His name sure rings a bell

Most younger, music aficionados would recognize the name John Fogerty. For the vast majority of those individuals, they would be thinking of John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) who is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock/roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) and as a #1 solo recording artist. However, for those of us who remember May 29th, 1978, there just may be a different face associated with that name.

I remember a John Fogerty whose birthday is indeed May 29th, 1978, the Monday of Memorial Day weekend that year. He arrived shortly after 6 in the morning while most of us were still sound asleep. His excited parents brought him to their home which resided over the office, the primary residence for several of his Aunts and Uncles before him, as well as a couple of his cousins presently. Obviously, 51 Sparhawk St. has been and still remains a "relatively" important address in this family.

Of course, being the first grandchild, he drew lots of attention from the energized family generation before him. His mother quickly learned how to hold him, vacuum, and talk on the phone, all at the same time, mothers, the original multitaskers. Grandpa's truck quickly became "Johnnies Truck", and it even bore his name. Something his grandfather had never done for his own kids. His Uncles were determined to teach him the fine art of fielding ground balls, hitting a baseball, and shooting the all important jump shot, while his mother and grandmother were convinced he'd be a star by dressing him up as the "Little Hummel" boy in a look alike contest. All reasonable aspirations, but John was the oldest, and he had a slightly different course in his mind for his future.

John heeded the words of Horace Greeley, however, and went West where he could spread his wings over the wide open spaces of the Wind River basin of Wyoming. This is where he apparently has found his "niche", building log homes, telling stories around the campfire, and you perhaps guessed it, writing and singing songs. The outdoors, that's what he loves and where he belongs, not among his white collared colleagues and contemporaries. He once told his mother that being in an office just wasn't for him, and he was right.

So, to my nephew who has found a kindred spirit in another singer/songwriter with a "remahkably similah" name, congratulations on your personal success and achievement. Happy Birthday. It's just too bad that you have to share the spotlight with this other singer dude because we recognize the real John Fogerty. In fact, his face doesn't look at all familiar, but his name sure rings a bell!