25th Anniversary Edition of John Fogerty's Classic Centerfield Celebrates Growing up in America With Music and Baseball

LOS ANGELES, May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Enterprises -- "Put me in, coach, I'm ready to play."  With that heartfelt lyric from the title song to Centerfield, John Fogerty tapped into the hopes and dreams of every boy who ever played baseball and of every man and woman who ever yearned to become better in any aspect of their life.  With "Centerfield," Fogerty--one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of our time--created a rare rock classic that has become part of the fabric of the American Songbook.  Celebrating the return of that 1985 album, Centerfield - 25th Anniversary Edition (Geffen/UMe), will be released on June 29 and features the original album, digitally remastered, and adds a pair of rare B-side bonus tracks--covers of the Rockin' Sydney '80s hit "My Toot Toot" and the '50s R&B/doo wop gem "I Confess."

In recognition of the classic song which has become the unofficial anthem of our national pastime, The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will honor Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician John Fogerty and "Centerfield," during the 2010 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies in Cooperstown on July 25. This marks the first time the National Baseball Hall of Fame has immortalized a musician or a song as part of the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

"Over the past 25 years 'Centerfield' has come to mean so much to so many –- more then I could've ever imagined," said Fogerty.  "I've been told by fans all over the world that it's always a major part of their baseball memories from hearing it at their little league games to major stadiums.  To have written a song like 'Centerfield' that appeals to all generations and can be shared by everyone, I'm happy that baseball fans have embraced it as their anthem for a sport that I've always loved and is part of the fabric of our country. I'm overwhelmed and truly humbled to be a part of the hallowed halls of the Baseball Hall of Fame and to have been asked to share the same stage at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with some of the greatest players to have ever lived."

Fogerty is a quintuple threat: songwriter, singer, lead guitarist, arranger and producer. Centerfield, which Fogerty produced and for which he played every instrument, is as American as apple pie and, well, baseball.  Eagerly anticipated and long-awaited, Centerfield was Fogerty's second album since his 1973 solo debut, The Blue Ridge Rangers, which followed his exit from Creedence Clearwater Revival.  

With CCR, Fogerty was responsible for an entire songbook of hits that have become modern standards, from "Proud Mary," "Bad Moon Rising" and "Who'll Stop The Rain" to "Lookin' Out My Back Door," "Down On The Corner," "Up Around The Bend" and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?"  Centerfield proved to be a triumphant comeback. Embracing pop, rock and his deep roots in country, the double platinum disc charted both #1 Pop and #7 Country, and spun off four hits: Top 10 Pop "The Old Man Down The Road" (also #1 Rock), Top 20 Pop "Rock And Roll Girls" (also #5 Rock),   Top 40 Country "Big Train (From Memphis)" and a rockabilly salute to Elvis-- Top 5 Rock "Centerfield."

Long an Induction Day tradition in Cooperstown, the playing of the song "Centerfield" has signaled the start of the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Annual Induction Ceremony for more than a decade, as Hall of Fame members take to the stage. On Sunday, July 25, Fogerty will perform the song on the Induction stage in Cooperstown, just before the class of 2010 is formally inducted, with an expected 50 Hall of Famers a part of the celebration. The 2010 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 25 at 1:30 p.m. ET and will be aired live on MLB Network. The 2010 Hall of Fame class features outfielder Andre Dawson, manager Whitey Herzog and umpire Doug Harvey. The Hall of Fame will also recognize Jon Miller with the Ford C. Frick Award, given for excellence in baseball broadcasting, and Bill Madden with the J.G. Taylor Spink Award for meritorious contributions to baseball writing. The ceremony is free and lasts approximately two and a half hours, with speeches from the inductees and award winners.  

Dedicated to a character in a favorite children's record of Fogerty's and to "dreams that survive," Centerfield is about childhood, family and growing up.  And like baseball itself, a love of which is passed down from generation to generation, Centerfield has become an album shared across generations. Appropriately, at the opening day festivities for the new Yankee Stadium in April 2009, Fogerty performed the beloved song while standing, of course, in centerfield.  

Fogerty, a Grammy-winner boasts numerous BMI Pop and Country Awards and was recently honored as a BMI Icon at its 58th annual Pop Awards. In 1993, Fogerty was

inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and he is a member of the

Songwriters Hall of Fame.

About The National Baseball Hall of Fame:

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an independent not-for-profit educational institution, dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime.

SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises

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