John Mellencamp Reveals Sweet Origin Story of His Unique Family Birthday Present Tradition (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

John Mellencamp in New York City in 2018.Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesThere are no surprises upJohn Mellencamp’s sleeve when it comes to family birthday presents!After the rocker’s daughterTeddi Mellencamp Arroyavetold PEOPLE earlier this month about her dad’s dedication to giving his kids and grandkids thesame gift each year, Mellencamp revealed the tradition’s sweet origins.Each year, the “Jack & Diane” singer, 73, doles out cash based on the age the birthday celebrant is turning; when his granddaughter Slate recently turned 12, she received $12.Mellencamp tells PEOPLE that the tradition stretches all the way back to his own childhood.“That started with my grandmother, who raised me, on my birthday when I was a kid in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” he says. “Every birthday, however old I was, that’s how much money she would give me in dollars. So I just kept it going.”Teddi Jo Mellencamp, John Mellencamp and Justice Mellencamp attend a private viewing of John Mellencamp’s “Life, Death, Love, Freedom” on April 25, 2018 in New York City.Kevin Mazur/GettyFor his recent birthday, his daughter Justice, 39, gave him $73 — in all singles, of course.“Oh yeah. It has to be singles,” he says.Arroyave, 43, confirmed to PEOPLE that there were no multipliers with age when it came to gifting her, Justice, sister Michelle, 53, and brothersHud, 30, andSpeck, 29.“I got $43 this year,” she said. “I do it sometimes back to him, and now that he’s getting up there, it’s pretty pricey. He’s been doing it this way for so many years. I don’t think he’s changing.”John Mellencamp at Indiana University on Oct. 18.James Brosher/Indiana UniversityMellencamp’s legacy as a rock and roll legend was honored on Friday, Oct. 18, when he was honored with a life-size bronze sculpture of himself at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he lives.His kids andgirlfriend Kristin Kehrbergwere in the crowd cheering him on as he performed an acoustic set at IU, from which he received an honorary doctorate in 2000.An art exhibition of oil portraits and multimedia pieces, titledCrossroads: The Paintings of John Mellencamp, is also on display at the IU Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art through Dec. 15.

John Mellencamp in New York City in 2018.Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

There are no surprises upJohn Mellencamp’s sleeve when it comes to family birthday presents!After the rocker’s daughterTeddi Mellencamp Arroyavetold PEOPLE earlier this month about her dad’s dedication to giving his kids and grandkids thesame gift each year, Mellencamp revealed the tradition’s sweet origins.Each year, the “Jack & Diane” singer, 73, doles out cash based on the age the birthday celebrant is turning; when his granddaughter Slate recently turned 12, she received $12.Mellencamp tells PEOPLE that the tradition stretches all the way back to his own childhood.“That started with my grandmother, who raised me, on my birthday when I was a kid in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” he says. “Every birthday, however old I was, that’s how much money she would give me in dollars. So I just kept it going.”Teddi Jo Mellencamp, John Mellencamp and Justice Mellencamp attend a private viewing of John Mellencamp’s “Life, Death, Love, Freedom” on April 25, 2018 in New York City.Kevin Mazur/GettyFor his recent birthday, his daughter Justice, 39, gave him $73 — in all singles, of course.“Oh yeah. It has to be singles,” he says.Arroyave, 43, confirmed to PEOPLE that there were no multipliers with age when it came to gifting her, Justice, sister Michelle, 53, and brothersHud, 30, andSpeck, 29.“I got $43 this year,” she said. “I do it sometimes back to him, and now that he’s getting up there, it’s pretty pricey. He’s been doing it this way for so many years. I don’t think he’s changing.”John Mellencamp at Indiana University on Oct. 18.James Brosher/Indiana UniversityMellencamp’s legacy as a rock and roll legend was honored on Friday, Oct. 18, when he was honored with a life-size bronze sculpture of himself at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he lives.His kids andgirlfriend Kristin Kehrbergwere in the crowd cheering him on as he performed an acoustic set at IU, from which he received an honorary doctorate in 2000.An art exhibition of oil portraits and multimedia pieces, titledCrossroads: The Paintings of John Mellencamp, is also on display at the IU Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art through Dec. 15.

There are no surprises upJohn Mellencamp’s sleeve when it comes to family birthday presents!

After the rocker’s daughterTeddi Mellencamp Arroyavetold PEOPLE earlier this month about her dad’s dedication to giving his kids and grandkids thesame gift each year, Mellencamp revealed the tradition’s sweet origins.

Each year, the “Jack & Diane” singer, 73, doles out cash based on the age the birthday celebrant is turning; when his granddaughter Slate recently turned 12, she received $12.

Mellencamp tells PEOPLE that the tradition stretches all the way back to his own childhood.

“That started with my grandmother, who raised me, on my birthday when I was a kid in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” he says. “Every birthday, however old I was, that’s how much money she would give me in dollars. So I just kept it going.”

Teddi Jo Mellencamp, John Mellencamp and Justice Mellencamp attend a private viewing of John Mellencamp’s “Life, Death, Love, Freedom” on April 25, 2018 in New York City.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

For his recent birthday, his daughter Justice, 39, gave him $73 — in all singles, of course.

“Oh yeah. It has to be singles,” he says.

Arroyave, 43, confirmed to PEOPLE that there were no multipliers with age when it came to gifting her, Justice, sister Michelle, 53, and brothersHud, 30, andSpeck, 29.

“I got $43 this year,” she said. “I do it sometimes back to him, and now that he’s getting up there, it’s pretty pricey. He’s been doing it this way for so many years. I don’t think he’s changing.”

John Mellencamp at Indiana University on Oct. 18.James Brosher/Indiana University

James Brosher/Indiana University

Mellencamp’s legacy as a rock and roll legend was honored on Friday, Oct. 18, when he was honored with a life-size bronze sculpture of himself at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he lives.

His kids andgirlfriend Kristin Kehrbergwere in the crowd cheering him on as he performed an acoustic set at IU, from which he received an honorary doctorate in 2000.

An art exhibition of oil portraits and multimedia pieces, titledCrossroads: The Paintings of John Mellencamp, is also on display at the IU Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art through Dec. 15.

source: people.com