A SONG FOR EVERYONE

An affectionate history of one of the most successful bands in American rock history.

Lingan begins in 1958, with future band members Stu Cook and Doug Clifford at Portola Junior High School in the Bay Area suburb where they grew up. They discovered a mutual interest in rock music, especially Southern Black artists like Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, and Chuck Berry, “who took the rhythms of Black music and wrote narratives that appealed to everyone.” In due time, the two began trying to play the music they were hearing. When Clifford heard another young boy playing piano in the same idiom, he invited him to join their band. That boy was John Fogerty, who became the group’s leader. Fogerty was already finding his way on an electric guitar, a joint purchase with his older brother Tom, who would eventually join the band as rhythm guitarist behind John’s lead work. The band went through several preliminary configurations, under various names, before landing a recording contract with Fantasy Records—a label previously identified with West Coast jazz—where they turned out an impressive string of hits and several well-received albums. Lingan provides ample background about his subject, covering the members’ personal lives as well as the recording sessions, tours, and eventual breakup. During it all, John Fogerty did more than anyone to shape the band’s direction, with his guitar work, vocals, and distinctive songwriting. Given his central role in the band from start to finish, it is unfortunate that Lingan was apparently unable to get his version of the band’s history on record. The book would have been stronger with his input. Still, the author gives anyone interested in Creedence a solid overview of the band’s career and a good excuse to pull out the old records for one more listen.

Recommended to anyone with fond memories of the band and of the era of which it was a central part.