Driving through Jackson County with John

A Mellencamp-inspired audio CD “driving tour” of Jackson County, Indiana, is now available from the Jackson Country Visitor Center.

The hour-long program is entitled “The Roots of an American Rocker” and features stops at many of John’s old stomping grounds and a detailed map of his Seymour hometown. Stops include John’s boyhood home, Larrison’s Diner, Schneck Medical Center, Seymour High School, Emerson Elementary School, First Presbyterian Church, Shields Junior High School, P.J.’s House, Dakota Ridge, Rockford Ridge, Rok-Sey Roller Rink, Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, Grandma Laura’s and One Chamber Square. Several locations were featured in John's film debut "Falling From Grace" or in many of his locally filmed music videos.

The CD soundtrack features snippets of several of John’s songs, along with the voices of various friends and acquaintances who relate their personal stories of John. These include his mother, sister and brother, former teachers and neighbors and a former girlfriend.

Jackson County Visitor Center public relations manager Jane Hays says that the project actually began as a brochure--10 years ago.

“A lot of the places changed since then or disappeared, and we decided to liven it up with personal accounts from people who knew him,” she says.

The CD can be purchased at the Jackson County Visitor Center in Seymour, 100 North Broadway Street. Cost is $13.99. Because of licensing agreements, The CD cannot be shipped outside of Indiana. Click HERE to visit the visitor center online.