners including Coldplay (Best Act in the World), Grace Jones (Q Legend), Adam Ant (Q Icon) and Glen Campbell (Q Legend).
Mellencamp, along with Coldplay and Campbell, will now appear on the popular “Later…with Jules Holland” BBC-TV program tomorrow—his 57th birthday (to air on Fri, Oct 10th). He will perform “Longest Days” acoustically, and will also perform a five-song acoustic mini-set of songs from “Life, Death, Love, and Freedom” on Wednesday at the famed Borderline club for key radio, retail and press representatives, as well as 20 lucky fans who were able to secure tickets.
There are other promotional activities forthcoming for Mellencamp during this trip. He has not toured the U.K. or Europe since the “Whenever We Wanted Tour” in 1992, though he has returned for similar undertakings in support of “Mr. Happy Go Lucky” in 1996 and “John Mellencamp” in 1999.
Mellencamp, of course, lived in England for a brief time during his early career years when he was making the 1978 album "A Biography." His current travels immediately followed his performance at the Oct. 3 YouthAIDS benefit in Washington, D.C., where he performed six songs in honor of his friend MTV CEO Judy McGrath, who was being honored by the education/prevention group.