Creedence Clearwater Revival

Though their heyday lasted barely two years, Creedence Clearwater Revival left a mark on late '60s rock, championing classic rock & roll and all-American lyrical themes in the heart of the hippie era. John Fogerty (vocals/guitar), Stu Cook (bass) and Doug Clifford (drums) were all high-school friends in the Bay Area; they became a band when Fogerty's older brother Tom came in as frontman. Before long John Fogerty assumed the roles of lead singer, guitarist and main songwriter, with Tom permanently demoted to rhythm guitar.

They signed to Fantasy Records which saw them as a British Invasion-type throwback; their first singles as the Golliwogs were a resounding flop. After a break (during which John Fogerty and Clifford served in the Army and Coast Guard Reserves), the now-renamed band made its self-titled debut; its single was an eight-minute version of Dale Hawkins' "Susie Q," the only Creedence hit with any psychedelic influence.

The second album Bayou Countryproduced "Proud Mary," a three-minute blast that caught the feel of life on a Louisiana riverboat (though Fogerty had not as yet been to Louisiana); it was the first of ten now-classic Top Ten singles (according to Billboard, they never had a Number One). The Louisiana theme continued on the follow-up "Green River," while later singles ("Up Around the Band," "Looking Out My Back Door," "Travellin' Band") typecast them as a retro-minded, good-time group.

Less noticed at the time was their strong political side, "Who'll Stop the Rain," "Bad Moon Rising" and "Run Through the Jungle" all spoke frankly against the Vietnam War. Fogerty's best-known topical song, "Fortunate Son" was a common-man's anthem that's since been appropriated by both conservative and liberal causes, not always with Fogerty's approval.

The group's Fantasy contract demanded that they work at a punishing pace; the most popular five of their seven albums were made in 1969-70, during which time they also toured extensively and played Woodstock. By 1971 cracks were appearing as Tom Fogerty quit and they continued as a trio. While the first post-Tom single "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" was a characteristic hit, John Fogerty then made the perverse decision to insist that Cook and Clifford would write and sing an equal number of tracks on the next album, though they had no experience doing either.

The result, 1972's Mardi Gras was critically savaged, though another of John's tunes ("Someday Never Comes," a rare ballad single) was enough to make it a hit. The group dissolved soon after and lingering problems from the Fantasy years-especially Fogerty's longrunning battle with label head Saul Zaentz-were enough to keep them permanently estranged; Fogerty refused to play with his ex-bandmates when Creedence was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Fogerty also refused to play Creedence songs on his first solo tours for fear of enriching Zaentz but has since relented since the label head's death. He remained a popular solo artist while Cook and Clifford went on to a lower-profile tribute band, Creedence Clearwater Revisited. Tom Fogerty died in 1990.