1 day Ago By Erica Jean
A father from the age of 19 and a grandfather since he was 37, Mellencamp has spent most of his life surrounded by family, often taking his children on the road with him on tour John Mellencamp, the man behind hits including “Jack & Diane” and “Hurts So Good”, has built his legacy on heartland rock. But nothing matters more to him than family. “I’ve never cared about my image – just about my family, my kids,” Mellencamp told People in 2017.
Meet his five children, the eldest of whom he had while still a teenager. Michelle Mellencamp Even before he shot to stardom, Mellencamp’s life was far from typical: he became a father at just 19. Fresh out of high school, he eloped with his pregnant girlfriend, Priscilla Esterline; and on December 4, 1970, they welcomed their first child, Michelle.
Like her father, Michelle became a parent young, giving birth to her daughter Elexis at 18. “I’ve been a grandfather for so long it’s as normal to me as being a man,” Mellencamp told People in 2000. “I swear in front of the kids and playing in a rock band is probably not very grandfatherly.
” Michelle had her son Colin in 1994, followed by daughters Hannah in 1996 and Grace in 1998. Teddi Mellencamp Eleven years after Michelle was born, Mellencamp married actress Victoria Granucci and welcomed his second daughter, Teddi Jo..
