John Cameron Fogerty was born May 28, 1945, in Berkeley, California. With his brother, Tom Fogerty, they formed a band known as Tommy Fogerty and the Blue Velvets. The band found little success. By the 1960s, the band name changed to The Golliwogs, but still commercial success eluded them.
In 1966, Fogerty decided to join an Army reserve unit rather than be drafted. For the next year, Fogerty served at three different forts: Fort Bragg, Fort Knox, and Fort Lee. In 1967, he was officially released from the army.
By 1968, the band was officially on track. The name changed to its now famous Creedence Clearwater Revival, and with the release of their self-titled album and the hit single "Suzie Q," everything was looking up.
Bolstered by the success of subsequent singles such as "Proud Mary" (popularized by Tina Turner), "Fortunate Son," and "Bad Moon Rising," the band performed at the legendary 1969 concert Woodstock. Many people, however, remain unaware of their presence at the event. Upset by technical difficulties involving the sound, Fogerty refused permission for any portion of the band’s set to be included in the documentary Woodstock.
Inner-band turmoil struck in 1971 when Tom Fogerty left Creedence Clearwater Revival, citing his brother’s dominance as the reason. The album Mardi Gras in 1972 marked the last for Creedence as Fogerty bought out of his contract and officially left the band.
Financial disaster hit when Fantasy Records suggested all members of the band invest their money in a Caribbean bank account. The four members of the band complied. When the out of nation bank proved unstable, Fantasy told only three members to withdraw. Fogerty, however, was never informed. He lost millions of dollars, while the financial welfare of the others remained secure.
On this shaky ground, Fogerty embarked on his solo career. After several mildly received albums, Centerfield was released in 1985. It contained popular hits like "The Old Man Down the Road," but the success was quickly marred by legal battles with former Fantasy Records boss Saul Zaentz, who unsuccessfully sued Fogerty for copyright infringement.
The year 1993 brought what should have been a happy event—the induction of Creedence Clearwater Revival into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Fogerty, however, refused to play with the band, because they sided with Fantasy during the legal battle.
Fogerty retired from the music scene until his surprise comeback in 1997 with Blue Moon Swamp. Winning the Grammy for Best Rock Album, Fogerty followed with a well-received tour of the U.S. and Europe in 1998.
The year 2004 brought Fogerty’s album Déjà Vu (All Over Again). Understood as an indictment of the Iraq war and President George W Bush’s policies, Fogarty was an outspoken supporter of candidate John Kerry.
During his time in the music spotlight, Fogerty earned numerous accolades, including an induction into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame on June 9, 2005.
In recent years, Fogerty attended the September 2005 Hurricane Katrina relief concert where he was introduced by former President Bill Clinton. In 2006, he toured with Willie Nelson as well as performed at several televised football halftime shows.
Fogerty also appeared for a non-credited role in the 1994 blockbuster Maverick opposite Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, James Garner, Alfred Molina, James Coburn, and Clint Black.
Fogerty married twice. He had three children with his first wife, Martha Paiz, before they divorced. He married Julie Lebiedzinski in 1991, and they are currently still together. They have four children.
YUDDY
