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John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty, he founded the swamp rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), for which he was the lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter. CCR had nine top-10 singles and eight gold albums between 1968 and 1972, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Since CCR parted ways in 1972, Fogerty has had a successful solo career, which continues. He was listed on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Songwriters (at No. 40) and the list of 100 Greatest Singers (at No. 72). His songs include "Proud Mary", "Bad Moon Rising", "Fortunate Son", "Green River", "Down on the Corner", "Who'll Stop the Rain", "Centerfield", "The Old Man Down the Road", and "Rockin' All Over the World". Early life Fogerty was born in Berkeley, California, and grew up in El Cerrito, California, the third of five boys born to Galen Robert and Edith Lucile (Lytle) Fogerty. His father was born in Iowa, and worked as a Linotype operator for the Berkeley Gazette in California. Lucile Fogerty taught second grade and was from Great Falls, Montana. John first attended a Catholic school, the School of the Madeleine, in Berkeley, California. In his memoir, Fortunate Son, Fogerty was critical of the school, saying when in class he was not permitted to go to the bathroom when he asked, and frequently wet himself and was forced to sit in his wet clothing. After one year, Fogerty enrolled in nearby Harding Grammar School. In his book, he stated that his parents were alcoholics and that they divorced when he was in the third or fourth grade. He later attended St. Mary's High School, then transferred to El Cerrito High School, where he met the other future members of CCR and took guitar lessons from Berkeley Folk Festival creator/producer Barry Olivier. Fogerty's older brother Tom was a guitarist and bandmate in the group that eventually became CCR. Fogerty spent summer vacations at Putah Creek, near Winters, California, which became the subject of the CCR song "Green River". While in junior high school in 1959, Fogerty formed a cover band with bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford called the Blue Velvets. The band was inspired by rock and roll pioneers, especially Little Richard and Bo Diddley. Later, Fogerty's brother Tom joined the group. In 1964, the band signed with Fantasy Records, which, without the band's knowledge or approval, changed the band's name from the Blue Velvets to The Golliwogs. This group recorded seven singles that were not commercially successful. Military service Fogerty received his draft notice for military service during the Vietnam War in 1966. The same day he received the notice, he went to a local United States Army Reserve recruiter, who signed him up immediately for training as a supply clerk. Fogerty believes the recruiter dated the paperwork to take effect before the draft letter arrived. During his time in the Army Reserve, Fogerty attended training at Fort Liberty (then Fort Bragg), Fort Knox, and Fort Gregg-Adams (then Fort Lee). He completed his active duty for training in July 1967, then served as a part-time reservist until being discharged in 1968. Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968–1972) After Fogerty's military service, the Golliwogs resumed playing, releasing an album in late 1967. In 1968, they changed their name to Creedence Clearwater Revival, with John Fogerty taking his brother's place as lead singer. The band released their eponymous debut album and also had their first hit single, "Susie Q". Many other hit singles and albums followed, beginning with "Proud Mary" and the album Bayou Country. Fogerty, as writer of the songs for the band as well as lead singer and lead guitarist, felt that his musical opinions should count for more than those of the others, leading to resentments within the band. These internal rifts, and Tom's feeling that he was being taken for granted, caused Tom to leave the group in January 1971. The two other group members, bassist Cook and drummer Clifford, wanted a greater role in the band's future. Fogerty, in an attempt to keep things together, insisted Cook and Clifford share equal songwriting and vocal time on what became the band's final album, Mardi Gras, released in April 1972, which included the band's last two singles, the 1971 hit "Sweet Hitch-Hiker", and "Someday Never Comes", which made it into the Billboard Top 20. Cook and Clifford told Fogerty that the fans would not accept Mardi Gras as a CCR LP, but Fogerty told them, "My voice is a unique instrument, and I will not lend it to your songs." According to the two bandmates, Fogerty gave them an ultimatum: either they would do it or Fogerty would quit immediately. They accepted Fogerty's ultimatum. The album received poor reviews, but was a commercial success, peaking at number 12 and achieving gold-record status, though it generated weaker sales than previous albums. The group disbanded shortly after the album was released. The only reunion of all four original members was at Tom Fogerty's wedding in 1980. Fogerty, Clifford, and Cook played a 45-minute set at their 20th El Cerrito high school class reunion in 1983, and Fogerty and Clifford were reunited again for a brief set at their 25th class reunion. Even early in his career, “Fogerty's attitude toward music [was] serious, practiced, even perfectionistic. He drilled his bandmates in rehearsal after rehearsal, insisting that his songs be performed his way. "...[He] was known for not indulging in drugs, and although John struggled with alcohol later in life he had only contempt for musicians whose habits interfered with their performances.” “Not in my band,” he writes in his memoir, Fortunate Son. “You dare not be stoned playing music around me.... When you're working, you're supposed to be working.” Solo career 1972–1985 As CCR was coming to an end, Fogerty began working on a solo album of country and western covers, on which he produced, arranged, and played all of the instruments. Despite the solo nature of the recordings, however, Fogerty elected to credit the album to The Blue Ridge Rangers—a band of which he was the only member. The eponymous The Blue Ridge Rangers was released in 1973; it spun off the top-20 hit "Jambalaya", as well as a lesser hit in "Hearts of Stone". Fogerty, still using "The Blue Ridge Rangers" name, then released a self-penned rock-and-roll single: "You Don't Owe Me" b/w "Back in the Hills" (Fantasy F-710). It was a commercial flop, failing to make the US Billboard Hot 100, though "You Don't Owe Me" was a minor hit in Canada, reaching No. 79. Fogerty thereafter abandoned the "Blue Ridge Rangers" identity, and released all his subsequent work under his own name. In early 1974, Fogerty released "Comin' Down The Road"—backed with the instrumental "Ricochet". His first official solo album, John Fogerty.... Discover the Lyndsay Rush popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Lyndsay Rush books.