The former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman wrote the theme tune for the show and he will also appear in the first episode playing a stripped down version of his signature song “Fortunate Son.” You’ll be able to download that rendition of “Fortunate Son” at JohnFogerty.com for a week after the show airs.

John Fogerty on the set of The Finder – Fox © 2012

Fogerty told Billboard:

“The Finder” is a spin-off of the popular show “Bones.”

Fogerty is currently recording a new album that will feature various guest artists, including the Foo Fighters, Brad Paisley and Miranda Lambert. He is also going on tour this year, including March dates in Australia and New Zealand, and possibly North American dates later in the year.

The shows took place over two nights last October and featured a top line up, including Bruce Springsteen, U2, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, John Forgerty, Billy Joel, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Sting, Mick Jagger, Simon and Garfunkel, Metallica, Ray Davies, Dion DiMucci and more.

This set will contain the four-hour edit that aired on HBO last November, as well as many bonus performances and a collector’s issue of Rolling Stone magazine featuring behind-the-scenes stories. The total running time for the set is 330 minutes.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concerts – trailer

I’ve been looking forward to this release since I first saw the shaky audience-shot footage a day or so after the shows. I’d be tempted to buy it for the Springsteen footage alone, as it’s guaranteed to raise a smile. Here’s the duet between Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty on “Fortunate Son.”

Another highlight was Simon & Garfunkel’s fine set, including the classic “The Boxer.”

The full track list is as follows:

Introduction:
My Prayer
Tom Hanks

Jerry Lee Lewis
Great Balls of Fire

Crosby, Stills & Nash
Woodstock
Almost Cut My Hair
Love Has No Pride with Bonnie Raitt
The Pretender with Jackson Browne
Love the One You’re With with James Taylor

Stevie Wonder
For Once in My Life
The Tracks of My Tears with Smokey Robinson
The Way You Make Me Feel with John Legend
The Thrill Is Gone with B.B. King
Higher Ground/Roxanne with Sting
Superstition with Jeff Beck

Paul Simon
Intro montage
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard (Bonus performance not seen on HBO)
You Can Call Me Al
Here Comes the Sun with David Crosby and Graham Nash
The Wanderer with Dion DiMucci
Little Anthony and the Imperials:
Two People in the World

Simon & Garfunkel
The Sounds of Silence
The Boxer
Bridge over Troubled Water

Aretha Franklin
Intro montage
Baby I Love You
Don’t Play That Song
Chain of Fools with Annie Lennox

Metallica
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Sweet Jane with Lou Reed
Iron Man/Paranoid with Ozzy Osbourne
All Day and All of the Night with Ray Davies
Enter Sandman

U2
Vertigo
Magnificent
Because the Night with Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith and Roy Bittan
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For with Bruce Springsteen
Gimme Shelter with Mick Jagger, Fergie and will.i.am
Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of with Mick Jagger
Beautiful Day

Jeff Beck
Intro montage
People Get Ready with Sting
Let Me Love You Baby with Buddy Guy
Foxey Lady with Billy Gibbons
A Day in the Life

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Hold On! I’m Comin’/Soul Man with Sam Moore
The Ghost of Tom Joad with Tom Morello
Fortunate Son with John Fogerty
Oh, Pretty Woman with John Fogerty
Jungleland
A Fine Fine Boy with Darlene Love
New York State of Mind with Billy Joel
Born to Run with Billy Joel
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher with Darlene Love, John Fogerty, Sam Moore, Billy Joel and Tom Morello

Bonus footage

Crosby, Stills & Nash
Mexico with James Taylor
Teach Your Children with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and James Taylor

Stevie Wonder
Uptight (Everything’s Alright)
I Was Made to Love Her
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) with John Legend

Simon & Garfunkel
Mrs. Robinson/Not Fade Away

Metallica
Turn the Page
Iron Man/Paranoid with Ozzy Osbourne (Full-length version not seen on HBO)

U2
Mysterious Ways
Where Is the Love/One with the Black Eyed Peas

Jeff Beck
Freeway Jam
Big Block

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
London Calling with Tom Morello
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher with Darlene Love,John Fogerty, Sam Moore, Billy Joel and Tom Morello (Full-length version not seen on HBO).

There’s such a diversity of artists on this set and such an array of talent that there is a performance to match most moods. It is set to be one of the best music DVD releases of the year.

The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts three-DVD set will be released on September 28. It is available for pre-order now at:

Title
The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Concerts (3 DVDs)	Buy Now	Buy Now	Buy Now

“Proud Mary” was the first single from the band’s second album, “Bayou Country.”

Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Proud Mary”

Recording date/location

“Proud Mary” was recorded late 1968 at RCA Studios, Los Angeles, California.

Authorship

“Proud Mary” was written by Creedence Clearwater Revival’s frontman, John Fogerty.

Musicians

Creedence Clearwater Revival were:

• John Fogerty – lead guitar, harmonica, lead vocals
• Tom Fogerty – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Stu Cooke – bass, backing vocals, keyboards
• Doug Clifford – drums, bass.

Chart performance

“Proud Mary” was released on January 15, 1969 and reached number two on the US charts and number eight in the UK.

Duets

John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen duetted on the Creedence songs “Fortunate Son” and “Proud Mary” during last years Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden. Springsteen is a long-term admirer of Fogerty and of this song (see below.)

Enjoy.

Covers

Ike and Tina Turner – “Proud Mary”

This song is forever associated with Creedence Clearwater Revival, but also became the signature tune of Ike and Tina Turner after they covered it in 1971 with a very different and effective arrangement. Ike and Tina’s “Proud Mary” hit number four in the US and won the 1972 Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Group. Tina still sings it 40 years on. Here’s an early live version.

Elvis Presley – “Proud Mary”

Elvis Presley sang Proud Mary live in the early 1970s and a live version from February 1970 is featured on the album “Elvis: On Stage.” There’s also footage of Elvis singing it in April 1972 in the movie “Elvis on Tour.”

Here’s a version from February 1970.

George Jones and Johnny Paycheck – “Proud Mary”

George Jones and Johnny Paycheck recorded a cover of “Proud Mary” for their 1980 album “Double Trouble,” which featured spirited covers of a number of rock ‘n’ roll classics, including “Tutti Frutti,” “Maybellene,” “Roll Over Beethoven” and “Kansas City.” The album went to number 45 on the US country charts.

Bruce Springsteen – “Proud Mary”

Bruce Springsteen has been singing “Proud Mary” live for 40+ years. He was singing it with his band Child (which became Steel Mill) as early as 1969, before featuring it periodically in his sets with the E-Street Band. Here’s a version from 2009 in Dublin.

Pain, Pain or Tane??

There has been some confusion over whether in the second verse Fogerty meant “pumped a lot of pane” or “pain” or “tane.” This was further confused when Ike and Tina’s popular cover went with “tane.” The intended lyric is in fact “pane”, as in “propane.” Ike and Tina’s “tane” refers to “octane,” but was not what Fogerty wrote.

There will be a new Song of the Week on June 7.

Lets mark Fogerty’s birthday by enjoying some standout songs from his long career.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Who’ll Stop the Rain”

This is one of the strongest tracks from CCR’s 1970 album “Cosmo’s Factory.” It was also released as a single, backed with the blistering, Little Richard-inspired “Travelin’ Band.” The single reached number two on the US charts.

Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Bad Moon Rising”

Here we have a top drawer track from the 1969 album “Green River.” This is one of the best known CCR songs and hit number one in the UK and number two in the US when released as a single, backed with the equally fine “Lodi.”

Creedence Clearwater Revival – “It Came Out Of the Sky”

All play their part to create a toe-tapping rocker that you just want to back up and start again as soon as it finishes – in spite of the slightly odd lyrics!

A great song from an equally great album, “Willy and the Poor Boys.”

Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Down on the Corner”

Also from “Willy and the Poor Boys,” this track was a top three US hit, backed with the classic “Fortunate Son.”

John Fogerty – “Fortunate Son”

Proving he can still rock the house in 2005 with a great rendition of the aforementioned “Fortunate Son” at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, CA.

On May 18, Fogerty was named a BMI Icon at the 58th Annual Pop Awards, which took place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. BMI Icons are selected because of their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.”

Fogerty is currently on tour promoting his latest solo album, “The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again.” This is a great follow up to the 1973 album, “The Blue Ridge Rangers.”

Happy Birthday John Fogerty.

Albums referenced above:

This song has been selected as much for the numerous, high quality cover versions as the great original.

“Jambalaya (On the Bayou)” is named after the Creole and Cajun dish, jambalaya, and also references other Cajun cuisine, such as crawfish pie, and filé gumbo. It is a “feel good” song about a couple starting out life together, with a crowd gathering to celebrate.

Hank Williams – Jambalaya (On the Bayou)

Recording date/location

“Jambalaya” was recorded on June 13, 1952, at Castle Studio, Tulane Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee.

Authorship

Williams is credited as sole author of the song, but it has been suggested that he purchased it from another writer. Some have also noted the similarities with the melody of the Cajun song “Grand Texas.”

