Happy John Fogerty's Birthday!

You know, I already know for a fact that this is also the day of birth for actors and actresses like Zelda (Poltergeist) Rubenstein, Brandon ("The Courtship of Eddie's Father") Cruz and Sondra ("I Was This Close To Being MRS. Clint Eastwood") Locke.  And lord knows they would be more logical choices for a blog like this, but I have a reason for wanting to celebrate the birth of this man.

He rocks.  Loud and hard.

What other man has become the icon he has in the world of what is lovingly called "swamp rock"?  John's voice was (and is) so soulful and bluesy and he pours so much of himself into his music that it makes wannabe whippersnappers nowadays just want to pack up their Gibsons and go back to data processing.

I know of few who grew up and didn't hear at least one of his songs, whether it was with Creedence Clearwater Revival or solo, and wouldn't find themselves tapping their feet, singing along and/or smiling in fond reminiscence of the days when rock and roll was actually rock and roll.

Mister Fogerty is still out there, rockin' in the free world, and I say more power to him.  He still has the voice, the chops and the fire in his soul to do so, and I know for a fact that there are a lot from the Sixties and Seventies who can't or won't do what he does.  Or in fact never COULD do what he does.

All I can say to those people is: take notes -



Happy birthday, Big John.  Keep rockin' the Bayou.

Dope out.

- TGWD