Creedence Clearwater Revival – Born on the Bayou, By Lou Caruso

Creedence+Clearwater+Revival+CCRThis “Bayou” video is from Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1970 appearance at London’s Royal Albert Hall and is one of the few clean and crisp videos of CCR in concert that still survive. Creedence was a very unique band, especially in their late 60s-early 70s era when most performers were showing their ability to jam, CCR was more interested in a good song and giving the people what they came to see. John Fogerty’s voice, lyrics and song melodies are timeless and have remained intact and iconic in American popular culture. His guitar stylings put the finishing touches on the musical canvas laid out by his bandmates. Over the years, I have heard many suggest that the other guys in the band weren’t important to what CCR did, but nothing could possibly be farther from the truth. Tom Fogerty’s rhythm guitar and high harmony vocals were essential to songs like “Down on the Corner,” “Who’ll Stop The Rain” and many others. Stu Cook on bass and Doug Clifford on drums made the perfect compliment and driving rhythm section foundation for the frontman that John Fogerty was and still is… While I still love John’s music (including the new music he has since made after the fall of CCR), I find it to be missing a certain driving rhythm thing that the other 3 members of Creedence once provided. In conclusion, please allow me to say that no other band in American rock history has the hits, the guitar riffs and the mysteriously cultured sound of Creedence Clearwater Revival and it sure has been fun to recreate that sound with my band for the last 20 years or so…. WE LOVE CCR !

Sincerely,

– Lou Caruso, Creedence County Rockers and Moon Music Circus