11 Pics Remembering Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Band That Gave Us John Fogerty
Everything to know about the "Proud Mary" legends.
Published 10 months ago in Wow
Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, no group embodied the spirit of roots rock quite like Creedence Clearwater Revival. Churning out gritty hits like "Proud Mary" and "Bad Moon Rising," their sound not only achieved a four year unparalleled run on the charts but has remained fresh even today.
From their schoolyard origins to their lasting legacy, here are 11 pics remembering Creedence Clearwater Revival, the band that gave us John Fogerty.
2
Middle School Music
These rock legends got their start in the late 1950s, when middle school pals John Fogerty, Doug Clifford, and Stu Cook formed an instrumental band, Blue Velvets. Despite their young age, the trio — along with Tom Fogerty, John’s older brother — skyrocketed to success. By the mid-1960s, the group had dropped three singles — one of which enjoyed a stint on a local radio station —before signing to San Francisco-based jazz label Fantasy Records in 1964.
3
British Invasion
Upon signing to Fantasy, the group underwent several changes. Alongside altering their name in an attempt at jumping on the British Invasion bandwagon — a decision encouraged by Fantasy exec Max Weiss — the band’s lineup changed significantly, namely, with John becoming the group’s lead singer. "I could sing, but John had a sound,” Tom recalled of his replacement.
4
Military Break
Despite releasing a handful of singles, the band lost a bit of traction by 1966, when both John and Doug were drafted, an experience the latter said inspired the group’s music. "I would become delirious and go into a trance,” Doug recalled of his time in the Coast Guard. "And I started narrating this story to myself, which was the song 'Porterville.’”
5
Together Again
By January 1968, the once-fractured band was back together, kicking off their long-awaited reunion by adopting a new name: Creedence Clearwater Revival. With a shiny moniker in tow, the group began making a name for themselves throughout the Bay Area before hitting stages on the East Coast.
7
Top 10 Hits
Hitting Number 11 wasn’t enough for CCR. Throughout the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, the group began churning out several career-defining hits, a lot including “Proud Mary,” “Born on the Bayou,” and “Bad Moon Rising.” These hits earned the group a highly-coveted spot at Woodstock. Despite facing sleepy crowds and a few technical glitches, their set was one for the ages. “The performances are classic CCR and I'm still amazed by the number of people who don't even know we were one of the headliners at Woodstock '69,” Stu said of their performance.
8
European Vacation
It wasn’t just Americans who loved CCR’s sound. As their 1970 album, “Cosmo’s Factory” — complete with singles like “Run Through the Jungle” and “Up Around the Bend” — held the Number One spot on the U.S. Charts for nine weeks, the group headed across the Atlantic for their first European tour.
9
Breaking Up
But even all of this success and a trip across the pond couldn’t soothe ongoing tensions in the band. Several disputes about John’s controlling nature over CCR’s sound pushed Tom to quit, and later, the group to disband entirely. Their break up was announced in the fall of 1972, just six months after the release of their last record, “Mardi Gras.”
10
Bad Business Decisions
All four CCR alums went on to pursue music, each reaching some level of success. Though they never publicly reunited, the group played together both at Tom’s wedding and then again on the track "Mystic Aisle Avalon,” which appeared on Tom’s 1974 solo album, “Zephyr National”. But even this success couldn’t obscure their questionable commercial reputation, one seemingly catalyzed by John’s decision to give Fantasy significant legal control of their catalog.
11
Lasting Legacy
Yet even with these challenges, their musical legacy is undisputed in the world of rock history. “Creedence Clearwater Revival ... were progressive and anachronistic at the same time,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame said of the group. “An unapologetic throwback to the golden era of rock and roll, they broke ranks with their peers on the progressive, psychedelic San Francisco scene. Their approach was basic and uncompromising, holding true to the band members' working-class origins. The term 'roots rock' had not yet been invented when Creedence came along, but in essence, they defined it, drawing inspiration from the likes of Little Richard, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and the artisans of soul at Motown and Stax. In so doing, Creedence Clearwater Revival became the standard bearers and foremost celebrants of homegrown American music.”
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