Scoring hits with tracks like ‘Proud Mary’, ‘Bad Moon Rising’ and ‘Green River’, Creedence Clearwater Revival were one of the greatest rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s, with lead singer John Fogerty’s distinctive voice becoming a staple on radios and record players around the world during this time. As it turns out, that distinctive voice is still very much present today too, as proved by a performance by Fogerty and country singer Brad Paisley at a ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ event back in 2017.
Taking to the stage in Los Angeles as an early celebration of Veterans Day, Fogerty and Paisley performed to a crowd dominated by military personnel in the shadow of the Battleship USS Iowa. The pair shared some great onstage chemistry and rattled through a 14-track setlist comprising Creedence classics and Paisley’s solo material. The highlight, however, was undoubtedly ‘Bad Moon Rising’, with the audience cheering wildly in appreciation as Fogerty began to play the iconic opening riff.
Online viewers noted how Fogerty’s vocals on the track sounded almost exactly as they did on the 1969 single, and that despite being in his 70s the singer performed with as much energy and vitality as anyone else onstage, including the much younger Paisley. “Not many who started in the ‘60s can play live and still sound great!” commented one viewer, whilst another nominated Fogerty as one of the top three rock singers of all time, describing elements of his vocals as “truly magic”.
For comparison, meanwhile, why not check out Creedence’s blistering live version of ‘Bad Moon Rising’ from 1970, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The stage is much smaller than the Jimmy Kimmel Live stage, but the band are positively jumping, as are the audience, who clearly love being up close and personal with such a powerful live act. Peering out from under his mop top hairdo, Fogerty delivers a fierce live vocal, while guitar duties are shared between him and his brother Tom.
Indeed, watching these very different – but both equally entertaining – renditions of ‘Bad Moon Rising’ reminds you what a timeless track it is. The videos also serve as a reminder of John Fogerty’s incredible, long-lasting, and often underrated talent; not only did he write ‘Bad Moon Rising’ and contribute vocals and guitar to the original version, but almost 60 years later he is still entertaining audiences with his undeniable stage presence and energy. Let’s hope he continues to do so for many years to come.
If you would like to hear more from this talented artist, you can subscribe to John Fogerty’s [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHIt01zPTy4QKG9fVCMh3eA) for more incredible music, follow him on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/johnfogerty), or visit his [Website](https://johnfogerty.com/).