’70s Rock Legend John Fogerty Was Once Sued for Allegedly Ripping Off a Little Richard Classic

A Legal Battle Over Rock and Roll Roots

In the early 1970s, the music world was filled with legal battles over songwriting credits and alleged plagiarism — and even one of rock’s most respected figures wasn’t immune. On October 14, 1971, Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogerty was sued by Arco Industries, a music publishing firm, for allegedly copying elements of Little Richard’s “Good Golly, Miss Molly” in his hit song “Travelin’ Band.”

According to reports from classic rock station WKLH, Arco Industries sought $500,000 in damages, claiming that Fogerty’s song “contained substantial material copied” from the 1958 Little Richard classic. The case, however, would later be dropped, closing one of rock’s many courtroom disputes.

Paying Tribute to a Musical Hero

While the lawsuit caused a stir at the time, Fogerty never denied the influence Little Richard had on his music. When the rock pioneer passed away in 2020 at the age of 87, Fogerty reflected on his admiration for Richard in a heartfelt tribute published by Rolling Stone.

“I was a kid when his records were coming out, so I got to experience them in real time. I bought every one of them, and they were amazing. Those records were so full of energy and so wild,” Fogerty recalled.

He described Little Richard’s music as a force of nature that redefined rock and roll’s boundaries. “When rock & roll was born, each new record that came out during that period was exciting. But then here comes Little Richard and it’s everything multiplied by a thousand. Relentless recordings like ‘Long Tall Sally’, ‘Slippin’ and Slidin’ and ‘Good Golly Miss Molly’ — they knocked you over,” Fogerty continued.

Meeting an Idol

Fogerty went on to explain how Richard’s music carried an “edge” unlike anything else at the time. “There were some blues singers doing that, but they were singing blues. This was rock & roll, and it was very aggressive. By the time the records ended, your jaw had dropped to the floor and you weren’t able to breathe. It was that exciting,” he said.

Despite the old lawsuit, there was no lasting tension between the two musicians. Fogerty later revealed that he was able to meet Richard several times, including during the 1986 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “I was sitting at a table pretty close to his, so I thought, ‘What the heck,’” Fogerty said.

“I walked over and introduced myself and told him that I loved him and his music. You can imagine the level of idolizing. I was like a fanboy. He seemed happy and said he knew who I was,” he added.