Blue Ridge Rangers

Formed 1973 in United States Disbanded 1973

The Blue Ridge Rangers were never a band. In fact, it was never more than one person: Creedence Clearwater Revival heart and soul, John Fogerty. With acrimony over the breakup of Creedence (or more to the point, the jettisoning of rhythm players Stu Cook and Doug Clifford) still fresh, Fogerty released what is ostensibly his first solo album. It was notable for being an all-covers country/gospel record and for Fogerty's Todd Rundgren-like producing, playing of all the instruments, overdubbing all the vocals — everything but selling it door-to-door. The point of submerging his identity (Fogerty's face is nowhere on the jacket cover) was to put some distance between himself and the Creedence legacy he wore like an albatross, pay homage to the American vernacular music he loved, and, rather inconspicuously (except for that distinctive voice), announce himself as a solo performer. Oddly enough, life as a solo artist (compounded by lengthy litigation against former Fantasy Records chair Saul Zaentz) didn't seem to agree with Fogerty, and his extremely limited production, while not helping him in terms of sales, did, ironically, cement his reputation as an American rock icon.

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