For his Tiny Desk, John Fogerty brought what means the most to him. Family was accounted for: his sons, Tyler and Shane, played in the band, while his wife, Julie, was in the audience. There, too, was Fogerty’s distinct brand of patriotism.

NPR filmed this concert on November 11, 2025, which happened to be Veterans Day. Fogerty tells the crowd that he was inspired to write “Proud Mary” on the day he received his honorable discharge from the Army Reserve in 1968. “I opened my discharge [papers] up, and I was really, really, really happy,” he says. “I went right in the house, picked up my Rickenbacker guitar and started strumming, and the very first line that came out of me was, ‘Left a good job in the city. Workin’ for the man every night and day.’ “

The Grammy Award-winning, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee has also spoken candidly about what his songs mean to him. For decades, Fogerty has fought over his catalog as the primary songwriter for Creedence Clearwater Revival, which includes many songs that are considered rock and roll staples. In 2023, he acquired the majority stake of CCR’s publishing, ultimately ending the battle. At the Desk, he plays some of his solo work, then closes the set with “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” with some help from the audience.