Tom Fogerty - Early Life and Career

Early Life and Career

Fogerty was born in Berkeley, California. He began singing rock and roll in high school, just as his brother, John Fogerty did. He and his brother had separate groups. Tom's band, Spider Webb and the Insects (which featured Jeremy Levine of the Seeds), signed a recording contract with Del-Fi Records but broke up in 1959 before releasing any records. John's band, The Blue Velvets, began backing Tom, and eventually Tom joined John's band, and the group recorded three singles for Orchestra Records in 1961 and 1962, with Tom as lead vocalist. In the mid 1960s, the group was called The Golliwogs and recorded with Fantasy Records, with Tom and John sharing lead vocal duties. By 1968 the band was renamed Creedence Clearwater Revival, when John had become full-time lead singer and primary songwriter. During the few years of the life of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tom sang backing vocals and wrote songs, but only one of his songs ("Walking on the Water") was recorded. This lack of opportunity, along with festering, long-standing animosity with his brother, led him to leave the band in 1971.

After leaving the band, Fogerty began performing and recording as a solo artist. His relationship with his brother John remained strained. Tom was bitter at having his contributions overlooked. In the pre-CCR days, Tom had been singer, songwriter, and, generally, manager of the act. Tom Fogerty had minor hits like "Goodbye Media Man" and "Joyful Resurrection". He remained with Fantasy Records and his 1971 solo debut album, Tom Fogerty, reached #78 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. On the follow-up, Excalibur, Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders played on the sessions. Stu Cook and Doug Clifford (CCR's former bass guitarist and drummer) and John Fogerty performed on the 1974 followup album, Zephyr National. The song "Joyful Resurrection" features a complete reunion of CCR though John Fogerty recorded his parts separately. Cook and Clifford also backed Tom on his second LP release of 1974 titled Myopia.

Throughout the rest of the 1970s and 1980s, Fogerty continued to record. He claimed all royalties and sued Fantasy Records; when Tom re-signed with Fantasy (effectively releasing an obligor—Fantasy Records, the deepest pocket—of joint liability and waiver of damages to his brother, an obligee), Fogerty lived comfortably in Scottsdale, Arizona for the remainder of his life, thanks to his Creedence royalties. He was an occasional surprise call-in guest on local radio station KSLX-FM.

At the October 1980 reception for Tom's marriage to Tricia Clapper, all four members of CCR reunited and performed for the first time in a decade, and for the final time.