In 1975, John Fogerty was 30 years old and wrote the song “Rockin’ All Over the World.” Now in 2025, the former singer-songwriter, guitarist and front man for Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) is 80 and still performing rock concerts.
Earlier this month on November 1st, I had the pleasure of attending one of Fogerty’s concerts at the Salem Civic Center in Virginia with my wife Priscilla, daughter Amy and friend David Hollandsworth.
With this latest article, I will be giving a concert review of Fogerty’s Salem show and sharing short video clips of songs that I recorded. I also have included reviews from some of my family, friends and other acquaintances who went to see the former CCR frontman on 11/1/25.
Fogerty is touring this fall to support his new 2025 solo album, “Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years” that was released in August. This 20-track LP features re-recordings of music that was written for his former CCR band during the years of 1968 to 1972.
The new album is also referred to as “John’s Version” in which Fogerty took a page out of Taylor Swift’s playbook with the re-recording of new versions of previously written catalog songs, (Taylor’s Version).
The backstory of how “Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years” came about is interesting. Fogerty’s journey to reclaim his own music that was full of trials, toils and tribulations.
When CCR signed a revision of their two-year-old recording contract with Fantasy Records in 1969, Fogerty lost music publishing, songwriting, master recording rights, and copyright ownership for the songs that he had written.
After CCR broke up in 1972, Fogerty refused to play his own songs for many years. After a 50-year struggle, with multiple lawsuits to re-gain control over his music, Fogerty finally was able to purchase a majority stake in the publishing rights to his songs from Concord Records in 2023.
During his Salem, Virginia concert, Fogerty credited his wife Julie with helping to gain control of the CCR era of music that he penned. The former lead singer of CCR was genuinely happy to sing and play his beloved songs to the crowd in attendance.
Below is a video clip of Fogerty being interviewed on the Dan Patrick Show on August 22, 2025, the day “Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years” was released. During this video, Fogerty shares about getting his music back and how his song “Centerfield” was written.
Another recent TV appearance that Fogerty made was on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In the video clip below, the artist shares about getting his songwriting catalog back and other topics with the famed night time talk show host and comedian.
I became a CCR fan in 1969 and just after my birthday that year, I bought my first CCR record: the Double-A-Sided 45-rpm “Bad Moon Rising” and “Lodi” single. Later in ’69, I purchased another double-sided smash single: “Fortunate Son” and “Down on the Corner.”
My parents also helped me to add CCR albums to my record collection. They gifted me “Green River” for Christmas in 1969 and “Cosmos Factory” at holiday time the following year. After Paul McCartney announced the Beatles had broken up in April ’70, CCR became my favorite rock band.
Ever since my teen years, I have always loved the songs John Fogerty wrote and recorded with CCR, as well as his Blue Ridge Rangers project and music from when the singer-songwriter became a solo artist.
Seeing Fogerty performing live on stage was thrilling. This was my second show by the former CCR lead singer: My wife, Priscilla, and I first saw him at the historic Wolf Trap National Park Amphitheater in Vienna, Virginia during 2014.
At the Salem show I attended, 19 songs were performed: 14 Creedence Clearwater Revival songs, 4 Fogerty solo tunes and one selection from the Golliwogs, which was the name of Fogerty’s band from 1964 to 1967 before the group changed their name to CCR. The entire listing of songs can be found here at Setlist FM Dot Com.
As a side note: While I realize that Fogerty wouldn’t perform every single top 40 hit that he had made with CCR, during his 2025 tour, below are 5 songs I wished had been part of the setlist:
- Run Through the Jungle
- Commotion
- Sweet Hitch-Hiker
- Long as I Can See the Light
- Hey Tonight
Before John took the stage in a flannel shirt and blue jeans, the band Hearty Har opened the show with a 30-minute set. The two main members of this group are Shane and Tyler Fogerty, who are the sons of John and Julie Fogerty.
As for John’s own band, it’s a family affair: Tyler and Shane Fogerty also play in their father’s ensemble. Also in attendance at this show was John’s wife, Julie Fogerty. She was on stage right while the band played, taking photos and recording videos throughout the performance.
Other members of Fogerty’s band included drummer Richard Millsap, bass guitarist Jesse Wilson, keyboardist Doug Lamothe, along with sax player Rob Stone.
Before I share my review on Fogerty’s Salem show, I am including comments below from my daughter, some friends and other acquaintances who also attended the show.
Amy Woodson:
“Teach your kids the classics! Growing up, my Dad played for me and my sisters a cornucopia of hits from years gone by. The songs of legends like John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival accompanied road trips, practice pick-ups, and Saturday morning shenanigans. All three of us liked to tease him and insist there was a “bathroom on the right” instead of a “Bad Moon Rising.”
For me, seeing John Fogerty live harkens back to the feeling of childhood wonderment and hearing a great tune for the first time. No song represents those emotions better than “Lookin’ Out my Backdoor,” my favorite moment of the concert. There’s something about the interplay of guitar, lyrics, and Fogerty’s nonpareil tone that stirs up my happiest imaginations. “Bother me tomorrow, today, I’ll buy no sorrows!”
