Creedence Courthouse Revisited

Poor Boy Productions, Stuart Cook, Douglas Clifford and the wife of John’s late brother Tom filed suit in U.S. District Court in Nevada alleging Fogerty violated terms of a deal struck during a settlement agreement in 2001. The deal allowed Clifford and Cook to perform under Creedence Clearwater Revisited in exchange for payments to Fogerty.

But Fogerty condemned the use of the Revisited name and continued to use the Creedence Clearwater Revival trademark, which the plaintiffs argue “creates a likelihood of confusion, mistake and deception” with their performance name. Clifford and Co. say they eventually stopped making payments to Fogerty in 2011 because of his violation of the settlement, though he’s also alleged they’ve violated the deal in the time since and demanded they pay up.

The suit brings forth charges including trademark infringement, Lanham Act violation, unfair competition and breach of contract, and is seeking an injunction plus three times the profits from Fogerty’s use of the CCR name, attorney fees and costs.

In a statement, Fogerty said he was surprised to learn he was being sued and that “no lawyers, lawsuits, or angry ex-band members will stop me ever again from singing my songs. I am going to continue to tour and play all my songs every single night I am out on the road.”