- Doug Clifford -- drums, percussion (1974)

- Stu Cook -- bass (1974)

- Russell DeShiell - lead guitar (1974)

- Tom Fogerty (RIP 1990) -- vocals, rhythm guitar,

  harmonica

- Jerry Garcia (RIP) -- lead guitar (1972)

- Russ Gary -- guitar (1972)

- John Kahn -- bass (1972)

- Stephen Miller -- keyboards (1974)

- Bill Mundi -- percussion (1972)

- Tom Phillips -- lead guitar (1974)

- Merl Saunders -- keyboards (1972)

- Bill Vitt -- drums (1972)

- Creedence Clearwater Revival

- Ruby

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Tom Fogerty

Company: Fantasy

Catalog: F-9407

Year: 1972

Country/State: Oakland, California

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: minor ring wear front and back covers; original lyric inner sleeve

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 5152

Price: $30.00

Tom Fogerty's story's pretty well known .. In spite of immense success as part of CCR, cast in the unenviable role as second banana to younger brother John, in 1971 Fogerty struck out in search of a solo career.

Signed by Fantasy Records (coincidently CCR's label), Fogerty debuted with a decent non-LP single:

- 1971's 'Goodbye Mr. Media Man' (Parts 1 and 2) (Fantasy catalog number F-661)

A few months later Fogerty released his first solo album - 1972's self-produced "Tom Fogerty".  Featuring a collection of ten originals and backing from some members of the extended Grateful Dead family (John Kahn, Merl Saunders, and Bill Vitt), the set was enjoyable, but surprisingly low-keyed.  Musically quite varied, tracks like 'Beauty Is Under the Skin' and 'Train To Nowehere' would not have sounded out of place on a CCR album.  That said, the album's highlights came in the form of the rockers 'Lady of Fatima', 'The Me Song' (overlooking the trite lyric) and the weird acapella 'My Pretty Baby'. Curiously while most critics slammed Fogerty's voice, to my ears Tom may not have been as strong a singer (check out his warbling performance on 'Wandering'), but on tracks like 'Everyman' and 'Cast the First Stone' his slurred country-rock performances bore an uncanny resemblance to John.  Certainly not a must-own block buster, but one of his better solo efforts and worth investing in if you can find a copy.   A modest commercial success the LP managed to go top-100, peaking at # 78.   Elsewhere Fantasy tapped the album for a single:

- 1972's 'Cast the First Stone' b/w 'Lady of Fatima' (Fantasy catalog number F-680)

"Tom Fogertyr" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) The Legend of Alactraz   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:30

2.) Lady of Fatima   (Tom Fogerty) - 4:24

3.) Beauty Is Under the Skin   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:25

4.) Wondering   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:24

5.) My Pretty Baby   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:18 

(side 2)

1.) Train To Nowhere   (Tom Fogerty) - 3:28

2.) Everyman   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:08

3.) The Me Song   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:15

4.) Cast the First Stone   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:07

5.) Here Stands the Clown   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:49

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Excalibur

Company: Fantasy

Catalog: F-9413

Year: 1972

Country/State: Oakland, California

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: minor ring wear front and back covers

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4522

Price: $25.00

Serving as Fogerty's second solo album, 1972's "Excalibur" ws pretty darn impressive.  Co-produced by Fogerty and Brian Gardner, the set found Fogerty teaming up with what stood as a pseudo-Grateful Dead line up in the form of 

Jerry Garcia, bassist John Kahn, keyboard player Merl Saunders and drummer Bill Vitt.  Low-keyed and casual, musically the album found Fogerty and company offering up a blend of country-rock (a year in advance of John's Blue Ridge Rangers offering), rock and good time boogie.  Highlights include the leadoff common man ballad 'Forty Years', the rocker 'Black Jack Jenny' and the fuzz guitar propelled cover of Bill Monroe's 'Rocky Road Blues'.  The only real disappointments were 'Sign of the Devil', the needless slice of formulaic funk 'Get Funky' and the MOR ballad 'Faces, Places, People'.   To my ears it's always been somewhat ironic that critics felt free to attack Fogerty for his singing, claiming he lacked brother John's chops.  Well, anyone hearing this LP was bound to wonder what the critics were talking about since John and Tom sound virtually identical ...  most folks would have been hard pressed to tell the difference between the two.  By the way, this time out the single was 'Faces, Places, People' b/w 'Forty Years' (Fantasy catalog number F-691).

"Excalibur" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Forty Years   (Tom Fogerty) - 3:45

2.) Black Jack Jenny   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:30

3.) Rocky Road Blues   (Bill Monroe) - 3:50

4.) Faces, Places, People   (Tom Fogerty) - 3:50

5.) Get Funky   (Tom Fogerty) - 1:50

(side 2)

1.) Sick And Tired   (Chris Kenner - Dave Bartholomew) - 4:08

2.) Sign Of The Devil   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:35

3.) Straight And Narrow   (Tom Fogerty) - 3:45

4.) Next In Line   (Tom Fogerty) - 2:13

5.) (Hold On) Annie Mae (Tom Fogerty)  - 3:48

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Myopia

Company: Fantasy

Catalog: F-9469

Year: 1974

Country/State: Oakland, California

Grade (cover/record): VG / VG

Comments: cut lower right corner

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 4823

Price: $25.00

Maybe because he was once again backed by former CCR alumnus Doug Clifford and Stu Cook, 1974's "Myopia" found Tom Fogerty sounding somwhat rejuvinated.  The result may have been his most consistent and enjoyable solo outing.  Fogerty penned all of the material and tracks such as 'Give Me Another Trojan Song' (I've never been able to decide whether the song's obscene or not), 'What Did I Know' and the pretty ballad 'What About Tomorrow' certainly echoing his CCR past.  While the album lacked a real killer radio-friendly track, the rocker 'And I Love You' came close.  Elsewhere there are only a couple of duds - the instrumental 'Theme from the Four-D' simply sounded unfinished, while 'She La La La' offered up a lame and ill considered slice of reggae.  Not to sound like a broken record and I  know lots of folks will disagree, but to my ears Tom sure sounded like a dead ringer for brother John.  (Not sure what Tom was thinking about when he picked the Paul Whitehead painting for the cover art ...)  The single 'Sweet Things To Come' b/w 'Sweet Things To Come' (Fantasy catalog number F-734) went nowhere, though it may have only been released as a promo effort.

 "Myopia track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Give Me Another Trojan Song   ( Tom Fogerty) - 2:59

2.) What Did I Know    ( Tom Fogerty)- 2:35

3.) Theme from the Four-D (instrumental)   ( Tom Fogerty) - 3:11

4.) Sweet Things To Come   ( Tom Fogerty) - 2:11

5.) What About Tomorrow   ( Tom Fogerty) - 4:23

(side 2)

1.) She La La La   ( Tom Fogerty) - 3:01

2.) And I Love You   ( Tom Fogerty) - 2:23

3.) Get Up   ( Tom Fogerty) - 2:07

4.) There was a Time   ( Tom Fogerty) - 3:09

5.) Showdown   ( Tom Fogerty) - 2:35