In a landmark victory celebrated across the music world, John Fogerty has finally secured worldwide control over the publishing rights to his iconic Clearwater Revival Songs, ending a grueling half-century struggle. This triumph arrives at a time when many of Fogerty’s contemporaries, including Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young, are selling their valuable copyrights. Fogerty, however, has taken a different path, buying back a majority stake in his historic CCR song catalog from Concord for an undisclosed sum. This treasure trove includes timeless rock anthems such as “Proud Mary,” “Down on the Corner,” “Fortunate Son,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Up Around the Bend,” and “Green River,” all cornerstones of the clearwater revival songs legacy.
Concord, who acquired the rights in 2004 through the purchase of Saul Zaentz’s Fantasy Records, played a crucial role in this resolution. Notably, Concord had previously reinstated and increased Fogerty’s artist royalties, which he had forfeited in 1980 to escape his unfavorable Fantasy deal. While Concord retains the master recordings of CCR, they will administer Fogerty’s share of the publishing catalog for a limited period.
Alt text: John Fogerty smiles warmly on his patio alongside his golden retriever, Creedy, symbolizing his regained ownership of Clearwater Revival songs.
From his Southern California home, with his golden retriever Creedy (named after Creedence) by his side, the 77-year-old Fogerty expressed a sense of disbelief and profound relief. “I tried really hard,” he recounted, reflecting on decades of setbacks in his battle against Saul Zaentz, who passed away in 2014. Fogerty, the creative force behind these clearwater revival songs, emphasized, “I’m the dad [of these songs]. I created them. They never should have been taken away in the first place. And that hijacking left such a massive hole in me.” He credited the unwavering support of his wife and manager of over 30 years, Julie Fogerty, for helping him navigate the anger and maintain the dream of reclaiming his musical heritage.
While acknowledging that achieving majority ownership isn’t a complete victory, Fogerty sees it as a significant step forward. “It’s not a 100% win for me, but it’s sure better than it was. I’m really kind of still in shock. I haven’t allowed my brain to really, actually, start feeling it yet.” It’s important to note that Fogerty had always retained his writer’s share of his CCR copyrights and also owns the masters and publishing for his solo work, including hits like “Centerfield” and “Rockin’ All Over the World.”
The reclaimed CCR catalog comprises over 65 songs, primarily penned by Fogerty during Creedence Clearwater Revival’s meteoric rise in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Despite their relatively short active period before disbanding in 1972, CCR became one of America’s most influential rock bands. Their impact is undeniable, boasting five top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 between 1969 and 1970. Their enduring appeal is evident in the continued success of Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits, released in 1976, which has spent an astounding 622 non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200. Even decades after release, clearwater revival songs like “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” topped Billboard’s Rock Digital Songs Sales Chart in 2021, demonstrating their timeless resonance.
The Journey Back to Ownership of Clearwater Revival Songs
The recent endeavor to regain control of his publishing began 18 months prior, sparked by the realization that U.S. copyright law would soon allow rights to revert back to Fogerty as the songs approached 56 years old. However, this reversion wouldn’t extend to international rights. Julie Fogerty spearheaded the initiative, proposing to Concord, “John would like to buy his songs. He’d like to figure out a way.”
Julie elaborated on the strategy, explaining, “While John is having the time of his life out there on the road… why can’t we take those few years left [before reversion] and not have them give them to us, but we’ll buy them. Whatever the value plus a little bonus. We’ll figure out how to come up with the money and we’ll just buy that. [Concord’s] not going to lose because they’ll have the value.”
Initially, Concord declined, leading Fogerty to believe history would repeat itself. However, Julie Fogerty enlisted the help of Irving Azoff, who had briefly managed Fogerty two decades prior. Azoff intervened, appealing to Concord chairman and CEO Scott Pascucci, emphasizing the opportunity to be recognized for doing right by artists. Concord president Bob Valentine also played a crucial role in facilitating the agreement. Azoff encouraged the pursuit of worldwide rights, acknowledging that it would necessitate relinquishing a percentage of ownership.
Alt text: A photo of Irving Azoff and John Fogerty engaged in discussion, highlighting Azoff’s pivotal role in mediating the Clearwater Revival songs rights acquisition.
