John Fogerty's new CD

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 11 Oct 2009 10:07 pm

Kind of funny how this thread started off with someone commenting on how the "Blue Ridge Rangers Ride Again" album has Greg Leisz playing great steel and Dobro on some cool old classic songs. While every other thread seems to lament over no one playing cool old classic songs with steel guitar.

So everyone jumps in on this thread bashing Fogerty for doing what they claim there isn't enough of, STEEL GUITAR ON A MAJOR RECORDING, and because of that it gets bumped to the music section.

A major recording artist cuts an album on "Universal Music Group" (one of the last of the 4 remaining "Major Labels"), and use a pedal steel as the primary lead instrument, does a tour in support of that album with a steel player(James Pennebaker), appears on all the network TV talk shows with a steel player, yet it's not worthy to be in the "Steel Players" section of the "Steel Guitar Forum"???????????????????

What am I missing about this?

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 12 Oct 2009 6:02 am

A major recording artist cuts an album on "Universal Music Group" (one of the last of the 4 remaining "Major Labels"), and use a pedal steel as the primary lead instrument, does a tour in support of that album with a steel player(James Pennebaker), appears on all the network TV talk shows with a steel player, yet it's not worthy to be in the "Steel Players" section of the "Steel Guitar Forum"???????????????????

What am I missing about this?

Alvin, could it be that it's about John Fogerty and his music, and not about James Pennebaker per se?

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 12 Oct 2009 6:03 am

I think it was moved simply because it was in the wrong section, not because the topic was unworthy.

I agree, the criticism is unexpected here for an album of country classics with great steel all over it. But its the internet, if one poster says "up" ten will post saying "down". also theres no accounting for taste

still havent heard this new one, gotta find it, thanks for the reminder

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 12 Oct 2009 9:07 am

Amen Alvin.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 12 Oct 2009 11:20 am

I've been enjoying the new album.

Sure, it's a CD of covers of some classic tunes, and it's no monumental accomplishment as to its contribution in the music world, but a great song with solid vocals and a bunch of highly skilled players is always welcome in my CD player, even if it's the 213th recorded version from a song that's 50 years old.

I think someone like Fogerty is held to a higher standard as to what he releases, because a handful of his songs from the CCR days are among the great classics of all-time.

I have most of whatever he has recorded in his career, and like an awful lot of songwriters, he has written some good original stuff in the past 10-15 years, but he was in his prime as a writer as a much younger man. Similar examples of singer/songwriters in his general age group could be cited almost endlessly.

One example of a CD that was for the most part a big hit with Forum members that came out a few years back is Martina McBride's collection of classic country songs, "Timeless." My only beef with that album was the inclusion of "I Never Promised You A Rosegarden," because I disliked the song from day one when it was originally released by Lynn Anderson, and it gets on my nerves, and back in the day, it was played endlessly on the radio. Other than that, I think it's a great CD. I'm not going to go back and research the threads, but overall, it was received very favorably because why? Well, one reason is that Martina, and also singers like Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris (though she has written more of her own stuff in the past several years) are usually thought of as vocalists and interpreters of songs written by others. So those particular female singers never had a "Proud Mary" or "Who'll Stop The Rain" in them to begin with, so they are not thought of in that songwriter's frame of reference.

Emmylou did a great version of Merle Haggard's "Kern River" (with some beautiful dobro work by Mike Auldridge) on her most recent CD, but I don't recall thinking, "gee - the last thing I want to hear is someone else re-hashing another Hag classic."

As far as other genres of music, I don't recall folks hammering Frank Sinatra because he wasn't a songwriter, it was accepted that he was a vocalist, and interpreted the work written by others.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 12 Oct 2009 1:36 pm

Mark, BTW - those 'tinyurl' links are gonzo. I was looking forward to hearing some of this.

Maybe you got some newer links. YouTube said they were taken away because of well, I ain't sure.

But they're gone, gone, gone!

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 12 Oct 2009 2:03 pm

Sorry about that Chip - that makes sense now that I think about it. Because one of them might have been video from Letterman's show on the CBS website, and they are typically only available for a fairly short time after the show airs.

