John Fogerty Reclaims Creedence Songs With New ‘John’s Version’ Recordings

John Fogerty has announced a new album titled Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years, due out Aug. 22 via Concord.

To celebrate, Fogerty has released three newly recorded versions of CCR classics: “Up Around the Bend,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” and “Porterville,” the latter originally released in 1967 under the band’s earlier name, The Golliwogs.

The new recordings are labeled “John’s Version,” a nod to Taylor Swift’s “Taylor’s Version” project, though Fogerty now owns his masters. He won control over his publishing rights in early 2023, ending a legal battle that spanned five decades.

“For most of my life I did not own the songs I had written,” Fogerty said in a statement. “Getting them back changes everything. Legacy is my way of celebrating that — of playing these songs on my terms, with the people I love.”

The sessions feature Fogerty’s sons Shane and Tyler on guitars, with Matt Chamberlain on drums, Bob Malone on keys, Bob Glaub on bass, and Rob Stone on saxophone. Shane Fogerty also co-produced the album with his father, while Julie Fogerty, John’s wife, served as executive producer.

“I knew firsthand how much it meant for John to get his publishing back,” said Julie. “It has been so joyful and beautiful since this happened for him. This is a celebration of his life’s work. It is the biggest party for the good guy/artist winning.”

Legacy features 20 tracks, including CCR staples like “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Fortunate Son,” and “Down on the Corner.” The project arrives as Fogerty celebrates his 80th birthday with a pair of shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre, ahead of a European summer tour and a performance at Glastonbury Festival.

Fogerty co-founded Creedence Clearwater Revival in the late 1960s and went on to write and perform some of the most enduring hits of the era. The band scored nine Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1969 and 1971, including “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Green River,” and “Lookin’ Out My Back Door.”

Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years is available for pre-order now.