CCR Page


Below you'll find facts about the best band in the world.
(Thanks to all the great pages on the net from which I have gathered the information)

Tom Fogerty was born in 1941, and all the other members; John Fogerty, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford, in 1945.
John Fogerty, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford formed a band in 1959 with Tom Fogerty joining the band later and becoming its frontman. The band was called Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets, with John on lead guitar, Tom on rhythm guitar, Stu on bass, and Doug on drums.
The Blue Velvets got their first recording contract in 1964. The record company changed their name to The Golliwogs without telling the band. They played covers of Southern soul and British Invasion rock.
John became the group's frontman in 1965. In 1966 The Golliwogs made their only hit:"Brown-Eyed Girl"
Executive Saul Zaentz at Fantasy Records signed the band in 1967. They changed their name to Creedence Clearwater Revival on John's suggestion.
Creedence Clearwater Revival scored its first hit, "Suzie Q" in 1968 and released their first album including songs like "Ninety Nine And A Half", "I Put A Spell On You", "Walk on the Water" and sold gold ultimately.
1969 the album "Bayou Country", featuring songs like "Born on the Bayou" and "Proud Mary" was released,
and became the band's first platinum record. Six original songs featured, plus a cover of "Good Golly Miss Molly."
Five months after "Bayou Country", CCR released "Green River", their second platinum album. John wrote eight of the nine songs, the other being a copy of the soul standard "The Night Time Is The Right Time". "Green River" and "Bad Moon Rising" both were great hits. Their flip sides "Commotion" and "Lodi" gained wide airplay. "Lodi" and "Wrote A Song For Everyone" were generally recognized as two of the best CCR tracks. CCR performed at Woodstock though they never appear on any album or video from there.

Just before the end of the year 1969, CCR released their most critically praised album, "Willy And The Poor Boys". It was the third consecutive platinum album. John wrote eight of the ten tracks, including  "Down On The Corner" and "Fortunate Son." The album included two instrumentals. One, "Poorboy Shuffle," captures the essence of a street-corner band with gut bass, harmonica, and washboard featured instruments. Covers of the traditionals "The Midnight Special" and "Cotton Fields" were very well received also.

Creedence Clearwater Revival released its most successful album, "Cosmo's Factory" in 1970, which reached triple platinum in sales. It also spawns the hit singles "Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop The Rain", "Up Around The Bend/Run Through The Jungle", and "Lookin' Out My Back Door". Covers of blues classics "My Baby Left Me," "Ooby Dooby," "Before You Accuse Me" and an extended cover version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine". Seven were written by John.

The same year, 1970, CCR released its weakest album to date, "Pendulum" which reached gold. John wrote all ten tracks.John was heavily influenced by Booker T and the MGs during this period and added a lot more organ, saxophone and bass sound to this album than CCR had ever previously done. The hit single was "Have You Ever Seen The Rain".
Tom Fogerty left CCR in 1971. The rest of the band decided to continue as a trio. That same year CCR released the hit "Sweet Hitch Hiker".
Tom Fogerty released the first of his six solo albums in 1972.

"Mardi Gras" which became CCR's final album, was released the same year 1972. It featured three songs written by John, six written and sung by Doug or Stu, and a cover of "Hello Mary Lou."

Creedence Clearwater Revival broke up on October 16th 1972.

In the 70's Doug released a solo album of his own. Doug and Stu were involved in several country-rock bands such as Southern Pacific and The Doug Sahm Band. They remained neighbors and friends.Tom recorded five solo albums between 1973 and 1981. His last album was not released until 1990.
John Fogerty released an anonymous album "The Blue Ridge Rangers" in 1973. The album consisted entirely of covers of country and gospel classics.John played all instruments, sang lead and backup vocals, overdubbed and arranged and produced.
John asked for a release from his Fantasy contract. He managed to gain a record deal with Warner Bros. but was forced to relinquish the copyrights to all of his songs.
John released the solo album "John Fogerty" in 1975. It received mixed reviews. The album included "Rockin' All Over The World" and "Almost Saturday Night", which were covered by others with more success.
In 1976 John released the single "You Got The Magic" but with no success.
In the late 70's and the early 80's the members of CCR were involved in various suits of Fantasy Records, for the company's mismanagement of CCR assets and its refusal to pay the band members royalties from many releases.

Late in the year of 1984 the single "The Old Man Down The Road" was released by Warner Bros., along with a video. John had gained his musical confidence and started working on another solo album "Centerfield", including hits like "Rock and Roll Girls" and "Centerfield", which was released in 1985 and sold double platinum.

In the late 80's John was encumbered by lawsuits over the song "Zanz Kant Danz" perceived as an attack on Saul Zaentz, and "The Old Man Down the Road", which Zaentz claimed infringed on the CCR song "Run Through The Jungle". Fogerty won the plagiarism suit but was forced to pay Zaentz a settlement for "Zanz Kant Danz" and also to change the title to "Vanz Kant Danz". John also broke friendship and contact with Doug and Stu, who he accused of supporting Zaentz.
John released the album "Eye of the Zombie" in 1986. It was a critical and commercial failure. John also refused to perform Creedence songs on his world tour.
It was not until 1987 that John performed CCR songs; at the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Tom Fogerty died in 1989 of respiratory failure due to tuberculosis. Soon afterward his final album, "Sidekicks" was posthumously released.
John remarried in 1992, and used his newfound joy as an inspiration to start to work on a new album. Fantasy Records released a successful "Chronicle Volume 2"

CCR was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Fogerty performed, but did not invite Doug or Stu to join him in the expected reunion. For the first time, John made public his belief that they aided Zaentz in ruining his solo career.
Doug and Stu formed the band "Creedence Clearwater Revisited" in 1995. They added a series of talented musicians to their group after John declined to join them, and began touring the nation. Later John sued over infringement on a band name he had created, so Doug and Stu had to change the band name to "Cosmo's Factory".

At the opening concert of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1996, John performed the Creedence classics "Born on the Bayou" and "Fortunate Son" with Booker T and the MGs.
John recorded for the first time in 10 years as he performed a duet with Carl Perkins on Perkins' new album in 1996.

John released the solo album "Blue Moon Swamp" in 1997, featuring some session musicians and backing vocals. The album was widely praised by critics for its positive mood and the incorporation of country, blues, soul, and gospel elements into rock.