BMI Honors John Fogerty with 2025 Troubadour Award

BMI recognized Songwriter and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer John Fogerty with its coveted Troubadour Award on Monday, September 8, for his artistry that has transcended genres and generations while shaping the American musical landscape. During the private dinner ceremony, hosted by BMI Nashville’s VP of Creative Clay Bradley alongside BMI’s President and CEO Mike O’Neill, Fogerty was presented with a Gibson J-45 guitar and a trophy to commemorate his profound impact on the creative community. Afterwards, the legend treated the crowd to a surprise performance of his hits, “Up Around The Bend,” “Bad Moon Rising” and “The Old Man Down the Road” alongside his sons, Shane and Tyler Fogerty.

Fogerty’s new album Legacy, a 20-track collection of newly recorded versions of his biggest hits, was praised throughout the evening as the milestone celebrates the first time he fully owns the rights to his groundbreaking CCR catalog. The reclamation of his artistic legacy was spotlighted with standout performances by Jesse Welles (“Have You Ever Seen The Rain”), 2023 BMI Troubadour Billy F Gibbons with La Marisoul (“Green River”), Jay Buchanan (“Fortunate Son”), The War And Treaty (“I Put a Spell on You”/“Born On The Bayou”) and Lainey Wilson (“Proud Mary”). Video remarks by BMI Icon Dolly Parton, 2024 BMI Troubadour John Oates, 2015 BMI Troubadour Robert Earl Keen, Rick Beato, Eric Church and Chris Stapleton, praised Fogerty’s distinct guitar playing and universal songbook.

Falling on the eve of AMERICANAFEST, the ceremony served as a homecoming for BMI’s Americana family of songwriters like the Del McCoury Band, Chris Isaak, Carter Faith, The Band Loula, Sam Bush, Liz Rose, Leah Blevins, Ketch Secor, Molly Tuttle and more. The intimate evening was sponsored by Gallagher Insurance and WP Global.

Since his affiliation with BMI in 2005, Fogerty has been named a BMI Icon in 2010 and was presented with the BMI Board of Directors Award in 2023. He’s also received 13 BMI Million-Air certificates, recognizing his songs that have surpassed over one million radio airplays, which collectively have had over 64 million broadcast performances. In receiving this honor, Fogerty joins the ranks of Billy F Gibbons, John Hiatt, John Oates, John Prine, Robert Earl Keen and Lucinda Williams. As the leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival, Fogerty’s songwriting canon spans nearly six decades and helped shape the sound of American music, by blending blues, country, pop, rockabilly, R&B, and swamp boogie into a genre-defying style. He has received multiple awards and honors for his undeniable impact on the culture including an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a special honor for his song “Centerfield,” making him the only musician ever honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame.