John Fogerty: Tiny Desk Concert

Bobby Carter | January 16, 2026
For his Tiny Desk, John Fogerty brought what means the most to him. Family was accounted for: his sons, Tyler and Shane, played in the band, while his wife, Julie, was in the audience. There, too, was Fogerty's distinct brand of patriotism.

We filmed this concert on Nov. 11, 2025, which happened to be Veterans Day. Fogerty tells the crowd that he was inspired to write "Proud Mary" on the day he received his honorable discharge from the Army Reserve in 1968. "I opened my discharge [papers] up, and I was really, really, really happy," he says. "I went right in the house, picked up my Rickenbacker guitar and started strumming, and the very first line that came out of me was, 'Left a good job in the city. Workin' for the man every night and day.' "

The Grammy Award-winning, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee has also spoken candidly about what his songs mean to him. For decades, Fogerty has fought over his catalog as the primary songwriter for Creedence Clearwater Revival, which includes many songs that are considered rock and roll staples. In 2023, he acquired the majority stake of CCR's publishing, ultimately ending the battle. At the Desk, he plays some of his solo work, then closes the set with "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" with some help from the audience.

SET LIST
"Proud Mary"
"Change in the Weather"
"A Hundred and Ten in the Shade"
"Long As I Can See the Light"
"Have You Ever Seen the Rain"

MUSICIANS
John Fogerty: vocals, guitar, keys
Shane Fogerty: guitar, background vocals
Tyler Fogerty: guitar, background vocals
Jesse Noah Wilson: bass, background vocals
Doug Lamothe: keys
Rob Stone: saxophone, percussion, background vocals
Richard Millsap: drums, background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Videographers: Maia Stern, Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant
Audio Engineer: Jay Czys
Production Assistant: Dhanika Pineda
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton

#nprmusic #tinydesk #johnfogerty

Support for NPR Music comes from Moises. A platform created by musicians, for musicians and used by 70 million artists worldwide – to learn, create, and collaborate. Available for download.