HIT LIST REVIEWS

Willy and the Poor Boys, which struck #3 Ed Stilley with highlighted by more hit singles – “Fortunate some of his Son,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Down On The creations. Corner,” and “Green River.” And they even found time to cut a fourth album, Cosmo’s Factory, that would be released in the new year. Along the way, CCR toured the United States, played “The Ed Sullivan Show” (twice), and headlined at Woodstock. By year’s end, they were one of the biggest bands in the world. The 1969 Archive Box celebrates the annum in grand fashion. No, there’s nothing really new here; you’ve heard all of these songs before, but the package Divine Inspiration is phenomenal. The boxed set includes replicas of the rkansas farmer Ed with X-ray images and Japanese pressing of Bayou Country on Stilley was plowing diagrams revealing red vinyl, Italian pressing of Green River, Ahis fields in 1979 their secret innards. and the U.S. pressing of Willy and the when he was struck Recordings of the man Poor Boys – each with a companion CD. down by a heart attack; playing his instru- Seven-inch singles include the Japanese lying in the dirt, he had a ments and preaching “Bad Moon Rising” EP on red vinyl, vision that God wanted are available on the Brazilian “Proud Mary,” and Mexican him to build guitars and author’s website. “Fortunate Son.” give them to children – Michael Dregni Added to that is a around the country to slew of replicated make music. Once recov- artifacts – a Wil- ered, he began crafting ly and the Poor instruments of his own Boys textbook design, chronicled in this Kelly Mulhollan cover, Green gorgeous book. True Faith, True Light: River al- With no experience The Devotional Art of bum poster, building instruments Ed Stilley “Creedence” and using just the hand bumper stick- tools around his farm, a cast-off iron cooking er, Woodstock Stilley devoted himself pot as a resonator to one ticket, and a over the next 25 years to banjo. He placed a pipe 60-page compo- creating more than 200 in one guitar’s neck block sition book chock instruments. He gave to serve as an echo tube. full of press clippings them away to kids all Built-in reverb came cour- chronicling CCR’s year. over North American, and tesy of old door springs This limited-edition today they’ve become and circular saw blades. set was released for Re- folk-art collector’s items. But his masterpiece may cord Store Day, and if Each of Stilley’s have been his Jingler: a you’re a CCR fan you guitars, banjos, fiddles, loosely fitted chunk of gotta have it. – MD and dulcimers was metal added to the truss one of a kind, a sort of rod that jingled with the handmade crazy quilt strummer’s rhythm. of found objects that he All of these inspired added to try to create a concoctions served special sound. And each “To better speak the of them was inscribed on voice of the Lord,” the lower bout with the as Stilley explained. words “True Faith, True This book tells Light, Have Faith in God.” Stilley’s intriguing Heavy Trash Stilley’s homegrown story, highlighted by Noir! “innovations” were inge- stylish photos of many nious if crude. He added of his instruments, along Heavy Trash is an on-again-off-again band Ed Stilley photos: Kirk Lanier.

Vintage Guitar 122 August 2016