Priscilla Esterline: Her Life before & after She Became John Mellencamp’s Ex-wife

Priscilla Esterline is John Mellencamp's ex-wife whom he met while he was in high school. They were married for ten years but eventually called it quits.

Priscilla Esterline and John Mellencamp first crossed paths at a party. At the time, John was in high school, and Priscilla, three years older than John, had a job and an apartment. Despite being independent, Priscilla was down-to-earth and easygoing.

They began dating within two months, and their relationship was young and wild. They would go on crazy adventures together and do adrenaline-junkie activities. The two secretly got married against John's parents' wishes when Priscilla discovered she was pregnant.

One day, after school, towards the end of John's senior year, the two drove across the state line to Louisville, where there was no age of consent laws. Their wedding occurred without any witnesses except a police officer and a secretary at the Justice of the Peace's office.

Priscilla Esterline's Marriage to John Had Challenges

When Priscilla and John tied the knot, she was two months pregnant. Their marriage was full of ups and downs, and Priscilla faced a lot of challenges. Besides John's parents, Richard and Marilyn Mellencamp disapproving of her, his mother harbored resentment towards her, believing that she had taken John away from the family.

The "Hurts So Good" singer explained the notion by suggesting there was a logical explanation for such a pattern.

Due to their lack of financial stability, Priscilla and John moved from home to home, relying on the hospitality of others to provide them with a place to stay. At one point, they even resided in a location where there was no access to running water.

Priscilla Esterline and John Mellencamp Maintained a Good Friendship After Their Divorce

Priscilla and John's marriage didn't stand the test of time; the two eventually divorced. John Mellencamp's troublesome behavior during his concert tours strained the marriage. A decade later, when he met his second wife, Vicky Granucci, at a Hollywood party, Priscilla was open to amicably ending their marriage.

At the time, Priscilla's former spouse, a talented singer-songwriter, viewed infidelity as a potential risk that came with his profession. John, who was once engaged to Meg Ryan, responded defensively, mentioning that many men linked to rock bands had gone through divorces.

The "Hurts So Good" singer explained the notion by suggesting there was a logical explanation for such a pattern. He firmly stated that irrespective of one's identity or perception, one would almost certainly confront the difficulties of infidelity at some juncture. He attributed this phenomenon to the nature of the rock & roll lifestyle.

Despite parting ways, they upheld a close friendship at the time. In May 1981, when John married Vicky, Priscilla Esterline assisted her in selecting the wedding gown.

Priscilla and John share a daughter Michelle Suzanne Mellencamp born in December 1970. Priscilla's daughter started a family at a young age. She gave birth to her first child, Elexis, at 18. She is also a mom to Colin, born in 1994, Hannah, born in 1996, and Grace, born in 1998. Unlike her father, Michelle has lived most of her life out of the limelight.