Creedence Clearwater Revival

Renamed The Golliwogs by a Fantasy Records executive who didn't tell them about the name change until it appeared on their first single, the quartet scored a regional hit with an original song, Brown-Eyed Girl, which sounded like a slowed-down version of Gloria by Them.

Like their sappy name, The Golliwogs' singles were uninspired derivations of British Invasion smashes. Realising a change was needed, the group became Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1967 and started emphasising a rootsier sound.

Their cover version of Dale Hawkins' Suzie Q furnished them with their first hit, and leader John Fogerty soon revealed himself to be an exceptional writer - With the exception of that debut single, Fogerty wrote all of Creedence's 14 hit records. He was also singer, lead guitarist, producer and arranger of nearly everything that appeared on Creedence's seven studio albums.

In 1969 and 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival was the most popular group in America. Green River and Cosmo's Factory (1971) were the biggest of five platinum albums, and their watertight formula seemed inexhaustible until Creedence elected to pack up while they were still on top in late 1972.

Tom Fogerty had already departed in January 1971, frustrated by what he described as his brother's 'complete domination' of the group.

John Fogerty's subsequent seclusion was broken by occasional solo albums. He finally emerged in 1985 with a Top Ten hit, The Old Man Down The Road, and the multi-platinum album, Centerfield.

Tom Fogerty died on 6 September 1990 from respiratory failure due to tuberculosis. He was 48. Fogerty had been hospitalised since becoming ill in August, but spent his last few weeks at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona.