The following year, Mellencamp enjoyed more commercial success with Uh-Huh, which became a Top 10 album on the strength of three hit singles: “Crumblin’ Down,” “Pink Houses” and “Authority Song.” Now calling himself John Cougar Mellencamp, he was also garnering stronger critical acclaim for his songwriting abilities.
The videos for both songs were often played on MTV, further boosting the artist's popularity. For “Hurts So Good,” another hit from the album, Mellencamp won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male. His ode to a young couple in middle America, “Jack & Diane,” reached the top of the pop charts. Mellencamp’s big breakthrough came in 1982 with the chart-topping album American Fool. The couple had two daughters, Teddi Jo and Justice, before divorcing in 1989. His first marriage ended in divorce, and he wed Vicky Granucci in 1981. While his career was gaining traction, Mellencamp was going through some changes in his personal life. His next effort, Nothing Matters and What If It Did (1980) had two successful singles, “This Time” and “Ain’t Even Done With the Night.” upon its release with the John Cougar album in 1979. His single "I Need a Lover" became a hit in Australia in 1978, and then a Top 30 track in the U.S.
Mellencamp’s fortunes eventually improved. Mainstream Success: "Jack & Diane" and "Hurts So Good" MCA never released his second album and dropped him from the label, and Mellencamp soon parted ways with DeFries, as well. Derided by critics, Mellencamp was viewed by some as a lesser version of Bruce Springsteen or Bob Seger. The first Johnny Cougar album, Chestnut Street Incident, was released by MCA in 1976, but failed to sell many copies. Mellencamp was not pleased with this decision and would later return to his birth name. DeFries decided to change Mellencamp’s last name to Cougar, believing that it made him more appealing to the record-buying public. After several misfires, the burgeoning musician landed a manager, Tony DeFries, who had worked with the likes of David Bowie. He recorded several demos of his songs and brought them to New York City to launch his career. Mellencamp enrolled at Indiana's Vincennes University and attempted to gain steady employment before returning to his music.
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