John Mellencamp is lucky in love. The 74-year-old Grammy winning singer, who just announced a greatest hits world tour, is dating Kristin Kehrberg, who is 15 years his junior. The couple first met in 2023, and are still going strong three years later.
The relationship comes after John's multiple divorces. The "Hurts So Good" singer was married three times before dating Kristin. He was married to his first wife, Priscilla Esterline, from 1970 to 1981. John shares one child with Priscilla, his oldest daughter Michelle Suzanne Mellencamp.
Quickly after divorcing Priscilla, John married his second wife, Victoria Granucci. The two were together until 1989 and share two daughters together – Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave and Justice Mellencamp.
In 1992, John married model Elaine Irwin. The former couple share two children – Hud Mellencamp and Speck Mellencamp. John and Elaine were together for 18 years and announced their separation in 2010.
In the 15 years since he split with his third wife, John has been tied to several women, including supermodel Christie Brinkley and actress Meg Ryan. But ever since meeting Kristin, John's been a taken man. So, who is his mystery girlfriend? Here's everything HELLO! knows about the movie producer.
© Getty ImagesThe couple met at a house party
John opened up to Bill Maher during an August 2023 interview on his Club Random podcast about how he met his girlfriend. The singer explained that they first met at a house party in New York City and they immediately hit it off.
"She's a beautiful 57-year-old woman who just walked into my apartment in New York unexpectedly," John told the talk show host. “"he was with a couple of friends. She walked in. She didn't know I was going to be there. I didn't know she was there. We met each other."
And since their meeting, John told Bill Kristin "has not left my side in seven months."
© Getty ImagesLike John, Kristin has been married
During his conversation with Bill, John revealed that Kristin has also been married. She was with her husband, Richard "Dick" Tarlow, until May 2022 when he unfortunately passed away. At the time, The New York Times reported that Dick died "peacefully in his sleep with his wife Kristin [and his children] by his side."
Before his passing, Kristin and the retired advertising executive lived in a $16.5 million apartment in New York City together. HELLO! can confirm it was a three-bedroom, four and half bathroom apartment that overlooked Central Park.
© WireImageKristin is a movie producer
She immediately felt comfortable around John because she's worked with A-listers before. Kristin is a producer, with credits on the 2017 rom-com The Wilde Wedding starring actress Glenn Close. She's also been listed on a project with John Malkovich, Star Trek's Patrick Stewart and Twilight star Peter Facinelli.
© Getty ImagesAccording to John, Kristin doesn't have a temper
During that same interview with Bill, John revealed that Kristin has "never" been upset with him. Bill laughed, joking that he and Kristin were in their honeymoon period. But the musician interrupted, saying Kristin's "never even got angry" with him.
John continued: "It's so hard to believe. I know. She has a really high threshold for tolerance."
© Getty ImagesKristin is a mom-of-two
She and John have a lot in common. Kristin is a mom to two sons, who she had in a prior relationship before her marriage to Dick. Not much is known about the producer's children. While she was with her husband, she was an active stepmother to his three children.
And, Kristin has met John's children. In August 2023, she joined John at a school event for his granddaughter Slate, whose mom is The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi. The couple was seen leaving the event in white t-shirts, black pants, and black sneakers.