David Hollandsworth:
“It was the summer of 1970. I had just finished 7th grade and we had recently moved to the city of Monterey, Mexico, where there was an AM pop station called XERJ that played American top 40 music. Each afternoon they had a 30-minute show featuring the most popular rock band in the world at the time – CCR.
It was there that I was introduced to CCR and would sit by the radio every afternoon. They became my favorite band. They still are. The first two CCR records I ever bought were two, 7” 33 rpm EPs with four songs each. 4 song EPs with nice picture sleeves were common in Mexico. “Cosmos Factory” had just been released that July so I bought it along with “Willy and the Poor Boys” – my first LPs! Sadly, I never got to see CCR in their heyday.”
Hollandsworth continues, “Fast forward 55 years, I was finally able to see the mastermind behind all their songs. Of all places, Fogerty came to Salem, just 10 minutes from my house! There was no way I was going to miss that! At 80 years of age, I was shocked at his energy level and how he moved around the stage like he was 30 years younger! His voice was perhaps a little less full than in 1970 but he was still fantastic. The guy can still play a mean guitar, too! It was fun seeing him playing alongside his two sons while his wife was off to the side of the stage taking videos.
I also noticed the many times he changed to a different guitar for different songs. It’s hard to pick a favorite song that he did that night but the crowd really responded to “Have You Ever Seen the Rain”, his most played song on Spotify. I loved the jams on “Keep on Chooglin’” and “The Old Man Down the Road” with he and his son, Shane, trading guitar solos. Looked like they were having a blast! So, yeah, it took 55 years, but I was satisfied to finally see one of my musical heroes from the past. He gave us 90 minutes of pure classic rock magic! Keep on chooglin’, John!”
Sammy Oakey:
“While I’m more of an average fan of CCR than an avid one, I know an icon when I see one, and John Fogerty’s visit to the Roanoke Valley would be an ideal time to view this rocker. He certainly didn’t disappoint, as his voice, stage banter, and movements all bellied a man half his age. Mixing up his Creedence material with his solo numbers, Fogerty had the crowd in the palm of his hand for his 90 minutes onstage. His band, which included two of his sons, were white hot and electrified the rock faithful who knew most of the lyrics of his songs. I personally enjoyed his solo material the best, and especially loved “Centerfield” (complete with a combination baseball bat/guitar!) and “Rock ‘n Roll Girls” (with a sizzling sax solo!).”
Oakey continues, “Fogerty commented several times about how grateful he was to his wife for helping him regain the rights to his songs as well as finding and purchasing a guitar he had played in CCR over 55 years ago. He truly seems to be at a good place in his life, and he shared that with the Fogerty faithful who showed up. I came to the show expecting to see an aging rocker attempt to keep his career alive. I left the Salem Civic Center realizing that John Fogerty is one of those musicians who truly get better with age.
Ashley McGinnis Duffy: Roanoke, Virginia
I grew up listening to John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater Revival with my dad, so their music has always been a big part of my life. I bought tickets for my dad’s birthday this year, and the concert was absolutely amazing. We loved every minute of it and especially enjoyed hearing the stories behind how some of the songs were written. My favorite song of the night was Fortunate Son. It’s one of my dad’s all-time favorites, and hearing it live together was a moment I’ll never forget.
Robert McGinnis: Roanoke, Virginia
CCR is the best band that I’ve ever listen to. I like all of Fogerty’s songs. It was one of the best concerts I’ve ever attended. My favorite song is Fortunate Son.
Transitioning from comments by others to my own review, it was a magical night for me being at Fogerty’s show.
Before Fogerty’s entrance on stage, there was a superb video clip shown that highlighted the singer-songwriter’s musical career, chronicling the Creedence Clearwater Revival years and his solo career. This clip was an outstanding way to start the show.
One of the things that I admired about John Fogerty that night was his genuine expressions of gratitude to the audience, giving appreciation to his fans for their dedication sticking with the artist, through trials and tribulations.
During other breaks between songs, Fogerty gave recognition and respect to his sons Shane and Tyler for being trusted musicians in his band. The former CCR singer-songwriter truly seemed extremely happy talking about his two adult sons to the audience.
John Fogerty also acknowledged his wife, Julie multiple times with praise. He credited her as his soul mate, a solid rock in their marriage of 34 years and the driving force behind helping John be successful retrieving all the songs he wrote as a member of CCR.
“Bad Moon Rising opened up the show while “Fortunate Son” was the last song before the two-song encore. “Travelin’ Band” and “Proud Mary” capped a perfect ending to this excellent performance.
The CCR leader was full of high-energy, had a vibrant stage presence and provided excellent guitar playing. He ripped ripped through his CCR and solo hits with passion. His connection with the audience was genuine, as he played memorable guitar riffs and danced all around the stage like a person half his age.
