CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

Biography

Creedence Clearwater Revival, commonly abbreviated as CCR, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California, in 1959. The band consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty, his brother rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty, bassist Stu Cook, and drummer Doug Clifford. These members had played together since 1959, first as the Blue Velvets and later as the Golliwogs, before settling on the Creedence Clearwater Revival name in 1967 after signing with Fantasy Records under new owner Saul Zaentz.

CCR's musical style encompassed roots rock, swamp rock, blues rock, Southern rock, country rock, and blue-eyed soul. Despite originating from the San Francisco Bay Area, the band created an authentic Southern sound with lyrics about bayous, catfish, and the Mississippi River. Their songs rarely dealt with romantic love, instead focusing on political and socially conscious topics such as the Vietnam War. The band's most prolific period between 1969 and 1971 produced 14 consecutive top-10 singles and five consecutive top-10 albums in the United States, with Green River (1969) and Cosmo's Factory (1970) topping the Billboard 200 chart. They performed at the historic 1969 Woodstock festival as the first major act signed to appear there.

CCR disbanded acrimoniously in late 1972 after four years of chart-topping success, with Tom Fogerty having quit the previous year and disputes over business and artistic control leading to lawsuits among former bandmates. John Fogerty's ongoing disagreements with Fantasy Records owner Saul Zaentz created further legal battles, and he refused to perform with the surviving members at the band's 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. The band's legacy endures powerfully—their compilation album Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits, released in 1976, reached the 600-week mark on the Billboard 200 in August 2022 and has been certified 12-times platinum, with over 30 million albums sold in the US alone. CCR received a rare Diamond certification from the RIAA in 2016, and their music remains a staple of classic rock radio.

Fun Facts

• Despite their authentic Southern rock sound with songs about bayous and the Mississippi River, all four band members actually came from the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California, specifically El Cerrito.
• CCR performed at the legendary 1969 Woodstock festival and was the first major act signed to appear at the historic event.
• The band's compilation album Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits has remained on the Billboard 200 chart for over 600 weeks as of August 2022, an extraordinary feat of enduring popularity spanning nearly five decades.
• John Fogerty refused to perform with the two other surviving members at Creedence's 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction due to ongoing legal disputes, and the band has never officially reunited despite their legendary status.

Members

• Tom Fogerty (until 1971)
• Doug Clifford
• Stu Cook
• John Fogerty

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Dale Hawkins - Rock and roll pioneer whose work influenced CCR's sound (CCR covered 'Susie Q' as their first hit in 1968) [1960s]
• Southern rock and blues traditions - Musical wellspring that informed John Fogerty's songwriting and vocal style (Influenced albums like Bayou Country and songs about Southern iconography) [1968-1972]

Key Collaborators

• John Fogerty - Lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and sole songwriter for the band (All CCR studio albums 1968-1972 including Bayou Country, Green River, Willy and the Poor Boys, Cosmo's Factory) [1959-1972]
• Tom Fogerty - Rhythm guitarist and John's brother, founding member (All CCR albums until his departure in 1971) [1959-1971]
• Stu Cook - Bassist and founding member (All CCR albums and later performed as Creedence Clearwater Revisited) [1959-1972, 1995-2020]
• Doug Clifford - Drummer and founding member (All CCR albums and later performed as Creedence Clearwater Revisited) [1959-1972, 1995-2020]
• Saul Zaentz - Fantasy Records owner who signed CCR (Produced and released all CCR albums from 1967-1972) [1967-1972]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Have You Ever Seen The Rain (Pendulum (Expanded Edition))
2. Fortunate Son (Willy And The Poor Boys (Expanded Edition))
3. Bad Moon Rising (Green River (Expanded Edition))
4. Proud Mary (Bayou Country (Expanded Edition))
5. Green River (Green River (Expanded Edition))
6. Down On The Corner (Willy And The Poor Boys (Expanded Edition))
7. Up Around The Bend (Cosmo's Factory)
8. Who'll Stop The Rain (Cosmo's Factory)
9. Run Through The Jungle (Cosmo's Factory)
10. Born On The Bayou (Bayou Country (Expanded Edition))

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #60's, #american, #blues-rock