John Fogerty to Reveal Untold 'Ups and Downs' in Book

John Fogerty plans to tell his own life story – including his El Cerrito roots, rise to rock stardom with the band Creedence Clearwater Revival and the tumultuous conflicts with his brother Tom and former record company.

The publishing firm Little, Brown and Company announced Monday that it had acquired the rights to Fogerty's memoir to be published in 2014. The announcement was featured on Fogerty's website and in news accounts, including one from the Associated Press. 

“The kid from El Cerrito wanted to be the best musician in the world—my promise to myself," Fogerty said in a statement released by the publisher. "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."

"My story will share the ups and downs and how it all affected me," he said. "I am the guy who lived it, and you will hear me tell the story for the first time.”

Fogerty is famous for several rock classics that he wrote and sang, including "Proud Mary," "Bad Moon Rising," "Down on the Corner," "Born on the Bayou" and others.

One of the most popular and successful rock bands of the late '60s and early '70s, Creedence Clearwater Revival ranks among El Cerrito's most prominent contributions to the world stage. Unlike many of its contemporaries from that era, its songs continue to heard on the radio.

Fogerty's legacy is remembered at the El Cerrito High School history museum, which includes a prominently displayed large scarf bearing his name. It was made and donated by a member of group of Creedence fans from Europe who made a pilgimmage to local Creedence sites in February. Their tour included the high school.

Fogerty and Creedence bandmates Stu Cook and Doug Clifford attended El Cerrito High in the class of 1963, while John's late older brother Tom, the fourth member of the group, went to Albany High.

Fogerty, who has sold more than 100 million albums, will also record the audiobook version of the memoir, the publisher said.

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To see earlier El Cerrito Patch articles about Creedence Clearwater Revival, click "Creedence Clearwater Revival" next to "Related Topics" below. For alerts on future articles about the band, click the "Keep me posted" button below.