[colivigan]

Dan Fogelberg has died at 56 from prostate cancer.

Say what you will about his music, for anyone growing up in the late 1970's and early 1980's it was part of the fabric of the times. He was a very talented songwriter and musician, who struck a chord with more than a few people. Fifty six years is a pretty short time on this earth - I'm sorry to see him go so soon.

I think I'll just swing by the iTMS tonight and pick up a few Fogelberg tunes.

[Moogs]

I just found this out myself. My wife heard it on the radio just now and sure enough. The really sad part though, guys, is he died of the most preventable and treatable form of cancer (prostate). Probably it means he didn't get exams from the age of 40 or so on, and they didn't catch it in time. When they do catch it in the early stages the success rate for treatment is very high compared to other cancers.

Lesson: once you turn 40, bite the bullet and get checked by your doctor once a year. That means PSA blood test and *cough* the ole rectal exam.

(NOTE: this is NOT the same thing as the colonoscopy deal we're all supposed to get when are older, which is to detect polyps in your intestines, and which is a much more painful, lengthy and generally digusting exam for any person to endure).

Everyone hates the idea of the doctor's finger up yer wazoo, but if 20 seconds of discomfort means saving your life... maybe Fogelberg would still be making music today. Hey, get a female doctor with thin fingers if you have to... think like Schiffler... whatever it takes, just get tested.

[psmith2.0]

Saw the news this morning. Sad to see someone go like that, at that age (he's two years younger than my Dad, for goodness sake)...



They have 21 of his albums at the iTunes Store.

[SKMDC]

I saw him about six or seven times in the 70's usually opening for someone or on one of the all day outdoor shows. Iowa State Fairgrounds more than once.

You may not think it but he could really tear it up. His first four albums had some real rockers on them.
(Home Free, Souvenirs, Captured Angel, & Nether Lands, all seminal California 70's country rock classics all of which I recommend) As The Raven Flies from Souvenirs was a show stopper, The River from Home Free.

He would have been a good fit to replace Bernie Leadon in the Eagles, I think he thought so too, but apparently he was too similar a song writer to Frey & Henley so they chose Joe Walsh instead.

I don't know how quiet he was, he used to announce his hotel and room # during his set. He liked the ladies back in the day.

[colivigan]

Originally Posted by SKMDC IYou may not think it but he could really tear it up. His first four albums had some real rockers on them. (Home Free, Souvenirs, Captured Angel, & Nether Lands, all seminal California 70's country rock classics all of which I recommend) As The Raven Flies from Souvenirs was a show stopper, The River from Home Free.

Interesting, I always had him pegged as James Taylor meets Harry Chapin with a little production gloss. And it worked pretty well. I'll have to check out some of those songs you mention.

Originally Posted by SKMDC I don't know how quiet he was, he used to announce his hotel and room # during his set. He liked the ladies back in the day.

As you probably know, the thread title is a line from "Leader of the Band", and I guess it more accurately describes his father.

[SKMDC]

You Know, my family and my wife's family all hail from central Illinois, and being my high school (Galesburg Silver Streaks) always played Woodruff in football and basketball I must have seen his father's bands more than once.

I quit listening to Dan Fogelberg when Phoenix came out, more precisely when I heard the Lyric "longer than there have been fishes in the ocean".
Friends told me the Innocent Age would redeem him in my eyes and I did like Leader of the Band, and Same Old Lang Syne, but I wasn't digging it as whole.

[psmith2.0]

Back in the day, when I was in early high school, I always loved this video and song (back when MTV would play these things called "music videos").



The Language of Love

It's quite dated, visually, but I still dig the hook and chords (Petty's "Jammin' Me" is similar, those "stabs" in the verses). And that's a beautiful Gretsch White Penguin he's playing...and a very tasty, melodic solo starting at the 2:20 mark!

[CrazyChic]

Twin Sons of Different Mothers

Great album from 1978

[SKMDC]

Originally Posted by CrazyChic Twin Sons of Different Mothers Great album from 1978

I'm not a big fan of Tim Weisberg (ABC always used his flute jazz records as backdrop for skiing and surfing montages on wide world of sports)
but that record was really nice, a good collaboration from different parts of the music world.
The Hollies, "Tell Me To My Face" gets a great rendering here.