I found it remarkable that Fogerty’s vocals were still strong as when he was cracking out hits with CCR in the 60s and 70s. His distinctive tenor voice was clear, rich, resonant and powerful, singing songs about sorrow, pain, anger, joy and other emotional topics.
In my humble opinion, Fogerty has written some of the greatest songs ever recorded. I loved hearing the singer-songwriter perform some of my favorite lines from his CCR penned odes.
- “I went down Virginia, seekin’ shelter from the storm”
- “Oh lord, I’m stuck in Lodi again”
- “I can still hear my ol’ hound dog barkin’, chasin’ down a hoodoo there, born on the bayou”
- “Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis, pumped a lot of ‘pane down in New Orleans”
- “737 coming out of the sky, won’t you take me down to Memphis on a midnight ride?”
Hearing Fogerty’s songs in concert reminded me on how his style of music blended rock, pop, blues, folk and country together. Some music historians label the CCR sound “Swamp Rock” or “Roots Rock.” Fogerty wrote about common everyday American experiences in realistic terms.
While I won’t comment on all 19 songs performed in Salem, I will share my top favorite songs played by Fogerty’s band: 5 CCR tracks and 1 solo hit.
My favorite solo John Fogerty song of all-time is “Centerfield.” I rate this legendary sports anthem as the third best top 40 single of 1985. In 2010, Fogerty became the only musician ever to be celebrated at a National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony when “Centerfield” was honored.
Obviously, I loved many of the CCR songs played at the show. But I am only going to comment on my top 5 favorite CCR Fogerty songs of all-time that were performed at the show.
5. Lodi
“If I only had a dollar, For ev’ry song I’ve sung, Ev’ry time I’ve had to play, While people sat there drunk, You know, I’d catch the next train, Back to where I live, Oh Lord, I’m stuck in Lodi again”
Lyrics describe a struggling musician whose career has landed him playing gigs in the town of Lodi, California. After playing in local bars in that town, the musician is stuck in Lodi and doesn’t have enough money to leave that place behind.
I rate the song “Lodi” among the best county rock songs from the 60s and 70s.
4. Bad Moon Rising
“I see the bad moon a-rising, I see trouble on the way, I see earthquakes and lightning, I see bad times today, Don’t go around tonight, Well, it’s bound to take your life, There’s a bad moon on the rise.”
I could have sworn that I heard Fogerty sing, “There’s a bathroom on the right” during one of the chorus’ on “Bad Moon Rising.” I consider this song as one of the 10 best singles from back in the summer of ’69.
3. Green River
“I can hear the bullfrog callin’ me, aw, Wonder if my rope’s still hangin’ to the tree, aw, Love to kick my feet way down the shallow water, Shoofly, dragonfly, get back to mother, Pick up a flat rock, skip it across Green River.”
Fogerty’s up-tempo rocker was played by CCR at Woodstock in August 1969. I place it as my favorite song that CCR performed at the peace & love music festival over 56 years ago.
2. Lookin’ Out My Backdoor
“Forward troubles Illinois, lock the front door, oh, boy, Look at all the happy creatures dancin’ on the lawn, Bother me tomorrow, today, I’ll buy no sorrows, Doo, doo, doo, lookin’ out my back door.”
My second favorite CCR song is “Lookin’ Out My Backdoor.” And this track is on my top-rated Fogerty/CCR album of all-time: “Cosmo’s Factory.” It is among my favorite singles of 1970.
- Fortunate Son
“Yeah-yeah, some folks inherit star-spangled eyes, Hoo, they send you down to war, Lord, And when you ask ’em, “How much should we give?”, Hoo, they only answer, “More, more, more, more”, It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no military son, son, Lord, It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one.”
“Fortunate Son” is my favorite CCR track of all-time. This 1969 anthem became a rallying cry against the Vietnam War and individuals from affluent backgrounds. It is now considered John Fogerty’s signature song.
The first time I heard this song on WROV Roanoke in the fall of 1969, I immediately loved Fogerty’s protest anthem. Soon thereafter, I went to Sears and bought the Double-A-Sided 45-rpm single of “Fortunate Son” and “Down on the Corner.”
On a music blog article that I published last December, I rated “Fortunate Son” as the number 1 best protest and social justice anthem from the 60s and 70s. For me, “Fortunate Son” is the cream of the crop with Fogerty’s written songs.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience to have the opportunity to see Fogerty in concert. His Legacy tour will be continuing into 2026. I would highly recommend going to see the 1993 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee in concert if you have an opportunity.
If you were at the Salem November 1, concert like myself, or any other Fogerty 2025 Legacy concerts during the past few months, I would encourage you to share a brief analysis on the show you attended. And for those who are fans of CCR, I welcome your comment on Fogerty’s music.
Without a doubt, I was thrilled to see Fogerty performing most of his CCR hits and selected solo songs. I will forever cherish the opportunity that I had to witness John Fogerty, who is still superbly performing his music at age 80. It was most excellent. Rock on!
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