Chart performance

Williams released the song on July 19, 1952, with “Window Shopping” on the B-side. “Jambalaya” was Williams’ 7th of 11 (three posthumous) number one hits on the country charts. “Jambalaya” also hit number 20 on the pop charts.

Although Hank Williams was losing his battle with drink and drug addiction in 1952, he still managed to release some fine music. Along with “Jambalaya,” there were four other top five hits, including “Honky Tonk Blues” and the final number one during his lifetime, “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive.”

Covers

There have been numerous great covers of “Jambalaya.” The first popular cover was a pop version by Jo Stafford that hit number three on the pop charts.

Jo Stafford – Jambalaya (1952)

Brenda Lee – Jambalaya (1956)

Another singer showing how well suited “Jambalaya” is to a female voice was Brenda Lee with her 1956 version. Here’s a live version from Brenda from several years later.

Fats Domino – Jambalaya (1961)

Fats Domino recorded an infectious cover of “Jambalaya” in November 1961 and had a top 30 hit with it.

Leon Russell – Jambalaya (1965)

This Leon Russell performance is from Shindig in 1965. Look out for a young Glen Campbell on banjo.

John Fogerty (The Blue Ridge Rangers) – Jambalaya (1972)

Fogerty’s first project after leaving Creedence Clearwater Revival was an album recorded under the guise of The Blue Ridge Rangers. “Jambalaya” was one of the songs featured.

Emmylou Harris – Jambalaya (1975)

Note that Emmylou’s Hot Band featured two prominent members of Elvis Presley’s TCB Band – James Burton on guitar and Glen D. Hardin on piano.

“Jambalaya” is still a very popular country song to this day and one of numerous Hank Williams songs that have achieved classic status, including “Hey Good Lookin,” “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” “Cold, Cold Heart” and “Honky Tonk Blues.” On January 1, 1953, Hank Williams died while on the way to play a New Years Day concert in Canton, Ohio. The official cause of death was heart failure.

Look out for next week’s Song of the Week.

The Annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 18th at 8:00 PM ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.

A month later, on May 18, John Fogerty will be named a BMI Icon at the 58th Annual Pop Awards, which will take place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. BMI Icons are selected because of their “unique and indelible influence on generations of music makers.” Previous recipients include Paul Simon, James Brown, Brian Wilson and Kris Kristofferson.

John Fogerty – “When Will I Be Loved”

The Grammy Week event was held at Los Angeles Convention Center on 29 January, with more than 2,000 people in attendance. The host Jack Black was reportedly in hilarious form as he introduced a lineup of nearly 30 artists performing 20 Neil Young songs. The image (left) shows Neil Young receiving the award from Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the MusiCares Foundation and The Recording Academy.

Highlights of the event included:

• Stephen Stills and Sheryl Crow duetting on “Long May You Run”
• Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Lucinda Williams’ performing “Comes A Time”
• John Fogerty, Keith Urban and Booker T.’s tearing up the place with their rendition of “Rockin’ In The Free World.”

Stephen Stills and Sheryl Crow pay tribute to Neil Young

Proceeds from the event go to MusiCares’ Emergency Financial Assistance and Addiction Recovery programs.

The first concert on Thursday 29 October  ran four and a half hours and featured  brilliant performances from Simon and  Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen and the E  Street Band, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel,  Jackson Browne, Crosby, Stills & Nash, John  Fogerty, Sting, Smokey  Robinson, Jerry Lee  Lewis, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor,  Dion, Little Anthony & the  Imperials, Tom  Morello and John Legend.  Before being joined by Art Garfunkel, Paul  Simon did a solo set of his 70s and 80s hits.

Many of the highlights of the first night featured Bruce Springsteen, including duets with Sam Moore on “Hold On, I’m Coming” and “Soul Man”, John Fogerty on “Fortunate Son,” U2 on “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”, Billy Joel on “New York State of Mind” and Darlene Love on “Da Doo Ron Ron.” He also led a great group finale on Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher.”

Friday nights star-studded line-up included U2, Metallica, Aretha Franklin, Lou Reed, the Jeff Beck Band, Ray Davies, Ozzy Osbourne, Annie Lennox, Buddy Guy and Lenny Kravitz.

Some of the first night highlights are below.

Group performance – “Higher and Higher”

Bruce Springsteen & John Fogerty – “Fortunate Son”

Bruce Springsteen & Darlene Love – “Da Doo Ron Ron”

Bruce Springsteen & Billy Joel – “New York State of Mind”

Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder – “Tracks of My Tears”

An edited version of the two shows will air on 29 November on HBO. Let’s hope for a more extensive DVD release.