Irving Azoff lauded the outcome, stating, “John Fogerty is one of music’s greatest treasures. Now, finally after decades of suffering, I’m thrilled to see John regain ownership of his music. And kudos to Concord for understanding that doing the right thing for artists is great for their business as well.”
Bob Valentine of Concord affirmed, “John’s songs are some of the greatest compositions of the 20th century. We’ve been honored to own and represent these works ever since we acquired Fantasy in 2004. Given the unique set of circumstances around the history of John’s relationship with Fantasy, we were more than happy to oblige John and Julie in working out an agreement for these songs to revert back to him early. And we’re profoundly grateful that John has agreed to partner with Concord for the remaining worldwide copyrights on the share of these songs that we will retain.”
The legal aspects of the deal were handled by Jason Karlov and Amanda Taber of Barnes & Thornburg representing Fogerty, and Steven Sessa and Josh Love of Reed Smith representing Concord.
Decades of Legal Battles and Emotional Toll over Clearwater Revival Songs
The path to reclaiming his rights and healing from the contentious relationship with Saul Zaentz has been arduous and emotionally draining for Fogerty. Beyond the decades of lost royalties, Zaentz’s 1985 lawsuit against Fogerty for $144 million alleging that “The Old Man Down the Road” plagiarized CCR’s “Run Through the Jungle” stands as a stark example of the conflict. Despite Fogerty writing both songs, Zaentz argued that Fogerty was plagiarizing a song he now owned. Although Fogerty prevailed, his subsequent attempt to recover $1.3 million in legal fees reached the Supreme Court in 1993.
For years, Fogerty’s deep-seated resentment prevented him from performing clearwater revival songs live, unwilling to contribute to Zaentz’s financial gain. However, a chance encounter with Bob Dylan in 1987 at the Palomino club, alongside George Harrison, prompted a shift. Dylan’s humorous nudge, “John, if you don’t do ‘Proud Mary,’ everybody’s gonna think it’s a Tina Turner song,” persuaded Fogerty to break his silence on stage. Later that year, he began reintroducing CCR classics into his performances.
Previous Attempts and a Turning Point
Fogerty’s previous attempt to buy back his publishing in 1989, mediated by Bill Graham, initially seemed promising. An agreement was reached, but Zaentz later doubled the price, making it unattainable. A subsequent appeal to Warner Chappell was met with rejection, leaving Fogerty feeling hopeless.
A breakthrough came unexpectedly during a jog, listening to a radio therapist advising a woman to accept that her commitment-averse boyfriend would not change. This resonated deeply with Fogerty, leading to the realization that his situation with Zaentz was similarly unchangeable. This acceptance, while initially painful, became a turning point in his emotional journey.
When asked about pursuing ownership of his CCR masters, Fogerty expressed openness but emphasized that reclaiming his publishing rights was his primary concern due to the mistreatment he endured. Despite potential lucrative offers for his newly acquired share, Fogerty is focused on enjoying his hard-won control and creative freedom rather than immediate financial gain.
Currently, Fogerty, who released the socially conscious track “Weeping in the Promised Land” in 2021, is relishing performing live, especially with his sons in his touring band. He finds performing clearwater revival songs more joyful now than ever before. While acknowledging the past tensions within CCR and the loss of his brother Tom, Fogerty looks forward to future musical collaborations, even envisioning a heavenly band reunion with Tom.
Julie Fogerty envisions a renewed connection between John and his iconic clearwater revival songs, aiming to introduce them to a new generation. Discussions are underway for a biopic and documentary about Fogerty, further solidifying his legacy.
Bob Valentine of Concord expressed hope that regaining his copyrights brings Fogerty “a sense of closure” and “peace,” fostering a “new beginning” and a sense of “partnership.” He emphasized the cultural importance of clearwater revival songs and Concord’s commitment to their legacy.
With the weight of this long battle lifted, Fogerty embraces the future with optimism, stating, “I’m ready to feel really good about music.”
This article is a rewritten version based on an original article by Melinda Newman, originally published in Billboard. You can read the original article here.
