ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons says a meeting with John Fogerty to discuss the upcoming Blues and Bayou Tour turned into a jam session, which then turned into a song.
Gibbons says they met at Fogerty's house, but before they talked business they jammed in Fogerty's studio on songs like "Fortunate Son," "Tush" and "Bad Moon Rising."
Before they were done, Fogerty came up with a brand new riff!
"We went straight to work," says Gibbons. "It was an exercise in just absolute joy."
ZZ Top and John Fogerty's co-headlining tour begins May 25 in Atlantic City, NJ.
The two confirmed to Rolling Stone that they are planning points in each set for on stage collaborations. Maybe the new song will work its way into the show.
"Hopefully we're going to have a little cross-pollination," Fogerty said. "That's the plan."
The former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman added that he'd want to join ZZ Top for any one of their big hits. The rest depends on when and where ZZ Top wants Fogerty.
Gibbons says he'd like to play CCR classics like "Fortunate Son" or "Down on the Corner" or any number of deeper tracks that have long been out of Fogerty's setlist.
"He said, 'You gotta remind me. I gotta re-learn all that stuff I'm supposed to already know,'" Gibbons recalled. "I said, 'Yeah, that's the way it goes, man. We gotta get to work.'"
Tickets to the Blues and Bayou Tour are on sale now. More information can be found by visiting Fogerty's official website here and ZZ Top's official website here.
The tour will start about a month after ZZ Top completes a run of shows in April, including a five-shows-in-eight-nights residency in Las Vegas.
This year marks 49 years of activity for the band, which has had the same lineup for its entire career guitarist Gibbons, bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Frank Beard.
Blues and Bayou Tour Dates:
May 25 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata Spa & Resort – Event Center
May 26 - Holmdel, NJ @ P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
May 27 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
May 29 - Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap
May 30 - Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap
June 1 - Pensacola, FL @ Pensacola Bay Center
June 2 - Clearwater, FL @ Coachman Park
June 3 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Coral Sky Amphitheater
June 5 - St. Augustine, FL @ St. Augustine Amphitheater
June 6 - Atlanta, GA @ TBA
June 10 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Amphitheater
June 12 - Chicago, IL @ TBA
June 13 - Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
June 14 - Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
June 16 - Southaven, MS @ BankPlus Amphitheater at Snowden Grove
June 17 - Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
June 19 - Youngstown, OH @ Covelli Centre
June 20 - Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Heath at Jones Beach Theater
June 22 - Gilford, NH @ Bank of NH Pavillion
June 23 - Canandaigua, NY @ Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center
June 24 - Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion
June 26 - Mt. Pleasant, MI @ Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort
June 27 - Detroit, MI @ DTE @ Energy Music Theatre
June 29 - Welch, MN @ Treasure Island Resort and Casino
Photo: YouTube / Mike Bizimis