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John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an
American singer and songwriter, best known for his time with the southern
rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. He was born in Berkeley, California.
John Fogerty singing in foreground on Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicle
cover.John and his brother, Tom Fogerty, formed the band in El Cerrito,
California in the late 1950s as Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets. The name
was changed to The Golliwogs in the mid 1960s, but the band remained
unpopular.
By 1968, things were starting to pick up. The band released its first album,
the self-titled Creedence Clearwater Revival, and also had their first hit
single, Susie Q. Other hit singles of Creedence Clearwater Revival were
Proud Mary, Fortunate Son, Up Around The Bend, Green River, Down On The
Corner, Travelin' Band, Lookin' Out My Back Door, Bad Moon Rising, and
Who'll Stop The Rain.
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Tensions flared in 1971, causing John's brother, Tom, to leave the band.
John demanded that Stu Cook and Doug Clifford write and sing one third each
of the next album, Mardi Gras. They protested, saying it wouldn't be a CCR
album, and that the fans would not understand. John replied, "my voice is a
unique instrument and I will not lend it to your songs." He threatened to
quit the band immediately if his ultimatum was not met; Mardi Gras turned
out to be their last album as Fogerty bought himself out of his contract and
officially left the band.
However, his influence was not forgotten with his departure. His guitar
playing with CCR would later lead Rolling Stone to name him the 40th
greatest guitarist of all time.
John Fogerty began a solo career, originally under the name the Blue Ridge
Rangers for his 1973 debut, on which he played all of the instruments and
covered others' hits, such as Jambalaya (which was a Top 40 hit)and e.g.
some Gospel-Songs like Have Thine Own Way,Lord and Working On A Building.
John Fogerty was released in 1975 (see 1975 in music). Sales were slim and
legal problems delayed a follow-up, though it yielded two minor hit singles,
Rockin' All Over The World, later covered much more successfully by Status
Quo, and Almost Saturday Night, later a minor UK hit for Dave Edmunds.
Creedence Clearwater Revival's former management filed a suit against
Fogerty, claiming that his new, solo compositions sounded too much like his
former work as songwriter for Creedence.
Fogerty's solo career emerged in full force with 1985's Centerfield, which
went to the top of the charts and included a Top Ten hit in The Old Man Down
The Road and a title track frequently played on classic rock radio and at
baseball games to this day. But that album was not without its legal snags
either; two songs on the album, Zanz Can't Dance and Mr Greed, were believed
to be attacks on Fogerty's former boss at Fantasy Records, Saul Zaentz. When
Zaentz responded with a lawsuit, Fogerty issued a revised version of Zanz
Can't Dance (changing the lead character's name to Vanz). Another lawsuit
claimed that The Old Man Down The Road shared the same chorus as Run Through
The Jungle (a song from Fogerty's days with Creedence). Fogerty ultimately
won his case when he proved that the two songs were whole, separate and
distinct compositions. Bringing his guitar to the witness stand, he played
excerpts from both songs, demonstrating that many songwriters (himself
included) have distinctive styles that can make different compositions sound
similar to less discerning ears.
The follow-up was Eye of the Zombie in 1986, which was less successful. In
1993, his group Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted into the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame, but Fogerty refused to perform with his former bandmates,
thus claiming his revenge against them for having sided with Fantasy Records
in his disputes with the company. He retired until returning with 1997's
Blue Moon Swamp.
John Fogerty on Premonition coverHe had a very successful tour in 1998 in
the United States and Europe. He released a live album from that tour titled
Premonition.
In 2004 John Fogerty released Deja Vu (All Over Again). Rolling Stone wrote:
"The title track is Fogerty's indictment of the Iraq war as another Vietnam,
a senseless squandering of American lives and power." On the album, Fogerty
succinctly squeezed ten songs into only 34 minutes.
In October 2004 John Fogerty appeared on the Vote for Change tour, playing a
series of concerts in American swing states. These concerts were organized
by MoveOn.org with the general goal of mobilizing people to vote for John
Kerry and against George W. Bush in that year's presidential campaign.
Fogerty's numbers were played with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
The sale of Fantasy Records to Concord Records in 2004 ended the 30+ year
estrangement between Fogerty and his former label as the new owners took
steps to restore royalty rights Fogerty gave up in order to be released from
his contract with Fantasy in the mid 1970s.
On June 9, 2005, Fogerty was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame
alongside Bill Withers, Steve Cropper, Robert B. Sherman, Richard M. Sherman,
Isaac Hayes and David Porter.
In September 2005, Fogerty returned to Fantasy Records. The first album
released under the new Fantasy contract was The Long Road Home, a
compilation CD combining his Creedence hits with solo material which was
issued on November 1, 2005. A new studio album is planned for 2006 release.
On June 13th 2006 will be released a live dvd named The Long Road Home - In
Concert including live versions of his biggest solo hits and hits of
Creedence Clearwater Revival.
This summer Fogerty will be touring with Willie Nelson. |
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JOHN FOGERTY PICTURES |
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