The Blue Velvets
The Blue Velvets (a.k.a. Tommy Fogerty & The Blue Velvets) was the first incarnation of the band that would later become known as The Golliwogs and, eventually, Creedence Clearwater Revival.
The Blue Velvets | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Tommy Fogerty and The Blue Velvets |
| Origin | El Cerrito, California |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1959–1964 |
| Labels | Orchestra, Fantasy |
| Associated acts | The Golliwogs, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Creedence Clearwater Revisited |
| Website | www |
| Past members | John Fogerty Tom Fogerty Stu Cook Doug Clifford |
History
The band started out, in 1959, as an instrumental trio. The original line up was John Fogerty (guitar), Stu Cook (piano), and Doug Clifford (drums). In 1960, John's older brother Tom, who had been in local bands since 1958, began singing with the group.
The Blue Velvets released three singles in the San Francisco Bay area, during 1961 and 1962, on Oakland's Orchestra Records. These recordings received only minimal sales although the second Blue Velvets single was added to Oakland's KEWB top 40 playlist by famed disc jockey Casey Kasem, who was employed at the station.
Following the Orchestra singles, Tom began playing rhythm guitar in addition to remaining the lead vocalist and front man while John continued as the lead guitarist. Meanwhile, Stu Cook switched from piano to bass guitar.
In the middle of 1964, the band recorded two songs for Fantasy Records, a local label based in San Francisco. The band was attracted to Fantasy because, in 1963, it had released a national hit by Vince Guaraldi, "Cast Your Fate To The Wind". Max Weiss, one of Fantasy's co-owners initially changed the group's name to The Visions, but when their songs were released as a single, in November 1964, Weiss renamed them The Golliwogs, an apparent reference to a once-popular minstrel doll called a Golliwogg.
Recordings
| Title | Writer(s) | Catalog # | Recorded | Location | Released | Vocals | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Come on Baby" | Tom Fogerty | OA-6177 | Fall 1961 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | October 1961 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Oh My Love" | Tom Fogerty | OA-6177 | Fall 1961 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | October 1961 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Have You Ever Been Lonely" | John Fogerty | Oa-611010 | Late 1961 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | Early 1962 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Bonita" | John and Tom Fogerty | OA-611010 | Late 1961 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | Early 1962 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Yes You Did" | Tom Fogerty | OA-6252 201 | 1962 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | June 1962 | Tom Fogerty | |
| "Now You're Not Mine" | John Fogerty | OA-6252 201 | 1962 | Orchestra Studios, Oakland, California | June 1962 | Tom Fogerty |