>> evening. tonight kicks off a special week. tavis: this marks the release of john mellencamps album. we'll hear the first of five new songs he's going to share with us, all this week. the new c.d. was recorded in historic places throughout the american south, including the first african baptist church in savannah, georgia and sun studios in memphis. the disk is in stores tomorrow. later on the performance of the first single, save some time. glad you joined us, a conversation with a rock and roll hall-of-famer. the first of five performances this week.

>> three months ago, on the other end, john mellencamp calling me to ask if i would consider doing something special on the show in conjunction with the release of his new record.

took me three seconds or less to say yes to his being on the show tonight and for that matter, every night this week. in addition to his new c.d., no better than this, he's about to celebrate the 25th anniversary, hard to believe, 25 years of farm aid, the fund-raising concerts have raised millions over the years, with this year's event being held in milwaukee on october 2nd. in a few minutes, the rock and roll hall office feam ir-- famer would give us an exclusive view of the the project. you could pick up the boxed set of his greatest hits. it is called "on the rural route" it includes 14 never before released tracts. you have been a busy man this year. >> not much to do in a small town. >> i love that small town. tavis: i met john when i was a student in bloomington, anytime he would show up, oy was in the

front row -- i was there in the front row. it is a blessing to have you on this set. >> blessing to be here. tavis: i want to talk about the songs in a second. let me start by asking about the process, for how you made this. you traveled around the country. you used authentic and old equipment. tell me about the process. >> i was on tour with -- bob dylan and i were on tour together. i had written this song called "save some time to dream." i thought, this is an awfully good song for me, i'll just play is live. i played it and i thought, you know, i'm going to be in this location and that location, and i started looking geographically that i'm going to be in savannah, georgia, where the first -- the first african baptist church is and the underground railroads started. and i'm going to be in memphis,

which sun studios is located which is where -- sam phillips recorded wolf and cash. and i'm going to be -- close to san antonio, which is where robert johnson recorded back in the 30's at the gunter hotel. i started -- thinking. you know, things are on your back. i thought, if we record in these historic locations, then we should use that type of gear. now those guys, like johnson, when they recorded him, they recorded straight to disk. you know. straight to the record. so, i thought that's what we'll do. but that turned out to be problematic in this day since nobody does it anymore. then we went with a 19 -- i think it is a 1954 mono ampex field recording machine.

we recorded in those three locations, with a band, the old-fashioned way. set a microphone up and everybody gathers around and you play. the drums over there. and sam phillips made it easy, because he had x's on the floor -- >> where to stand. >> he did. where the vocalist is supposed to stand and the drum kit. we started playing and we thought, this sounds like a sun session. it sounds like johnny cash. tavis: they said to the ear of those that are fans, what are we going to hear differently on this project, given how you recorded on any other mellencamp project? >> first thing is obvious, it is in mono. mono is everything comes out of -- one place. tavis: right. >> when we were kids or i was a kid, stereo, two speakers. this was like, this was no going back fixing anything.

it was like, you had one shot, and you just had to keep doing it until you got it right. thankfully for me, the musicians around me -- were good enough that a couple of run throughs and we would have the song recorded. tavis: you wrote 13 songs in 13 days? is that true. >> i had to. that's true. once we decided to do it, it wasn't anything. you know me, i've never blanned anything in my life. -- planned anything in my life. it falls out. so, by the time that we -- we decided we were going to do this we were behind schedule. soy called up tebow and said do you -- so i call up tebow. and i said you got time to do this? he said yeah, i can work this in my schedule. everything was made up as we went along. tavis: t-bone, he's busy and everybody -- everybody wants to

work with him. what is the relationship? why does everybody want to work with him? >> i can't speak for anybody else, t-bone and i met and kind of became brothers. you know that, how that works you -- you meet somebody and it is just like, you've known them your entire life. i had been known -- i had known him casually, socially for good 10 years or so, 1015 years, seen him around. but -- when we got in the studio together, it was just like we were connected. it worked. and -- it -- i've never had anybody produce my records. i produced my own. i worked with a guy for a while who was an engineer, who -- who helped me produce records. i have always made my own records. with t-bone, i just -- he could just take on so much responsibility that -- you know, at my age, i don't want to do

anymore. tavis: at this age, you don't want to do it anymore. why has it been important all of these other years to produce your own records? >> i'm a fanatic, i got to control everything. it is nice to be able to -- to meet a guy that you could say, okay, you got it, man. you take it from here. and basically that's what i am able to do with t-bone. tavis: you got to trust that guy. >> i trust him emphatically. i trust him more than i trust myself. because -- my, my, my nature is to put -- is to decorate the christmas tree too much, to put too many ornaments on the tree. t-bone's nature is to -- to undress the tree. tavis: strip it down. >> a lot of times, we're in the studio. and we say, how about we put that on here? it was the first time that anybody ever looked at me in the recording studio and said, john

respect shut up. tavis: how did john handle that? >> the same i would you did, i just started laughing. you know, it was just funny. you know. and we have been friends ever since. you know, socially and professionally. tavis: we're talking about bloomington -- i'm reminded now there's a dali ham ma connection to one of these songs. he came to neend to give a lecture. -- indiana to -- i let you teal the story. it is on the record. >> my wife elaine, the dali lama has come to indiana a couple of times, because the center is there. my wife elaine has always liked his -- escort, she goes with him everywhere and makes sure he's there. you know. so they were having a lunch and

-- lane kind of says to me, do you know you're playing today? at the luncheon. i am? and so, i played a song that -- i play on your show, called "save some time to dream." the dali lama is on stage. he introduces me and i play the song. the greatest thing happened. he changed his entire conversation about what he was going to speak about that day and address the top picks of save some time to dream. tavis: the lyrics. >> the content of the song. how they played and into -- into and were like buddhist philosophy. i'm not buddhist at all. i was really flattered by that, to have the holiest man on earth talking about a song that -- you know -- some dumb kid from indiana wrote. it was pretty astonishing to me. of course, i would look out in

the audience and elaine is going -- like can you believe this? and i'm kind of setting behind the dali lama. he keeps looking back at me and smiling and shaking his head. i'm deaf as a doornail. i can't hear from being in a rock band. i only pick up half of what he's saying. i'm going yeah, yeah. after the fact somebody played me the tape. i was so flattered and humbled by the fact that the holiest guy on earth is like, commenting on one of my songs. 1kwr50 that mean the next -- tavis: the next question needs to tell our audience about the song. >> you can make things go the way you want them to go. the song, i kind 0 -- it came to me and i accepted it the way it was and didn't put any of my little in it.

it was just sent. i didn't try to guide it. it was a surprise to me. about it work sod well that every song on the record ended up being that way. i didn't try to direct the songs to go any particular way. i let them present themselves and followed their path. tavis: what was it like -- i know this church in savannah, the first african baptist church, what is it like recording in that particular locale? this is a place as you mentioned earlier that is probably underground railroad, there are still holes to this day, holes in the floor. they put the holes in the floor so that -- so that the slaves, my ancestors could breathe and not suv cate underneath the floorer -- suv cate where they were being hit out. tell me what it was like recording in that place. >> i'll tell you what it was like to be baptized in the

place. ly a song that said, i ain't beep baptized, ain't got no church. one of the congregation said, you never been baptized? she said would you like to be baptized here? i said yeah. so, this was unbelievable. this congregation -- so unbelievable. it was like a wednesday, and -- i would say probably 20, 30 people took off work i thought i would go in and the minister would baptize elaine and i. they had attendants for me. people came and sang. it it was like a big thing. and -- the kindness -- of these -- of this congregation was -- was -- i think it is what makes the church last. it was so kind and understanding and -- you know, i don't think this is been a lot of white folks in this.

but to be baptized there, i was so honored. elaine and i were so -- the minister was fantastic. i had a couple of guys, great big guys like you -- wanting to change my clothes. i said, guys. i can get dressed myself. they stood there. they were my attendants. tavis: that's what they do in a black church. >> it was great. i wasn't anticipating it. it was -- it was just absolutely a lovely experience and the condefwration, i can't say enough nice things about them. as far as recording going, going on there, well, it was -- there were ghosts all over the place. right across the street from the church, i don't know if you know this but savannah, georgia is one of the most beautiful towns. tavis: my grandfather is from midway. it is so small, that's why they call it that, it is midway between savannah and the next

town. >> there's 22 squares and each square, there's houses and businesses. each square is a park. i believe the square in front of the church is franklin square. well, they have that spanish moss that grows everywhere in savannah, george. it is in every tree, it is everywhere. well the square across from the church was the nothinging square where they nothinged the slaves publicly. there's for spanish moss in the square. if you look real hard like i did, like me and t-bone did, you could still see on the trees the marks. tavis: yeah. >> i don't know if they're really this. i saw them. t-bone saw them. i don't know if the average eye would see them. but i wanted to see them. tavis: does it make a diven when you have a project that -- does it make a difference when you have a pronlect that is

spiritually rooted and grounded. it is not historically rooted but it is spiritual. that makes a difference i assume. >> it does. but like i said, i've never planned anything. so i was very surprised and i think t-bone was surprised. he wrote the liner notes in this. the liner notes at the end just said, this record is full of ghosts. after getting baptized. i didn't know i would feel uplifted for a while. it didn't last forever. but you know, it -- there was a feeling of being uplifted. so it -- it is great to be my age and be able to still be surprised. you know, see something you never seen before. you know, so many people, and myself included, we get into a rut and we see the same thing, do the same thing.