Here is another link - video quality is funky. But you can check out "When Will I Be Loved" and James Pennebaker has a nice break in the middle, albeit short:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CEYNEFC6rs

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 31 Oct 2009 8:35 am

quote by Barry:

"Most people have never built an automobile"

Those who do build automobiles might just know a little more about automobiles, than those who don't!! Touche!

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 1 Nov 2009 5:55 am

Those who do build automobiles might just know a little more about automobiles, than those who don't!! Touche!

I would like it if those who quote others would include the entire quote, rather than editing it to suit themselves.

Per Kammersgaard · Post by **Per Kammersgaard** » 2 Nov 2009 5:10 am

In a country, where hardly anyone knows Ray Price, Mel Tillis, George Stait or Jones, this album, with all the airplay it's getting, is helping REAL country music - and the steelguitar - a lot.

PK

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 3 Nov 2009 5:33 pm

considering what i hear on people's car radios today, i would be 'very' surprised to find many people who know or care who fogarty is...let alone buy it!

Jerry Hayes R.I.P. · Post by **Jerry Hayes R.I.P.** » 6 Nov 2009 10:37 am

I've loved John's music for over forty years and still never get tired of playing it. He's got a bunch of great instumental "hooks" in the songs which when you hear the tune kicked off, you know immediately what the tune is. Example, the intro to "Proud Mary", "Bad Moon Risin", "Lodi". etc. etc. I have an old Kustom 250 head which is blue sparkle tuck & roll with two matching cabinets with four 12" speakers in each. Talk about a sound! Maybe once a year I take it out to a gig, plug in a Les Paul, turn up the reverb & tremolo, do the intro to "Born On The Bayou" and that's about as close to a "musical climax" I've ever had! I saw Fogerty on Soundstage a while back and I think he sounds as good as ever and has buckets of energy in his music and himself which transfers to the crowd so easily..........JH in Va.

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 6 Nov 2009 3:49 pm

BRC has had Moody River in rotation since September.

Jack Dillard · Post by **Jack Dillard** » 27 Dec 2009 7:47 pm

After what happened to this thread I'm almost afraid to post this but I bought this CD today.

I like it a lot.

I have no problem with Fogerty doing covers, he's done them before, puts money in the pockets of the original songwriters and exposes new people to songs they maybe haven't heard before. All good IMHO.

Al Terhune · Post by **Al Terhune** » 3 Jan 2010 9:56 pm

I love this CD -- thanks a million for the referral. What a breath of fresh air into some old classics, and at the same time, remaining very true to original arrangements ("Garden Party") which productions needed no alterations. Personally, John Fogerty is the epitome of American music. I've not enjoyed too many of his later efforts -- his CCR music appears to have been a "moment" in his musical history, but his voice is iconic, and of all the "cover" lps I've heard, this is my favorite. I'm especially impressed that he covered John Denver, which took a lot of guts, but whose embrace is well-deserved of another one of American music's most melodic and "Americana" writers. Way to go John -- and John.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 4 Jan 2010 5:14 am

The single thing I respect most about Fogerty is his approach to his job. He was well into his 40's when he looked back and realized that he never actually had become the kickass lead guitarist that he wanted to be, so he went back to work and began putting 4 to 6 hours a day into his soloing so that he didn't have to turn the solos over to someone else to keep his songs professional-sounding. This after spending "three years" learning to play dobro. He may not be a genius in IQ terms, but he's real, real dedicated - still.

Bari Smith · Post by **Bari Smith** » 4 Jan 2010 10:15 am

If the man is in the position in his life he can pay tribute to other song writers,play songs he obviously loves,get air play and make a dollar or two....more power to him.I personally like the CD,closer to country than most you hear.I would venture a guess that 90% or better of tha money that 90% or better of the players on this forum have made performing was playing covers!My 2 cents!

Brian Henry · Post by **Brian Henry** » 4 Jan 2010 3:36 pm

Barry, Those who quote are responsible for editing - those who edit should edit what they quote, but also refrain from commenting on what was quoted, but not edited. Conversely, if one merely edits and functions as an editor, he or she might take exception when quotes are edited, or edits are quoted.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 5 Jan 2010 7:16 am

I would only understand what you just said if I had been drinking profusely. Bottom line, you're a fan, I'm not. Let's move on.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 5 Jan 2010 9:13 am

chris ivey wrote:considering what i hear on people's car radios today, i would be 'very' surprised to find many people who know or care who fogarty is...let alone buy it!

