History & Gallery 2011

Stu Cook and Doug “Cosmo” Clifford may not have intended it, but their band Creedence Clearwater Revisited has taken on a startling life of its own. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame rhythm section (bass and drums respectively) from the legendary group Creedence Clearwater Revival launched the Creedence Clearwater Revisited project in 1995 to once again perform live Creedence Clearwater Revival hits –

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s distinctive swamp rock went against the grain of the ’60s psychedelic San Francisco and won a worldwide following and numerous gold and multi-platinum singles and albums. It was rebellious, sometimes militant rock, co-opted into three minute radio gems that remain a rock radio and movie soundtrack staple.

After Creedence Clearwater Revival disbanded in 1972, Cook and Clifford — who had played together since junior high — remained close. They formed a production company together before heading off for separate musical projects, Clifford playing with the renowned Sir Douglas Quintet and Cook joining with a few former Doobie Brothers in the pioneering country-rock band Southern Pacific. When those projects ended, Cosmo and Stu hooked up again. Realizing both missed playing live Creedence music that had been lying dormant — with ex-bandmate John Fogerty previously calling for a boycott of and refusing to publicly perform Creedence Clearwater Revival music — Doug and Stu decided to put together their own band to perform the songs in concert.

Since then, Revisited has been playing classics like “Susie Q,” “Lodi,” “Proud Mary,” “Down On The Corner,” “Fortunate Son” and “Who’ll Stop The Rain” throughout North America, South America, New Zealand, Europe and Asia and many maintain is tighter than even Creedence Clearwater was.

Ray Sawyer, the spirited, eye patched lead singer of the group Dr. Hook, whose soulful and sometimes comic vocals fronted the bands breakthrough to the “Cover Of The Rolling Stone” an international superstar status in the early 70’s and 80’s.

His trademark eye patch was acquired following a 1967 auto accident that left him without his right eye and kept him laid back for two years. When he was back on his feet, Ray set out for Los Angeles in 1968, working his way back east to New York where the nucleus of Dr. Hook was formed in time to record the score to a Dustin Hoffman film “Who is Harry Kellerman (and why is he saying those terrible things about me)”.

Accumulating 60 Gold & Platinum Records worldwide with Dr. Hook, He has gained the confidence of a seasoned entertainer, Ray still to this day travels the World with his Band. His son Cayce has been touring with him since he was 13 playing percussion and singing background vocals in the show. Now he is the Drummer for the band. Ray has had the Honor of being Inducted into the “Alabama Music Hall Of Fame” in April 2005. With an abundance of stage energy, and prankish sense of humor, an unmistakable voice and image, and a unique ability to reflect his good times in good music, Ray is definitely a song stylist of the first order, and never was it more evident…

It was the first time since back in the Millbrook Concert days (almost 10 Years ago) that Queenstown once again hosted a concert of International proportion. The Inaugural Gibbston Valley Winery Summer Concert featuring Dr. Hook and Creedence Clearwater Revisited was a massive success. With over 14,000 attendees listening to Classic Rock in beautiful Sunshine amongst breathtaking scenery, the day delivered everything that was promised. Herein was the formation of the now Greenstone Entertainment, and its philosophy for the “Summer Concert Tour”.