'Good Samaritan' Mellencamp brings his tour south

John Mellencamp has made eight impromptu stops so far this summer in what he calls his "Good Samaritan" tour, in which he performs classic hits and cover tunes in free hour-long outdoor sets

By Sarah Raskin
CNN.com Writer

ATLANTA (CNN) -- Armed with an acoustic guitar, three back-up musicians, speakers no bigger than those in a home stereo and a kiss from his wife, veteran rocker John Mellencamp took the stage in Centennial Olympic Park on Tuesday, where he delivered a 50-minute set before some extremely happy fans.

Why were they more gleeful than the average concert-goer? Maybe it had to do with the fact that they were within touching distance of Mellencamp as he walked through the crowd. Perhaps it was because the performer gladly autographed CDs, photos, dollar bills and even a license plate from his native Indiana.

Maybe it was because the whole show was free.

QUIZ You may know John Mellancamp's songs by heart, but how well do you know the artist? Test yourself.     QUICKVOTE What's your favorite John Mellencamp song? "Jack and Diane" "Pink Houses" "Small Town" "Get a Leg Up" "Love and Happiness" "Eden is Burning" View Results

Mellencamp has made eight impromptu stops so far this summer in what he calls his "Good Samaritan" tour. In stops in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, Mellencamp has performed classic hits and cover tunes in free, hour-long outdoor sets.

Mellencamp, who's known for his charity work with Farm Aid, the Special Olympics and the Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, said he decided to turn his family's camping vacation into an opportunity to thank fans for their years of support.

"I'm a pretty plain person," he told WorldBeat. "I just do things that I believe in."

The concerts aren't entirely spontaneous - word of his concerts usually hit his Web site three days before Mellencamp put on a show - but are still considered "insider" fare. The shows have drawn 20-year fans of the rocker, whose rise began in the 1980s with such songs as "Hurts So Good" and "Jack and Diane."

Mellencamp's Web site, www.mellencamp.com, reports that he will perform Thursday in his hometown of Bloomington, Indiana, before he returns to a South Florida studio to finish an album.

Mellencamp still running with release of 15th album
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Mellencamp.com

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