I beg to differ.

Yes, if you judge it by what you hear on the radio - no argument. But the second part of your post refers to being very surprised to find many people who know or care about Fogerty (with an "e" in the middle). No, you won't hear the CD on your "today's hot country!" station following Chesney and Rascal Flatts, and you won't hear it on the "Classic Rock" station, though Creedence and some of John's earlier solo stuff is alive and well in that genre.

And would Fogerty and band be booked on shows like Letterman if they thought nobody was going to stick around until the last five minutes to watch? "Jennifer, can you look at the TV Guide and tell me who's the music guest on Letterman tonight? John Fogerty - isn't he the guy that was in Creedence? (yawn)..I think I'll go to bed."

Here's my take. Though I spend a pretty good chunk of change annually contributing to keeping my local record store alive in Santa Rosa, every once in a great while I'll pick up a CD in the local Wal-Mart, when shopping for toothpaste, toilet paper, cat food, copier paper, etc.

After I've taken a deep breath to enter the store and prepare myself for the Wal-Mart "experience," I'll swing by the ever shrinking music department to see if there are any CDs of interest, and once in awhile there are.

So when this album came out several months ago, not only was it displayed somewhat prominently on an endcap, it was even on sale as I recall for $11.99.

That tells me that the corporate music buyer for Wal-Mart is under the impression that there are still a lot of folks out there that care about John Fogerty, and no, they are not my sons and daughters aged 19-22, but a lot of baby boomers that still have some discretionary spending money in their pockets. And I'm thinking that the Wal-Mart music buyer is carrying the CD in the stores anticipating a certain number of "units" sold to make it a worthwhile purchase. I used to sell products wholesale to Wal-Mart at one point in my career, and believe me, those old Arkansas boys are sharp as tacks - they aren't going to promote a CD on an endcap display with an "on sale" price if they think it's gonna "tank."

I picked up the the second album of pure country by Texan James Hand a few weeks in San Francisco at the Forumite managed Joe Goldmark's Amoeba Music. I only bring that up because I wouldn't have found that CD at my local Wal-Mart in a million years. But I found Fogerty's latest CD, on sale no less, even though it tends toward country (maybe the Wal-Mart buyer never listened to it figuring it would fit in with "Classic Rock").

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Jan 2010 8:10 am

Mark, I can't explain your Wal-Mart experience in Santa Rosa, except to assume it was a geographical anomaly. I have a Wal-Mart near me in the Sacramento area, and have yet to see this CD anywhere in the store, let alone the music department. Go figure.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 6 Jan 2010 8:38 am

Anomalies aside, there is some latitude in decision making at store level in purchasing. I used to sell plants to the nursery departments at one point, I would make up a suggested order, the department head would approve it, and then I would go into the office and receive a purchase order number.

That could have been the situation.

Nevertheless, my Wal-Mart in Windsor, like just about all of them (likely in California) is dominated by Spanish language Latin artist CDs, Chesney-McGraw-Rascal Flatts-Trace Adkins "today's hot country," rap/hip hop, Beyonce, Shakira, Britney Spears, etc. , etc.

I have also watched over recent years that Borders, which used to do a very good job at CD retailing, has shrunk their music departments practically down to nothing. And a very good music store here in Sonoma county is in the process of closing right now, Back Door Disc in Cotati.

So I'm doing what I can on my end to help keep The last Record Store in Santa Rosa open. I think of the whole record store experience as a great American tradition, and to see what's happening saddens me.

No doubt it saddens John Fogerty as well.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Jan 2010 12:49 pm

I doubt I know what John Fogerty is thinking...

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 6 Jan 2010 1:21 pm

Maybe you just don't have that "Fogerty connection"...might be a Sacto thing.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 6 Jan 2010 1:55 pm

You may be onto something, Mark. Someday, I've got to escape this dreadful place.

The Steel Guitar Forum

John Fogerty's new CD

Covers?