John Fogerty's Real Name: John Cameron Fogerty

Quick answer: The musician is known professionally as John Fogerty. Encyclopedia.com gives the name John Cameron Fogerty and dates his birth to May 28, 1945, in Berkeley, California. AllMusic independently lists the same fuller name, John Cameron Fogerty, and the same birth date and place.

Real name and early life

Independent publishers support the documented full name John Cameron Fogerty. Encyclopedia.com, in an American Decades entry, identifies him as John Cameron Fogerty, born May 28, 1945, in Berkeley, California, the third of five sons of Gayland Robert Fogerty, who worked in a newspaper print shop, and Lucile Fogerty, a store clerk and teacher. The same account says his father left the family in 1953, that he grew up in El Cerrito, California, and that in 1959 he formed his first group, the Blue Velvets, with junior high school friends Doug Clifford and Stu Cook, later joined by his older brother Tom. After graduating from high school in 1963, Encyclopedia.com says, he worked as a clerk at Fantasy Records in Oakland and later enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves in April 1966. AllMusic independently lists him as also known as John Cameron Fogerty and John C. Fogerty, dates the birth to May 28, 1945, in Berkeley, California, and describes him as the Creedence frontman who later had a solo career.

Career highlights

Encyclopedia.com says Saul Zaentz, the new owner of Fantasy Records, encouraged the group to pick a new name in 1967, and that they became Creedence Clearwater Revival, with Fogerty producing the 1968 debut album as lead singer and guitarist. The same account says the January 1969 album Bayou Country sold more than one million copies, with "Proud Mary," a song Fogerty composed and arranged, becoming the group's first gold single and first number-one hit. Encyclopedia.com also names the 1969 albums Green River and Willy and the Poorboys and the 1970 album Cosmo's Factory, and lists an unbroken string of Top Ten hits from 1969 to 1971, including "Bad Moon Rising," "Down on the Corner," and "Who'll Stop the Rain." Billboard, the same entry says, named the band the top singles artist for 1969, and Rolling Stone proclaimed it the best American band. "Fortunate Son" (1969) is among the later songs Encyclopedia.com discusses. The entry records that Creedence Clearwater Revival was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. AllMusic independently describes his roots-rock work and distinctive voice, and notes a later solo career after the band.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up John Fogerty or John Cameron Fogerty are looking for the same musician. Encyclopedia.com and AllMusic support the full name used in the title.