Albany is a small city—approximately 1.8 square miles—but it has a rich history, full of interesting people and intriguing events. In this blog, we’ll explore some of these, in no particular order.
© Karen Sorensen
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The Creedence Clearwater Revival Connection
Albany’s History with John Fogerty and the Iconic Band CCR
Many people have heard that Creedence Clearwater Revival, a top band from the 1960s/70s, got its start in El Cerrito. But fewer know of CCR’s significant connections to Albany, where John Fogerty, the band’s lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, once lived and worked—bought a cherished guitar—and reportedly even wrote some of CCR’s most famous songs, like “Proud Mary.”
John and Tom Fogerty were brothers who grew up (with three other brothers) in El Cerrito, where John met fellow band members Stu Cook and Doug Clifford at Portola Junior High School. The group played music together under different band names during their youth, eventually forming as Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1967.
After releasing songs such as “Suzie Q,” “Proud Mary” and “Born on the Bayou” in the late 1960s, the band shot to fame, with songs rising regularly to the top of the charts: “Down on the Corner,” “Fortunate Son,” “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” and others. CCR, which achieved nine Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 from 1968 to 1971, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
When John Fogerty Lived on Kains Avenue
During the late 1960s, John Fogerty was living with his family in an apartment on Kains Avenue in Albany, according to his memoir, “Fortunate Son.” Music journalist Dean Goodman, who has interviewed Fogerty and many other musicians, cites Albany as the location where Fogerty wrote one of his most well-known songs, “Proud Mary.”
Indeed, it was during this time Fogerty was writing songs for CCR albums “Bayou Country” (which contains “Proud Mary”), “Green River” and “Willy and the Poor Boys” (the band released all three of these albums in 1969 alone).
In his memoir, Fogerty described his small, no-frills Albany apartment. “There were no pictures or art on the wall—just a plain beige room. And I would sit on a little chair halfway between the ‘kitchen’ and front room, writing…I would stay up every night into the wee hours, writing songs and arranging songs.”
John Fogerty lived in a Kains Ave. apartment when he was writing songs for well-known CCR albums like “Bayou Country” (pictured here). He reportedly wrote the famous song “Proud Mary” at this Albany location. (Photos by the author.)
Fogerty Buys a Favorite Guitar in Albany
During CCR’s heyday in 1969, John Fogerty made an important purchase at a music store in Albany—a Gibson Les Paul Custom “Black Beauty” guitar that became a cherished instrument. Fogerty tuned the guitar in a special way to get the sound he wanted—a sound that became a signature style for Fogerty and CCR.
In a YouTube video about writing one of CCR’s hit songs, he describes how another guitar was stolen from his car just days before he was scheduled to be in the recording studio. Fogerty went to Jimmy Luttrell’s music store on Solano Avenue in Albany, where he tuned, tested and then immediately purchased the Les Paul guitar.
“That little event at a music store in Albany set me off on a lifelong love of Les Paul guitars,” he said in the video. “The first record I made using this new guitar and new tuning was Bad Moon Rising.” (The song has now surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.)
Les Paul (at left) was a Grammy-winning musician and inventor of the solid-body electric guitar. John Fogerty of CCR bought a Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar (much like the one at right) at a music store in Albany. The guitar became a cherished, long-used instrument. Left: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Right: Prokopenya Viktor, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Many who grew up in Albany during this time period recall Luttrell’s store. “I took a few drum lessons there and my brother bought a banjo and took lessons there,” said former resident Kendall Nichols, who remembers the store on the north side of Solano near Pomona Avenue.
Jimmy Luttrell is himself an accomplished musician. Luttrell played with popular groups including The Drifters, Ben E. King and Bobby Vinton, and taught guitar techniques to well-known guitarists including Jimi Hendrix, according to his bio. In 2019 Luttrell played Albany’s Ivy Room with George Cole.
Fogerty’s Studio/Office at Key Route Boulevard and Solano Avenue
Albany continued to be connected to John Fogerty after CCR broke up in 1972. By the 1980s Fogerty had a studio/office near the corner of Key Route Boulevard and Solano Avenue.
Aly Brown recalls that her grandparents, Nick and Susan Reckas, lived in the same building previously and eventually met Fogerty. Brown’s family once owned a business called Reckas Bros. Sewing Machines and Appliances, which later became Hi Fashion Fabrics, at 1275 Solano Avenue (today a dry cleaners).
“My grandparents lived directly behind their business on Key Route Boulevard and later sold their home to John Fogerty of CCR,” she said. “My mom always said that John converted the garage into a music studio.”
It was here that Fogerty learned to play various instruments for his solo career and wrote some songs for his album “Centerfield,” such as “The Old Man Down the Road.” Other hits from this 1985 album include “Rock and Roll Girls” and “Centerfield” (the latter is the only song ever inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame).
In the 1980s John Fogerty had an office/studio in a converted garage at this home on Key Route Blvd. near Solano Ave. It was here he wrote songs like “The Old Man Down the Road.” Today the site is used for a preschool. (Photo by the author.)
Local Albany kids were aware of the rock star’s presence. “I’d walk by on my way to school and sometimes peer into the windows where you could see musical instruments and award plaques on the walls,” said Anthony Golden, a long-time Albany resident.
Fogerty’s book, Fortunate Son, features a photo of the musician on the brick walkway that still leads to the house on Key Route. Today the home is used for a preschool, something Fogerty said made him happy.
Other local connections mentioned in his memoir include visits to the Albany theater, from his childhood to later years with his own children. Fogerty also attended a number of local schools including Harding Elementary School, the School of the Madeleine, Portola Junior High School, Saint Mary’s College High School, El Cerrito High School and Contra Costa College.
Today, David Kearney, proprietor of Strictly Vinyl (1060 Solano Ave.), sells vintage CCR and Fogerty albums just blocks from where some of the songs were written. (Photo by the author.)
John Fogerty, now 81, gained more control of his songs in 2023 when he acquired a majority interest in the CCR catalog from Concord Records (which received the catalog after buying Fantasy Records).
Fogerty recently received the prestigious Johnny Mercer award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and is currently on tour promoting the 2025 release of his album, “Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years.”
I never knew Fogerty wrote some of his most famous songs while living in Albany, such interesting history!
Right?! I had heard about the Key Route house but learned more recently about the songwriting. Thanks for checking it out A!