Yes, today the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced John Cougar Mellencamp among its nominees for the Class of 2008. Johnny Coogs, as I like to call him, is one of my favorite songwriters, period.

Need I remind you: . . .Mellencamp became the first artist since the Beatles to have two simultaneous Top 5 hits with “Hurts So Good” and “Jack and Diane” off his 1982 breakthrough, American Fool.

Heck, I might even get a Gibson Dove some day because of this guy.