John Mellencamp Announces 19-Date Greatest Hits Tour Across U.S. Amphitheaters

John Mellencamp announced Wednesday he will embark on a 19-date run of U.S. amphitheaters this summer for his Dancing Words Tour — The Greatest Hits. The 74-year-old rocker revealed plans to perform his biggest collection of hits in decades.

The tour kicks off July 10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and wraps up Aug. 12 in Mountain View, California. Stops include Tinley Park, Illinois, on July 11 and Hollywood Bowl on Aug. 10.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer released a short film starring Sean Penn to announce the tour. Penn and Mellencamp sit in a diner as the rocker debates doing a greatest hits run.

"God forbid you become generous with your hits and the soundtrack of people's lives," Penn said. "I can't imagine you would do that. Maybe actually let yourself enjoy it. Just because they're hits doesn't mean they're not great songs."

Twenty-two songs from Mellencamp made Billboard's Top 40 between 1979 and 1996. Ten cracked the Top 10, with "Jack & Diane" spending four weeks at No. 1 in 1982.

"I quit playing 'Jack & Diane' for a long time. And then, a few years ago, one of the guys in the band said, let's play it and see what happens. The place went nuts," he said, according to the AP.

Mellencamp plans to perform "Jack & Diane" as a soul mashup on the tour. He has no plans to extend the dates or take the shows overseas.

"I like the first 20 shows. And then all of a sudden it turns into something else. It turns into a job for me."

Tickets go on sale Jan. 23 at 10 a.m. local time at mellencamp.com. A Citi presale begins Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. and runs through Jan. 22. Live Nation will produce the tour.