John Fogerty has struck a deal with publisher Little, Brown and Co. to release his as-yet-untitled autobiography in 2014. The former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman is best known for writing and singing such classic tracks as “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising” as well as his much publicized battles with record execs and band members.
“I want to tell the story of how I fought – hard – to maintain my artistic integrity in the face of opposing forces,” Fogerty said in a statement issued through Little, Brown and Co. – who published Keith Richard’s controversial and best-selling memoir Life.
Fogerty formed CCR in 1967 with brother and rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty, bassist Stu Cook and drummer Doug Clifford. After an amazing run of Top 10 hits the band broke up in 1972, largely due to John Fogerty’s steadfast determination to do things his way. He then spent years battling his former music label, Fantasy Records.
“The kid from El Cerrito (Calif.) wanted to be the best musician in the world – my promise to myself,” Fogerty said in his statement. “I accomplished that goal against all odds, only to have it fall apart on top of me. The songs and the music stopped; you didn’t hear from John Fogerty for years. All of this took its toll on me. I couldn’t write a song, sing a song. And it was so hard on me, all of the lawsuits and betrayals. I was personally fading away. My story will share the ups and downs and how it all affected me. The road back was a bumpy one, and I knew that it would take years to come out of it, but I did. Happily, I did, with my dear wife, Julie, by my side.
“I have come to a place where I can look back and reflect on those stories and share what really happened. I am the guy who lived it, and you will hear me tell the story for the first time.”
Fogerty is currently working on an album of collaborations titled Wrote A Song For Everyone and has recruited a variety of artists including Bob Seger, Kid Rock, Foo Fighters, Brad Paisley and Jennifer Hudson to join him on the record. Originally scheduled for an October 9th release, Wrote A Song For Everyone is now expected to hit the shelves sometime next year.
