John Mellencamp to release career-spanning lyric book with foreword by Stephen King
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee John Mellencamp will release a comprehensive lyric book titled “John Mellencamp: The Songbook: 50 Years of Song and Poetry” on Sept. 29, publisher Rizzoli New York announced Monday.
The volume features a foreword by author Stephen King and offers a deep dive into Mellencamp’s archives, spanning five decades of his career. The book pairs the lyrics of his most famous anthems with previously unpublished personal photographs, handwritten drafts, and notes.
Mellencamp and Rizzoli are partnering to support Farm Aid by donating a portion of all pre-sales made through the Rizzoli Bookstore during the month of April. Mellencamp co-founded the organization in 1985 alongside Willie Nelson and Neil Young to support American family farmers.
The announcement comes as the singer-songwriter prepares for his “Dancing Words Tour—The Greatest Hits,” which begins July 10. The 19-city Live Nation-produced tour will feature Mellencamp performing his most popular songs in a single night, including tracks that have not been played live in several years. The trek includes stops at the Hollywood Bowl, the Ruoff Music Center in Indianapolis, and Northwell at Jones Beach Theater.
The 74-year-old musician was recently honored with the 2026 iHeartRadio Icon Award, adding to a list of accolades that includes the Woody Guthrie Award, the John Steinbeck Award, and the ASCAP Founders Award.
In addition to the Farm Aid donation, fans who pre-order the book in April will be entered into a raffle to win a signed copy. Additional information regarding the tour and the publication can be found at Mellencamp.com.
John Mellencamp Dancing Words Tour – The Greatest Hits
July 10 /// Grand Rapids, MI /// Acrisure Amphitheater
July 11 /// Tinley Park, IL /// Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
July 13 /// Kansas City, MO /// Morton Amphitheater
July 14 /// Shakopee, MN /// Mystic Lake Amphitheater
July 16 /// Clarkston, MI /// Pine Knob Music Theatre
July 18 /// Noblesville, IN /// Ruoff Music Center
July 19 /// Cincinnati, OH /// Riverbend Music Center
July 21 /// Cuyahoga Falls, OH /// Blossom Music Center
July 24 /// Mansfield, MA /// Xfinity Center
July 25 /// Holmdel, NJ /// PNC Bank Arts Center
July 26 /// Wantagh, NY /// Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
July 29 /// Bristow, VA /// Jiffy Lube Live
July 30 /// Charlotte, NC /// Truliant Amphitheater
August 1 /// Alpharetta, GA /// Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
August 3 /// Tampa, FL /// MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 6 /// Houston, TX /// The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 9 /// Phoenix, AZ /// Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
August 10 /// Hollywood, CA /// Hollywood Bowl
August 12 /// Mountain View, CA /// Shoreline Amphitheatre
