John Fogerty will visit Australia for the first time since 2012 when he headlines the Country Fest Queensland this easter. And for the first time in a lifetime, he’ll dish-up some Creedence.
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Morgan Evans, Lee Kernaghan, James Johnston and many others are on the bill, set for 30-31 March, but it’s the Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman who turns heads.
According to festival reps, the rock legend will perform a set of his own songs, then a second set playing CCR classics – something he hasn’t done in these parts since 1972.
Fogerty visits the land Down Under a year after he gained control of his CCR publishing rights, ending a half-century struggle that was said to be one of the music industry’s grimmest and most arduous tales.
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With that deal, the singer, songwriter and guitarist unlocked the rights to such classics as “Proud Mary,” “Down on the Corner,” Fortunate Son,” “Bad Moon Rising” “Up Around the Bend” and “Green River.”
One of America’s seminal rock bands, CCR had a seriously hot streak run, including landing five top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 between 1969 and 1970 before splitting in 1972.
Fogerty wasn’t able to bask in those glory years. When Fantasy Records’ late boss Saul Zaentz took control of Fogerty’s publishing in 1980, an epic and ugly legal fight ensued, resulting in the Rock Hall inductee refusing to play CCR songs live.
That car crash is now in the review.
CCR was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, with Bruce Springsteen doing the honors. Though CCR never nabbed a Grammy Award, Fogerty won a golden gramophone in 1997 for Blue Moon Swamp (for best rock album).
Country music is booming in Australia. According to Luminate’s “2023 Midyear Report,” Australia is the world’s No. 3 market for the genre behind the United States and Canada.
During the first half of 2023, Aussies streamed country music 1.1 billion times, based on the top 500 songs in the genre, with U.S. stars Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs among the favorites.
Country Fest is presented by NQ Licensed Events and Dittmann Bucking Bulls, and will be held at Dittmann Bull Pit, Bloomsbury in Mackay, Queensland.
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