Gehman's lengthy affiliation with Mellencamp -- then known simply as John Cougar -- began in 1980, when he engineered the singer's self-titled fourth LP. Two years later, he agreed to produce Mellencamp's American Fool, the breakthrough effort that launched the smash hits "Hurts So Good" and "Jack and Diane." The record's blockbuster success earned Gehman a Grammy nomination, and began an extended collaboration that saw Mellencamp emerge among the decade's most respected artists -- with Gehman at the helm, albums including 1983's Uh Huh, 1985's Scarecrow, and 1987's The Lonesome Jubilee were not only best-sellers but also critical favorites. Projects like Brian Setzer's 1985 solo debut, The Knife Feels Like Justice, and R.E.M.'s superb 1986 album Lifes Rich Pageant also earned Gehman critical kudos, and established him among the most respected producers in the industry.

Although Mellencamp's The Lonesome Jubilee earned Gehman another Grammy nod, the two parted company after its release, and the producer moved on to helm material from other heartland rockers including Bruce Hornsby (A Night on the Town), Tom Cochrane (Victory Day), and Treat Her Right (Tied to the Tracks). He kept a low profile during the early years of the 1990s, but in 1994 Cracked Rear View, the major-label debut from the unheralded Hootie & the Blowfish, gradually went from grassroots hit to international phenomenon, in the process selling over 12 million copies on the strength of hits including "Hold My Hand," "Let Her Cry," and "Only Wanna Be with You." Two years later Gehman reunited with Hootie for the follow-up, Fairweather Johnson, and followed with productions for Better Than Ezra (Friction Baby) and Nanci Griffith (Blue Roses from the Moons).