Being a veteran musician doesn't mean you stop improving – or pushing the boundaries – of your craft. Creedence Clearwater Revival's John Fogerty is proof that you're never too good (or too famous) to stop practicing or incorporating new techniques into your toolkit.
In a video posted to his official social media channels, Fogerty can be seen workingon his two-handed tapping technique à la Eddie Van Halen.
According to the caption, it's his “morning routine. John still practices every day – even in the hallways. Always working on being the best musician he can be.” Keen-eyed fans also noticed that he's playing an Ibanez RG – a stark departure from his go-to guitars, the Les Paul, Telecaster, or the CCR-era Rickenbacker 325.
Perhaps his willingness to continue learning stems from the fact that Fogerty never did feel like he was “a virtuoso on guitar.” Instead, during those heady CCR days, he believed his true skill lay in “getting a sound out of my instrument, which was pretty important.”
“I had spent a lot of time in recording studios before Creedence existed, either with myself, or with some of the members of the band that became Creedence, or even with other people, and became very aware of what things sounded like,” he explained in a 2023 Guitar World interview.
“I think musicians, especially guitar players, tend to be a humble bunch because it’s sort of the Wild West. There’s always some guy louder and faster and going to call you out in the street. And it’s just a matter of a flip of a coin if you get bushwhacked.”
This mindset has led him to be so disciplined with his practice – a routine, which, as showcased on social media, he still maintains to this day.
“I practice guitar ferociously,” he asserted. “I’m grateful God allowed me to keep going with my love of guitar. It didn’t end when I was 15, and it didn’t end when I became famous. I love being able to see my own progress on the instrument I love. Hopefully, that mindset will be heard throughout the new music I will be making.”
In the same interview, Fogerty also reflected on his favorite CCR-era gear and revealed which amp, in his opinion, is “the best-sounding solid-state amp ever made.”
He’s not the only classic rock hero to be taken by shred-leaning electric guitars. Last year, Pete Townshend got his first Jackson at the age of 78.
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