Forty-one years ago today (March 23), in 1985, John Fogerty reached the top of the Billboard 200 with Centerfield. It was his first LP in 10 years and was hailed as a comeback album for the former Creedence Clearwater Revival. When it topped the chart after a short climb, it signaled to the music world that Fogerty could still work the magic that made CCR a cultural phenomenon.
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Fogerty didn’t waste any time launching his solo career after CCR disbanded. They released their final studio album, Mardi Gras, in 1972. The next year, Fogerty released his solo debut, The Blue Ridge Rangers. Two years later, he moved to Asylum Records from Fantasy Records and released his self-titled sophomore album. Then, he recorded a disco-leaning album titled Hoodoo. However, Asylum rejected it, refusing to issue the album for which they’d already printed covers. The label destroyed the master tapes sometime in the 1980s at Fogerty’s request, according to Dangerous Minds.
After Asylum rejected Hoodoo, Fogerty didn’t go back to the drawing board to create a better album. Instead, he took a much-needed break. He officially ended his hiatus in December 1984, when he released “The Old Man Down the Road” as the lead single from Centerfield. It reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the publication’s Mainstream Rock chart. The song later led to a lawsuit in which Forgerty was accused of plagiarizing himself.
John Fogerty’s Brief Return
Centerfield gives listeners a glimpse into John Fogerty’s life. For instance, it reveals his love of baseball. In a 1986 interview, he revealed that he didn’t initially dream of becoming a musician. “My first choice was to become a baseball player–center fielder for the Yankees,” he revealed. “I remember walking into my office at about the age of 35, and Bob was already there. I said, ‘Well, Bob, I’m 35 today. I guess the Yanks ain’t gonna call me up.’”
Fogerty also admitted that he was worried his comeback album would get rejected by Warner Bros. “I really didn’t know where I was at, at that time. I was just glad it was going to come out. That was enough. For me, it was like crossing the finish line. The way I put it at the time was the monkey was off my back, finally,” he said.
He returned with Eye of the Zombie in 1986, but it wasn’t as successful as Centerfield. Then, he waited 11 years to come back once again with Blue Moon Swamp.
John Fogerty has continued to release albums and singles on his own time over the years. His latest, Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Days, hit shelves and streaming services in August 2025.
Featured Image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
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