John Mellencamp The Best That I Could Do 1978-1988 [2 LP]

Personnel: John Mellencamp (vocals); Larry Crane (guitar, harmonica, background vocals); Mike Wanchic, Mick Ronson, Andy York (guitar, background vocals); Lisa Germano, Miriam Sturm (violin); Kenny Aronoff (hammered dulcimer, vibraphone, drums); John Cascella (accordion, keyboards, background vocals); Carroll Sue Hill, Moe Z. (keyboards, background vocals); Brian Bekvar, Eric Rosser, Jay Ferguson (keyboards); Robert Frank, Toby Myers (bass, background vocals); Chocolate Perry, Willie Weeks (bass); Tom Knowles, Rick Shlosser, Dane Clark (drums); Dave Parman, Sarah Flint, Pat Peterson, Crystal Taliefero (background vocals). Producers include: John Punter, Steve Cropper, John Mellencamp, George Green, Don Gehman. Engineers include: John Punter, Bruce Robb, Dee Robb, Don Gehman, George Tutko. Includes liner notes by Timothy White. All tracks have been digitally remastered using HDCD technology. Ever since he burst out of Indiana in the mid-'70s, The Artist Formerly Known As John Cougar never allowed success to smother his humble beginnings as an Indiana boy done good. This inevitable best-of follows him down the long, strange road of his career. Mellencamp's initial success came via a bar-band anthem ("I Need A Lover"). He then turned his attention towards writing about life in the Midwest ("Small Town" and "Pink Houses"). Along the way, the self-named "Little Bastard" embraced roots music by incorporating fiddle and squeezebox into his sound ("Paper In Fire"), setting the stage for the later success of alt-country acts such as Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks. Always a fan of late '60s rock and soul, Mellencamp paid homage to the T.A.M.I. shows of his youth in "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A." and added a cover of Terry Reid's obscure "Without Expression" to this package of otherwise previously released material.

• Genre: Rock
• Format: Vinyl