John Mellencamp Set To Perform At The Primary Wave Music Pre-Grammy Party to Celebrate 20 Years Presented by VENU

Will join performances by Trombone Shorty, and DJ sets from CeeLo & Grandmaster Flash, as well as additional surprise performances to be announced

Event returns to the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills on Saturday, January 31, 2026

(Jan 15, 2025) – Los Angeles, CA) - The leading independent publisher of iconic and legendary music in the world, Primary Wave Music, announced today that Rock and Roll and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee and recipient of the Woody Guthrie and John Steinbeck Awards, John Mellencamp, will perform live at its annual pre-Grammy party at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills in partnership with VENU on January 31, 2026. Mellencamp joins performances from Grammy-nominated Trombone Shorty, very special DJ sets from CeeLo Green and Grandmaster Flash, The Architect of Hip Hop, and additional unforgettable surprise performances throughout the evening to be announced.

"Having grown up listening to his amazing music, we are thrilled and grateful to have John Mellencamp join this year’s 20th anniversary pre-Grammy party,” said Larry Mestel CEO & Founder of Primary Wave Music. "This milestone year is all about recognizing our family of legendary artists who define our company with unforgettable performances and a few surprises along the way. John’s performance will make this evening one of our most memorable yet.”

The highly anticipated event will celebrate 20 years of Primary Wave’s legendary roster and vast catalog of over 1000-Top 10 singles and over 400 #1 hits across the history of music and feature exclusive live performances.

Mellencamp’s appearance comes on the heels of his recent announcement of his landmark tour this summer—Dancing Words Tour — The Greatest Hits taking place across 19 U.S. cities. The tour, produced by Live Nation, marks the first time Mellencamp will be performing all his most beloved songs in a single night, some of which haven’t been played live in many years. Watch the cinematic tour trailer featuring Sean Penn HERE. For more information, visit vipnation.com

The Primary Wave Pre-Grammy party is presented by VENU. VENU (NYSE: American: VENU) is a premier owner, operator, and developer of luxury, experience-driven entertainment destinations. VENU is thrilled to support Primary Wave’s impressive 20-year journey and looks forward to continuing to work closely with Primary Wave as a new partner to bring artist-inspired experiences to VENU's premium entertainment venues nationwide. 

The star-studded event will unite industry A-listers and entertainment icons to celebrate music's biggest night. Adding to the excitement, Primary Wave will celebrate Primary Wave artist on January 31, 2026  and host its own version of the viral Whitney Houston drum challenge, inviting guests to try and hit RIcky Nelson’s iconic drumbeat before the final chorus of “I Will Always Love You” — a viral moment that has taken over social media and made headlines in The New York Times.

Additional sponsors of the evening include ASCAP, Borghetti, Fernet-Branca, FIJI Water, JUSTIN Wine, Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment, and Mucinex. 

About Primary Wave

The Home of Legends.

Primary Wave Music is the leading independent publisher of iconic and legendary music in the world. The company is home to some of the most iconic songwriters, artists, and record labels across the history of recorded music including Bob Marley, Prince, Stevie Nicks, Notorious B.I.G., James Brown, The Doors, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, Smokey Robinson, Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, Bing Crosby, Dave Brubeck, Luther Vandross, Olivia Newton-John, Patti LaBelle, Isaac Hayes, Andre 3000, Ric Ocasek, The Cars, Axl Rose, Steven Van Zandt, Aerosmith, Def Leppard, America, War, Teddy Pendergrass, Count Basie, Traveling Wilburys (Bob Dylan), Donny Hathaway, Joey Ramone, Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots), Jerry Jeff Walker, Bob Burns (Lynyrd Skynyrd), George Brown (Kool & The Gang), Sly & The Family Stone, Boston, Alice Cooper, Paul Anka, Boy George and Culture Club, Allee Willis, Paul Rodgers, Free, The Cranberries, Steve Cropper, Sarah McLachlan, Alice In Chains, Air Supply, Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Julian Casablancas (The Strokes), Huey Lewis and the News, Itzhak Perlman, PF Sloan, Glenn Gould, Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors, Disturbed, George Merrill & Shannon Rubicam, Steve Porcaro, Styx, Keith, Forsey, Jeff Porcaro, Chuck Mangione, Pat Metheny, Chris Isaak, Sun Records, Times Music (subsidiary of the Times of India Group), Nas Nuvens Catalog, and many more. The songs represented by Primary Wave include over 1000 Top 10 singles, and over 400 #1 hits. Since its inception in 2006, Primary Wave Music has embraced an entrepreneurial spirit, offering, and executing proactive one-of-a-kind ideas, unique services, and marketing campaigns for our artists. Primary Wave has earned a stellar reputation for being forward thinking and re-introducing classic artists and their music into the modern marketplace as well as nurturing young talent to become legends themselves. This success is based upon our team of seasoned and creative executives collaboratively working together closely with our artists as partners. As a company, we strive for excellence in the pursuit of iconic artists and catalogs that not only reflect great artistry, but impact and influence culture.