Creedence Clearwater Revival

Natives of California John Fogerty, born May 28, 1945, his older brother Tom, born November 9, 1941, Stuart Alden Cook, born April 25, 1945, and Doug “Cosmo” Clifford, born April 24, 1945, formed Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1968. One ranking places this group at #21 of all time, with the Beatles ranked #1. The band had five singles that peaked at #2 on the charts.

This band's music had a remarkably broad appeal to all ages, all political ideologies, and across geographic regions. Some were surprised to learn that the band was from California rather than, for example, from the South.

To their immense credit, this popular band from California rejected the drug culture eminating from the band's own State and from England. As explained by a British article:

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Creedence had a ‘no alcohol’ rule in their dressing-room. They disdained the drug culture. “The San Francisco bands called us boy scouts because we didn’t get high and we were all married with families,” laughs Clifford. ... “At a time when rock’n’rollers were developing increasingly flamboyant looks,” relates Russ Gary, a recording engineer on several Creedence albums, “Fogerty, in his simple jeans and flannel shirt, came across as more of a shaggy haired workingman than a rock star."

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The BBC observed:

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The California-born quartet notched nine top-10 singles and five top-10 albums on the Billboard charts, reportedly even besting the Beatles in album sales in the year 1969.

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Each time it was a different group that edged out CCR for the number spot, as CCR released one hit song after another in 1969.

This group is what made Woodstock the spectacular three-day concert that it was, because top performers agreed to perform only after Creedence Clearwater Revival signed up. Many of the band's songs have a populist theme, such as Fortunate Son.

After several unsuccessful releases in the San Francisco Bay Area, they hit the top ten nationally for the first time in 1968 with Susie Q”. In 1969 Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising, Green River and Down on the Corner all landed in the top ten, and Proud Mary was one of the highest-ranked songs for the entire year.

The same was true in 1970 with “Travelin Band”, “Up Around the Bend” and “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”. 1971 brought more success with “Sweet Hitch-Hiker" and " Have You Ever Seen The Rain”, both top ten singles.

Their albums Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bayou Country, Green River, Willy and the Poor Boys and Cosmo’s Factory each reached the top ten also.

In 1993 Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2005 John Fogerty was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

In 1990, Tom Fogerty died as the innocent victim of a blood transfusion (for back surgery) which had unknowingly been infected with HIV. He was 48 years of age.

Rights to CCR songs

In January 2023, John Fogerty celebrated acquiring rights to the CCR songs he created and sang:

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Capping one of the longest and nastiest legal battles in music business history, John Fogerty has gained worldwide control of the publishing rights to his Creedence Clearwater Revival songs, more than 50 years after the songs were first released.

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John Fogerty reportedly wrote his popular song Fortunate Son, which protested preferences to some during the Vietnam War draft, in merely 20 minutes.

Later Performances by members of the original band

Stu Cook and Doug “Cosmo” Clifford -- "the rhythm section" of the original band according to Forbes -- retired after playing for 25 years and at about 2,000 concerts, using the name the Creedence Clearwater Revisited.

External links

• Credence Clearwater Revival - song playlist, Video playlist