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Finding Fogerty Book
Finding Fogerty; Interdisciplinary Readings of John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival, edited by Thomas M. Kitts arrived in my mailbox today!!! YIPPEEE!!!!
Compliments are known to make Mr Fogerty a bit uncomfortable, but this book is full of compliments that are long overdue. I have only read the first 8 chapters since coming home from work and I have to say, I LOVE THIS BOOK SO VERY MUCH!!!!
These essays are disciplined research type of articles written by intellectuals who were willing to go back into our American history books to site actual names and dates of legendary blues artists and racial activists.
I wonder if this book was inspired by the many Fogerty Forums that are found on the Internet in recent years?
They are great essays, born out of love for the music of CCR and Fogerty, and also they stand to interpret a great deal of John's possible song genesis.
Anyhow - there is some very wonderful (and serious) wordsmithing going on within the pages of this fine book.
I encourage you all to buy this book (I got mine from Amazon.com) and come on back to this forum and discuss your feelings about the book!!!!
For instance, everybody loves John's voice - but it's really hard to describe his vocals, but the book gives it a cool attempt: "John Fogerty's beautiful voice rises above it all; muddy, gravelly, raspy, downright dirty and determined, authentic, soulful. The combination is exciting, rousing, and suggestive. The soul of the band is on display. There is no pretending at groove here - it is there in abundance. There is no, what record producer Jerry Wexler has called, "oversouling" it."
Sigh * Just masterful writing!!!! X O X O X O
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Re: Finding Fogerty Book
I finally finished reading this book, Finding Fogerty and I must say that I enjoyed it so very, very much. Even though I know ALOT about the life and career of Mr John Cameron Fogerty, I must tell you that I learned a great deal MORE simply by devoting some thought and reading the contents of this very disciplined book.
For instance, B Lee Copper the author of Chapter 11 which starts on page 151 publishes a theory regarding the origins of 3 distinct Rock Generations.
Cooper devised the generations by time and has three titles .....the ORIGINATORS (1918-1938)
The Translators (1939-1945) and
The Revivalists (1946-1963).
"In respect to Generational Theory, this historical birth date hypothesis contends that the children of America's Age of Normalcy and the Great Depression were crucial contributors to the launching and synthesizing the blues, country, and R&B recordings that fostered the rock-and-roll music of 1953-1957."
(page 153, Cooper).
For example on page 155, Cooper attempts to explain how some of the people who make rock music formed their psyche. He says that artists like John Fogerty developed their "stylistic diversity as a trademark of rock's generation of Originators. The were unconventional characters who delighted in experimentation with music and alcohol. Frequently lacking both higher education and formal musical training, this cadre of performers understood that music was a viable escape from hard, physical labor, personal disrespect, and economic uncertainty. They shared penchants for storytelling, for camaraderie around a bottle, and for life's simple pleasures - wine, women and song. Often denied radio access to larger audiences, these determined Originators offered their blues, country and R&B performance before small crowds at barn dances, house parties, and in bars and brothels."
Doesn't that describe John Fogerty to a tee?
Mr Cooper goes on to fill out an interesting table that further proves his theory, on page 158-160.
Originators (1918-1938) Translators (1939-1945) Revivalists (1946-1963
B.B.King (1925) Bob Dylan (1941) Greg Allman (1947)
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins (1929) Wilson Pickett (1941) Sammy Hagar (1947)
Ray Charles (1930) Jimi Hendrix (1942) Bruce Springsteen (1949)
Johnny Cash (1932) Aretha Franklin (1942) Tom Petty (1950)
James Brown (1933) Diana Ross (1944) John Cougar Mellencamp (1951)
Willie Nelson (1933) John Fogerty (1945) Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954)
Elvis Presley (1935) Bob Seger (1945) Hank Williams Jr. (1949)
I have never read or heard of this classification of famous, world-shaking musical artists before!
Therefore, this book is a winner and I highly suggest that you buy this book and read it from cover to cover and savor it, my friends!!!!
Overall, it is a great book and you will learn things about your favorite guitar hero that you never before considered. The goal of this book is to promote John's legacy, and I think it's a great goal to have in mind. The book claims that Fogerty is oftentimes overlooked when people recall rock history and when nominated into superstar categories such as great guitarists of the decade, most important songwriter of the century, who's a sex symbol in the music world, and so forth.
The assessment overall of John's contributions to popular music is that he is a natural born songwriter and singer and guitar player, but he is oftentimes over looked for reasons given and specified at the ending of the book.
I could go on and on about what I read in this fine book, and maybe I will as time goes on, but for now, I must encourage you all to buy a copy of this book or beg to borrow one from someone who lives down the road from you and above all else, READ IT!!!
YOU WILL LOVE IT!!!!!