Kenny Chesney, John Mellencamp both hit town Thursday

Music fans have their choice of seeing two big-name artists in town this week.

One is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a humanitarian, whose populist brand of roots rock has engaged fans for more than 40 years.

The other is a mega-star county act whose success in the studio is matched only by his success on the road.

Both bring their tours to Fresno on Thursday July 23.

John Mellencamp brings his 80-date “Plain Spoken” tour to Saroyan Theatre, with special guest Carlene Carter.

Kenny Chesney is at Save Mart Center with his “Big Revival” tour, which features openers Jake Owen and Chase Rice.

This is not the first time either act has played Fresno. Mellencamp played at Chukchansi Park in 2009, opening for Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.

Chesney has been in town more recently. He brought his “No Shoes Nation” tour to the Save Mart Center in 2013.

Here, The Bee takes a side-by-side look at the two performers.

John Mellencamp

Best known for

Performing under the names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar and John Cougar Mellencamp (now it’s simply the first and last name), the Indiana native falls alongside the likes of Bruce Springsteen , Tom Petty and Bob Seger in creating a style of heartland rock and roll in the late 1970s. The singer’s radio success started with songs like “Jack and Diane” and “Hurts So Good,” which reached No. 1 and No. 2, respectively on Billboard’s Top 100 charts.

Mellencamp is also known for his role in Farm Aid, the annual benefit concert he started with fellow musicians Neil Young and Willie Nelson in 1985. It celebrates its 30th anniversary on Sept. 19.

The stats

Mellencamp has sold his share of albums (26 million in the U.S.) and produced eight No. 1 singles. More than that, he has racked up an impressive number of critical awards, including the Americana Lifetime Achievement Award and the John Steinbeck Award. He was given Billboard’s Century award in 2001, the Woody Guthrie Award in 2004 and the Champion Award from ASCAP in 2007.

In 2008, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The latest

Just last year, the songwriter inked a “lifetime contract” with Republic Records to release all of his future albums. The first, “Plain Spoken,” was released in September.

What the insider says

Audiences will get their money’s worth seeing Mellencamp’s “Plain Spoken” tour. “And then some,” says Greg Lane , a longtime radio personality, now working for The Wolf, 102.7 FM.

Many people don’t realize how many classic tunes Mellencamp has recorded until they hear them, he says. Mostly, Mellencamp’s longevity as an artist speaks for itself, Lane says.

“He’s one of the true survivors in the industry.”

Trivia

Mellencamp teamed up with horror author Stephen King on the “Ghost Brothers of Darkland County ,” a Southern Gothic musical that debuted in Atlanta in the spring of 2012 and toured in 2014.

Kenny Chesney

Best known for

Chesney is arguably the most popular touring artist in country music. He has built a loyal following (known as the No Shoes Nation) with energetic live shows and spot-on choices of opening acts, which has included everyone from Taylor Swift (in 2007) to Sammy Hagar (2008) and Zac Brown Band (2013).

The stats

Chesney’s “The Big Revival” tour was ranked No. 4 on Pollstar’s mid-year list of the Top 100 North American tours for 2015. According to the trade publication, Chesney averaged 23,054 tickets per show. Just last week, more than 55,000 people showed up to his show at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

Of course, the singer is a success off the road, too. Chesney has amassed 30 Top 10 singles on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts — that includes 25 No. 1 hits.

The latest

“The Big Revival,” released on Columbia Records in September, was No. 1 on the country charts and No. 2 on the Top 200. The album has already spawned three No. 1 songs including “Wild Child,” a duet with Grace Potter. A fourth single, “Save It For A Rainy Day,” was released earlier this month.

What the insider says

Chesney has a special relationship with his fans. It’s one of the things that keeps him on top, says Greg Lane, a DJ with country station The Wolf, 102.7 FM. He may be playing sold-out arenas, but he’s also known to head down to the local bar and do a sit-in with the band, Lane says.

On stage, the singer works hard to give his fans a good time, Lane says.

“With Chesney, you never know what’s going to happen,” he says. “He’s going to give it his all.”

Trivia

The Wall Street Journal once dubbed Chesney the “King of the Road.”

For good reason. His tour bus — which Chesney bought used and continues to travel with — recently hit 1 million miles. The bus, nicknamed Moby, is the subject of the song “If This Bus Could Talk.”

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 10:57 AM with the headline "Kenny Chesney, John Mellencamp both hit town Thursday."