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John Mellencamp splits with wife

By the CNN Wire Staff

December 31, 2010 12:32 a.m. EST

John Mellencamp and his wife, Elaine Irwin-Mellencamp, in 2006.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The singer-songwriter and wife Elaine are parting ways
• The couple has been together for 20 years, a publicist says

RELATED TOPICS

• John Mellencamp  John Mellencamp, known for his nostalgic songs about heartland America, is parting ways with wife Elaine, the couple said in a statement Thursday.

"John and Elaine Mellencamp are proud of their 20 years together and are very happy with their accomplishments both as parents and as a family," a publicist for the singer-songwriter, Bob Merlis, said in a statement.
"They will continue to raise their two children in Indiana but have decided to call it a day as a couple," he said.

Mellencamp's hits include "Pink Houses," "Jack and Diane" and "Small Town."