At age of 16 he had learned to play several of instruments as guitarr, piano, saxophone and drums and he was inspired by Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Ray Charles and Jerry Lee Lewis. His international break-through as a song-and textwriter came 1969 with the single 'Proud Mary' / 'Born On The Bayou' which peaked at #2 at the American Billboard and #8 in England.
Today he has written almost houndreds of songs - to CCR and to himself. The last CCR-album 'Mardi Gras' are most written by Stu Cook and Doug Clifford. John Fogerty has since the mid 60:s been critical to the American goverment in different issuses - for example Vietnam and Iraq war ('Deja Vu All Over Again'), environment threats ('Who'll Stop The Rain') and terrorism ('Eye Of The Zombie'). For a long time, John Fogerty was in a legal dispute with Fantasy Records about the rights to his own songs. Therefore he just have done 7 albums since Creedence Clearwater Revival disbanded in 1972. Even if there was much bitterness to the other bandmembers, CCR did two more live performances. At Tom Fogerty's wedding in 1979 and their high school reunion 1983. His latest album - 'Revival' are Fogerty's first newmaterial album in 35 years at Fantasy Records. Today he big in the rock world - The Rolling Stone Magazine has ranked him as a top 40-guitarist in the world. With his 'Blue Moon Swamp', Fogerty was 1997 awarded a Grammy for 'Best Rockalbum'. In 2005, he was inducted in SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME.
November 1964 - Releases the first single ('Don't Tell Me No Lies'/'Little Girl') of 7 as The Golliwogs. October 11-12 1968 - New York-debute for CCR at The Fillmore East. Performs together with The Beach Boys and The Turtles. March 9 1969 - First performance at The Ed Sullivan Show in New York. Today the showhost are David Letterman. May 22 1972 - Last concert with Creedence Clearwater Revival in Denver, Colorado. February 1985 - Fantasy Records files a suit against John Fogerty. The company claims that 'The Old Man On The Road' are a copy of 'Run Through The Jungle'. - At the same time another lawsuit came. Former boss at Fantasy Records, Saul Zaentz believed that the songs 'Zanz Kant Danz' and 'Mr Greed', was an attack on him. Fogerty changed the name to 'Vanz Kant Danz' instead. September 1985 - Performes with Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbinson at the album 'Class Of -55'. Together they also recording 'Big Train (From Memphis)'. August 26 1986 - Starts his first tour - 'The Rockin' All Over The World'-tour since the CCR-disband. No Creedence songs are playing. September 24 1986 - Meets Julie Kramer after a concert in Indianapolis, Indiana. October 31 1988 - Wins the case of the lawsuit against him for the two songs 'The Old Man On The Road' and 'Run Through The Jungle' April 20 1991 - Marrying Julie Kramer in Bristol, Indiana. 3 December 1997 - NAS (National Academy of Songwriters) awards John Fogerty for his life accivement in music. The award was given to him by The Eagles Don Henley. October 1 1998 - Honors a star at Hollywood Walk Of Fame. (See picture below). October 1-13 2004 - Plays with Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band and R.E.M on 'Vote For Change-Tour'. -- "Full-bore return to choogling swamp-pop." (Edna Gundersen, USA Today) -- "Revival" is no rerun. It is Fogerty getting back to work - and finally acting on his own advice, in a song he's actually named after his old band: "You can't go wrong if you play a little bit of that Creedence song." (David Fricke, Rolling Stone) -- "Fogerty's muse comes fully alive, nodding gently to his estimable legacy while moving firmly forward." (Fred Mills, Harp) -- "Still making his guitar twang, still singing in that rockabilly yowl, John Fogerty is angry about the war, the president, American culture and vanished youth on his new album, "Revival", and it just makes him rock harder." (Jon Pareles, New York Times) -- "Mr. CCR has created a masterpiece and 'Revival' is unquestionably one of the ten best discs of 2007." (Lou Friedman, Relix)
John's star at Hollywood Walk Of Fame |
