Revisit The Hits Of Creedence Clearwater

Creedence Clearwater Revisited, featuring, from left, Kurt Griffey, Dan McGuiness, Stu Cook, Doug Clifford and Steve Gunner, keep the classic hits of Creedence Clearwater Revival alive. (Photo/Jeff Dow)

By Connor Beach
cbeach@longislandergroup.com

Performing iconic songs from the past in a modern setting can be a tough ask for any band, but two of the founding members of legendary southern rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, Doug Clifford and Stu Cook, continue to play sold out shows featuring the band’s hits from the late ’60s and early ‘70s.

They do it with Creedence Clearwater Revisited, which was formed in 1995 following CCR’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Clifford is on drums and Cook is on bass. They’re joined by lead guitarist Kurt Griffey, rhythm guitarist Steve Gunner and lead vocalist Dan McGuiness.

Cook, 73, said he wasn’t sure if anyone would like the new band when they first started out, and although it took some time to find the band’s current lineup, they are “all pros” who have “adapted to the music.”

“When we started we had no idea if anyone would even care, and 22 years later I guess it was a good idea,” Cook said.

Revisited’s enduring success, Cook said, comes from the connection between the band, music and audience.

“There’s amazing magic, a chemistry between the band and the audience, and, of course, it’s all centered around the music,” Cook said.

Cook compared Revisited’s live shows to “rock and roll church.”

“It’s an exceptional evening when you can walk away having left everybody with a smile on their face,” Cook said.

Fans of CCR’s music discovered the band in a variety of ways, but the music has “never really gone away.” The band’s music continues to play regularly on classic rock radio and in movies and T.V. shows.

“Some people were just raised with it,” Cook said. “Mom was playing it while she was doing the dishes, and dad was working on the car with the radio on the workbench.”

The universal appeal of the CCR catalog have continued to attract crowds wherever around the world Revisited play, and Cook said the band has no intention of slowing down any time soon.

He said, “We’re just playing our shows- we don’t have a plan- we just continue to go out and play the hits.”

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 8 p.m., July 25 show at The Paramount. Tickets range from $39.50-$99.50, and can be purchased at the box office or online at Paramountny.com.