Famous Hoosiers

John Mellencamp – Singer-songwriter
Probably one of the most recognized Indiana residents, John Mellencamp was born in Seymour, Ind., in 1951. His career got off to a slow start, but signing with Riva Records in 1978 marked a change in his luck. Mellencamp’s 1979 single “I Need a Lover” hit the top of the charts. He then spent a great deal of time touring, which gave way to a chart-topping album and a Grammy Award for “Hurts So Good.” Mellencamp, who resides in Monroe County, continues to make music. Last year he filmed a music video on campus, and the Mellencamp Pavilion football  practice facility is named in his honor.

Sean May – NBA player
Son of former NBA and IU basketball player Scott May, Sean grew up in Bloomington. He attended Bloomington High School North, where he played basketball with teammate and current New York Knicks player Jared Jeffries. He chose to continue his basketball career at the University of North Carolina, and his successful college basketball career led Sean to leave UNC and enter the NBA draft in 2005. The Charlotte Bobcats signed him in May, but an injury sent May to the sidelines. In 2009, the Sacramento Kings offered May a one-year minimum contract dependent upon his ability to pass a physical.

Bobby Helms – “Jingle Bell Rock” singer
Bobby Helms was born in 1933 in Bloomington with music in his blood. He began performing in The Helms Brothers with his brother Freddie, who played the guitar. The group gained local popularity, and in early 1957 he recorded his first single, “Fraulein,” which made it to No. 1 on the country music charts. In winter 1957 Helms released “Jingle Bell Rock,” which remains his most popular song.

David Lee Roth – Lead singer of Van Halen
David Lee Roth was born in Bloomington, but his family moved around quite a bit and eventually settled in Los Angeles. There, Roth joined a band named Red Ball Jets and acquired the stage name “Diamond Dave.” After high school, he attended Pasadena Community College (Calif.), where the Van Halen brothers were studying. The Van Halens were in a band called Mammoth, which they later asked Roth to join. Roth suggested a name change and the band became known as Van Halen. Roth left the band in 1985, and he returned to Van Halen briefly in 1996 before leaving again to begin work on his autobiography and his solo career.

Jared Jeffries – NBA player
Jeffries grew up playing basketball in Bloomington and attended Bloomington High School North. After high school, he enrolled at IU, where he became a basketball star. He played for the Hoosiers for two years, but opted to enter the NBA Draft in 2002. Originally drafted by the Washington Wizards, a better offer in 2006 led Jeffries to switch teams and play for the New York Knicks.

Joshua Bell – Grammy Award-winning violinist
Joshua Bell might be the most famous alumnus of the Jacobs School of Music. He was born in 1967 and raised in Bloomington, where he attended Bloomington High School North. His parents gave him his first violin at age 4, and by age 12 he had studied with several world-renowned violinists at the Jacobs School of Music. At age 14, Bell came into the national spotlight when he played with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Over the past two decades, Bell has performed across the globe. He currently serves on the artist selection committee for the Kennedy Center Honors and recently contributed to the soundtrack for the 2009 motion picture “Angels and Demons.”