John Fogerty's 'Centerfield' Hits No. 1: A Look Back at Its 1985 Release

Jacqueline Burt CoteTue, March 24, 2026 at 12:21 AM UTC

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(Photo by Charlie Gillett Collection on Getty Images)

Creedence Clearwater Revival fans were understandably pretty bummed when the band broke up in 1972, but they didn't have to wait very long for frontman John Fogerty to start making solo albums.

In 1973, Fogerty released his debut album as a solo artist, The Blue Ridge Rangers; two years after that, he released his self-titled second album. Neither one of those made it to the top of the charts, though (they peaked at #47 and #78 on the Billboard 200, respectively). His first and only solo album to hit #1 wouldn't come out for another ten years.

According to American Songwriter, Fogerty recorded a disco-influenced album called Hoodoo after 1975's John Fogerty, but the record label refused to release it, even though covers had already been printed. (The master tapes from the Hoodoo recording sessions were later destroyed, per Fogerty's request.) Following that rejection, Fogerty took a break from being a rock star for nearly a decade.

Rock history is filled with stories of unsuccessful comeback attempts, but Fogerty's return was one of the exceptions. His third album, Centerfield, was his biggest success, going to #1 on March 23, 1985.

In an interview that year, Fogerty said he was worried about Centerfield being rejected by Warner Bros.

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“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.

Not only was Centerfield not rejected, it was a home run...which is fitting, given the album's connection to baseball.

"My first choice was to become a baseball player — center fielder for the Yankees,” he said in a 1986 interview with Nina Blackwood. "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.’”

Centerfield's lead single, “The Old Man Down the Road," went to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Mainstream Rock chart, though it later led to a lawsuit accusing Fogerty of plagiarizing himself ("Run Through the Jungle"). Fogerty eventually won the case.

Related: Bob Dylan Had the Most Iconic Response When '70s Music Legend Refused to Sing 'Proud Mary'

This story was originally published by Parade on Mar 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”