JOHN MELLENCAMP DISCUSSES CREATIVE PROCESS WITH
BOB COSTAS AT THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
TO JUMPSTART ALL-STAR LINEUP FEATURED IN
NEW PUBLIC TELEVISION SERIES, WITH
Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi with David Fricke;
Peter Frampton with Trey Bruce at Analog at Hutton Hotel;
Mike Campbell + Angus Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC with Fricke
Among Lineup of Stars Sharing Intimate Conversations &
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Artistic Process
With Premieres on Public Television Nationwide Beginning July 1,
Check Local Listings; Watch the Trailers and Extras on YouTube
+ Full Episodes at WithTheShow.com
On the heels of the arrival of his 25th full-length studio album Orpheus Descending, artist John Mellencamp sits down with journalist Bob Costas for the premiere of the new intimate, one-hour public television series With, directed by Emmy Nominated Patrick Heaphy. The series premieres nationwide on public television tomorrow, July 1 (check local listings) and full episodes will also be available to stream weekly on WithTheShow.com.
Featuring vulnerable conversations pairing music icons with fellow creators, musicians and friends for a candid glimpse inside the creation of their most beloved hits, With will feature five episodes of unheard stories, additionally pairing Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi with David Fricke; Peter Frampton with Trey Bruce at Analog Hutton Hotel; Mike Campbell with Fricke; and Angus Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC with Fricke. Discussing the songwriting process, challenges within the music industry and philosophy behind their art, artists peel back the curtain, exposing the perseverance that goes into creating their music.
In the season opener, musician and longtime painter John Mellencamp talks with journalist Bob Costas about fame and his dual paths of creativity, being an upstander, having control over one’s art, breaking the rules, and his influences from Woody Guthrie to German Expressionism to his grandmother. Filmed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Mellencamp expresses both sides of his artistry as he plays his guitar amidst a selection of his self-portraits and drawings assembled for the episode.
“John is a great artist, and to deal in understatement, an interesting and opinionated man,” mused Costas. “As it happens, we have known each other for more than 30 years and this is the latest of many interviews we have done together. Given the setting and the stage of John's life and career, it stands out as one of the most memorable.”
“It is an honor to have John Mellencamp and Bob Costas at The Metropolitan Museum of Art,” shares Don Maggi, executive producer of With. “John was our first choice to film at The Met to honor his achievements in his music and painting career.”
With is a production of Don Maggi with iMaggination, Inc. and directed by Patrick Heaphy of LCM247, and is distributed nationally by the National Educational Television Association (NETA). With was made possible by support from The Hutton Hotel Nashville Tennessee and Heavens Door Whiskey.
With Season 1 premiere dates (for TV, check local listings):
July 1 – John Mellencamp WITH Bob Costas
July 8 – Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi WITH David Fricke
July 15 – Peter Frampton WITH Trey Bruce
July 22 – Mike Campbell WITH David Fricke
July 29 - Angus Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC WITH David Fricke
About John Mellencamp:
John Mellencamp, with his career in music spanning more than 35 years, is one of the most highly respected singer/songwriters of a generation. Mellencamp is incredibly acclaimed; he is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, a recipient of the John Steinbeck Award, the ASCAP Foundation’s Champion Award, The Woody Guthrie Award, the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award and, more recently, the Founders Award—the top honor assigned by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He is also one of the most successful live concert performers in the world. In 1985, Mellencamp, together with Willie Nelson and Neil Young, created Farm Aid. The social activism reflected in his songs helped catalyze Farm Aid, the concert series and organization that has addressed the struggle of American family farmers for more than 25 years.
John continues to focus on another facet of his artistic expression: painting. His style has progressed over the years as evidenced by several gallery shows and published portfolios, and in recent years he has increased his output by completing over 150 new works. A self-curated book of Mellencamp’s work, John Mellencamp: Paintings and Assemblages, is out now via Rizzoli New York.
"Legends of Rock: John Mellencamp," a permanent exhibition at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, opened last year. There, Mellencamp confirmed his massive “Live and In Person 2023” tour, which completed a stunning 77 date run. LA Weekly said, “Mellencamp strode out looking for all the world like a Brando or a Paul Newman or a James Dean—a Misfit who managed to find his place in the world through his music.
A reissue of his seminal album Scarecrow is out now to critical praise, and features a wealth of bonus tracks, rarities and more. Mellencamp's 25th full-length studio album Orpheus Descending was released June 16 via Republic Records. It was recorded at his own Belmont Mall Studio and produced by Mellencamp. One of his most personal records to date, standout tracks “Hey God” and “The Eyes of Portland” focus on social issues Mellencamp continues to passionately advocate for.
Mellencamp continues his journey as the walking embodiment of rock icon; passionate, plain-spoken, and a self-proclaimed rebel. John Mellencamp continues to live and work in Bloomington, Indiana.
About Bob Costas:
Bob Costas has won 29 Emmy awards – more than any sports broadcaster. His versatility has been recognized with awards and nominations in the categories of hosting, play-by-play, writing, journalism, interviewing, news, and entertainment. He is the only person ever to have won Emmy’s in news, sports, and entertainment. His news Emmy was awarded for his 2011 interview with Jerry Sandusky, the central figure in the Penn State scandal. His entertainment Emmy came in 1993 for his acclaimed late-night program “Later with Bob Costas.”
Bob’s peers have named him the “National Sportscaster of the Year” a record eight times, and in 2012, he was elected to the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Hall of Fame. Also in 2012, Bob was selected for the Walter Cronkite Award for distinction in journalism. He and Al Michaels are the only sports broadcasters to be so honored. In the summer of 2018, Bob was inducted into the broadcasters’ wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. He joins broadcasting luminaries such as: Vin Scully, Red Barber, Mel Allen, Jack Buck, Ernie Harwell, and Dick Enberg.
From the “Baseball Game of the Week” in the 1980s, through his hosting of the Olympics, the late-night interview program “Later…with Bob Costas,” his programs on HBO, and more, Bob has been a prominent part of the coverage of every major sport over the past three decades. His thoughtful commentaries on a variety of issues have established him as one of his generation’s most distinctive voices.
About NETA:
The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) is a professional association representing 294 member stations in 48 states, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. NETA provides leadership, general audience content, educational services, professional development, and trusted financial management services, including human resources and benefits administration, to individual public media licensees, their affinity groups, and public media as a whole. For more information, visit netaonline.org and follow them on Twitter @NETA_Tweets, Facebook @NETAstations, Instagram @NETA_grams, and LinkedIn @NETAbusiness
About iMaggination, Inc:
Founded by owner Don Maggi, iMaggination Inc has produced music shows and events for over 25 years. Don currently produces television programs for PBS Pledge, NJ PBS, Live at Analog in Nashville and the WITH series.
About LCM:
LCM247 is an award-winning television and film production company founded by Patrick
Heaphy and located in Pearl River, NY. LCM247 develops, creates and produces content for
major brands, award-winning films across a range of genres, TV series for networks, digital
platforms and live stream events. Under the leadership of Patrich Heaphy, LCM247 has established itself as a premiere production company and facility being at the forefront in telling stories that have captivated audiences around the world, from Hank Willkiams Jr. to Tupac Shakur, and Nashville to New York. Upcoming motion pictures in development include Bucky F*cking Dent starring David Duchovny, The Last Girl starring Antonio Banderas, and Brittany Snow’s directorial debut Parachute. For more information visit lcm247.com.
About With:
With explores the concept of collaboration and the impact that relationships and experiences can have on the creative process. The show sheds light on the unseen influences and inspirations that shape an artist's work, from personal relationships and shared experiences to common ideals and visions
