John Fogerty.
John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock or roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. He was born in Berkeley, California. John Fogerty plays many instruments including guitar, harmonica, piano, bass, drums, banjo, electronic organ, percussion, violin, and saxophone.
He was front man of World-famous band Creedence Clearwater Revival. They broke up around 1972.
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 some gospel songs like "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" and "Working On A Building". John Fogerty was released in 1975. Sales were slim and legal problems delayed a follow-up, though it yielded two minor hit singles, "Rockin' All Over the World" and "Almost Saturday Night". The Georgia Satellites later combined the two songs as "Almost Saturday Night/Rockin' All Over the World". Creedence Clearwater Revival's former music publisher (affiliated with Fantasy Records) 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, his first album for Warner Bros. Records, 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 Kant Danz" and "Mr Greed", were believed to be attacks on Fogerty's former boss at Fantasy Records, Saul Zaentz. "Zanz Kant Danz" was about a pig who can't dance but would "steal your money". When Zaentz responded with a lawsuit, Fogerty issued a revised version of "Zanz Kant Danz" (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 wholly 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 album 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, which won the Grammy for Best Rock album in 1997.
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, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Album in 1998, but lost to Sheryl Crow's 'The Globe Sessions'.
In 2004 John Fogerty released Deja Vu (All Over Again), on DreamWorks Records which also took over distribution of Fogerty's Warner Bros. catalog. 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 summer of 2006, Fogerty toured the USA with Willie Nelson. On June 29, he played his first headlining British concert since 1972, at the Hammersmith Apollo theater in London, as part of the European leg of the tour. During the European leg of the tour he also performed in Sundsvall, Sweden. 25,000 people came to see him perform at the town square.
On September 13, 2006, Fogerty had his first concert in Mexico City, at the Auditorio Nacional; which was sold out to 10,000 fans.
On Thanksgiving Day 2006, Fogerty performed at halftime of the Miami Dolphins/Detroit Lions game, as well as the Denver Broncos/Kansas City Chiefs halftime later that evening.
Fogerty is working on his first new album in three years to be titled Revival which will be released on October 2, 2007.