don't want to change anything. i'm that way too you know. but to be able to be surprised. and to be uplifted for a moment. don't get any better than that. tavis: speaking of surprise and uplifting, you have uplifted so many people over the 25 years with farm aid, are you surprised that it has gone that long? >> well i'm going to take this moment to say that -- that tavis will be hosting farm aid this year. at the end -- invitation of me, about 15 minutes ago. so, we're hoping that he hosts farm aid. 1kwr506 october 2nd, in milwaukee. >> in milwaukee. it is the 25th farm aid, i said this earlier and still believe it. who are the folks that give out those nobel peace prizes. willie nelson should get one of them. willie and i and neal and dave

matthews. we work from the neck down because this is really -- really a project. willie has helped so many people. he raised so much money. it makes all the -- he makes all the major decisions of farm aid. the guy deserves to be recognized. i don't think there's any other charity event that has lasted 25 years. particularly that was born in the 1980's out of a rock and roll type of thing. because back, you remember back then. all of these big corporations were having these charity things. they were all -- you know in my estimation, phony baloney stuff. i shouldn't say that. but that's how i felt about them. willie's farm aid i thought was real. it was a real effort. tavis: i better pack my bags for milwaukee. october 2nd. here we come. dave matthews and neal and john mellencamp, and travis. i'll be at milwaukee october

2nd. right quick here, i got the book in my hand. i hear the opening act for your tour this summer is tutly -- actually a documentary. not a group or performance. your opening act is a documentary. tell me about it. >> there's a guy named curbing marcus, the real famous photographer, i phoned him up and said kirk make a movie of us. and we are going on tour and i'm making a record. elaine and i think it should be about you and your son trying to make a movie. he came out and tried to make that movie. you're in it. tavis: i heard. >> you're in it. tavis: mellencamp got a great documentary opening up for him. i love your ideas. you spit out good ideas. his opening act this summer is a documentary and then a great performance from mellencamp. you got to see him. you know, you want to see him. catch mellencamp on the road

this summer. the new project is called "for better than this." before i make room for john to do his thing, i'm going to put your wife elaine who is my friend on the spot. come here real quick. have a seat on the edge of john's chair. this is the gorgeous elaine, the wife of mr. mellencamp. tell me right quick, i heard a little rumor. then i heard it wasn't true. i'm setting it straight here. so, i heard, thank you so much. this is chris our producer by the way. >> hi, chris. i heard that -- that all over the internet that today was your birthday. i had them make a little nice cake here. this. happy birthday, elaine. all right. so i goat the barrett day cake made, then -- birthday, and then i heard it ain't your birthday.

it isn't the 16th. >> it is the 26th. >> for all of -- lane's fans around the world, her birthday is not officially today, it is the 26th. but i paid for this cake. >> since i paid for the cake. >> i thought today was her birthday. double crossed me. >> he thinks i'm 29 too. tavis: since i paid for the cake, we'll eat it. happy birthday to you. >> thank you. >> as soon as i make room for john, after the performance, we'll have cake. up next, the first five new songs john is going to perform for us this week, stay with us. tavis: much c.d., here he is, john, performing. good night and keep the faith. ♪ save some time to dream

♪ save some time for yourself ♪ ♪ don't let your time slip away ♪ ♪ or be stolen by somebody else ♪ ♪ save the time for those you love ♪ ♪ for they remember what you gave ♪ ♪ save some time for the songs you sing ♪ ♪ and the music that you make ♪ ♪ could it be that this is all there is ♪ ♪ could it be there's nothing more ♪ ♪ save some time to dream ♪ because you -- your dream

might save us all ♪ ♪ save time for sorrow ♪ ♪ because your going to call your way ♪ ♪ prepare yourself for failure ♪ ♪ it'll give you strength someday ♪ ♪ ♪ got to keep your mind open ♪ ♪ accept your mistakes ♪ ♪ save some time for living ♪ ♪ and always question your faith ♪ ♪ could it be that this is all there is ♪ ♪ could it be there's nothing more at all ♪

♪ save some time to dream ♪ because your dream might save us all ♪ cast your eyes up to heaven ♪ ♪ what does that mean to you ♪ ♪ ♪ try not to be too judgmental ♪ sotes so others will not judge -- ♪ so others will not judge you ♪ ♪ save some time to think ♪ before you speak your mind ♪ ♪ ♪ many will now understand ♪ and to them you must be kind ♪

♪ could it be that this is all this is ♪ ♪ could it be there's nothing more at all ♪ ♪ save some time to dream ♪ because your dream might save us all ♪ ♪ a dream might save us all ♪ ♪ save some time to dream [applause] >> for more information on the show, visit tavis smiley at pbs.org. >> join us next time for a best selling author and john, that's next time. we'll see you then.

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