Death of Dan Fogelberg Silences an Often Overlooked Singer-Songwriter
I wish I didn't have to compose so many of these remembrances, but I strongly believe they are essential and respectful ways to say goodbye to entertainers who are often much more than that. So upon another tragic, highly premature pop music death I find myself promoting the legacy of an artist too many observers have failed to acknowledge appropriately. To be sure, Fogelberg's hits, which mostly emerged during the '80s, were grossly accessible and grew to exemplify the often maligned soft rock genre of the era. But his talents as a writer of timeless melodies and lyrics have always seemed pretty obvious to me, even as a teenager when the mere possession of a Dan Fogelberg cassette could have led to social ostracism in many circles. Luckily, I'm now old enough to feel absolutely no shame about being an admirer of this quintessentially American singer-songwriter, a singer of deep emotion willing to address with dignity many topics that have led lesser talents to pure schmaltz. Fogelberg will be sorely missed, and pop music will never again be quite as purely idealistic.
Comments
I totally agree with your sentiments. Dan Fogelberg was one of my favorite artists as a child of the 70s. “Lonely in Love” being one of my top 10 favorites of all time. My real sadness came not only because of his passing but also because a lot of news outlets, like “Entertainment Tonight” & “Inside Edition”, didn’t even make one mention of it. I will miss his brilliant artistry and treasure the gifts that he left.
Dan Fogelberg was often overlooked, particularly in recent years. A gentle quiet talent. His soft rock, sensitve songs and as you say, “timeless melodies” are part of the tapestry that makes up the lives of my generation. It is a shame more news venues didn’t “remember” him on the air. I hope that all who appreciated his music play a song once in a while and remember him fondly. May he rest in peace, taken far too soon.
so true!!! i have always told people who knew me as a “dan fan”, that his best music was the stuff that was never played on the radio. his first 4 albums are wonderful and his work with tim weisberg, priceless. i remember waiting patiently every 2 years for a new installment of his music. it didn’t make me popular at school since all of my friends were journey fans. my love of dan the man made me unique among my crowd and when my friends heard of his death, they all thought of me, as if we were synonomous, dan and i. his use of harmony and his orchestrations brought out the really beauty of notes. i am sad theat the music has died.
I second everything expressed by Danielle, Lauri and Laura — especially what Laura says about his work with Weisberg. An incredible talent has passed. R.I.P.
Nice piece, Steve. “Leader Of The Band” and “Same Old Lang Syne” are a couple of favorites from Fogelberg. The album with Weisberg was also very cool. Nobody like him will pass this way again.
Strangely, his passing leaves the same feeling as his music…a beauty that makes me feel sad, and leaves me wanting more.
I agree. Very sad, a very talented songwriter and a great voice. Got a big shock when I heard recently cos his Auld Lang Syne has to be one of the quintessential Christmas songs - one of the few real gems at this time of year! My Best of DF album will get a few extra spins in 2008!
Steve, Good article and sweet tribute to “our beloved Dan Fogelberg”, I have always thought that this great singer-songwriter was so under-rated. His ability to craft songs; masterfully create beautiful harmonies, was so overlooked. Why is Justin Timberlake so revered? God bless the best, DF was one of the best. VHerrera, colorado
I didn’t even know Dan Fogelberg had died until just a few hours ago when my sister informed me. She emailed to let me know that PBS is running a special viewing of a concert this weekend featuring a new song. For those who see this: Go to PBS.ORG…type in your ZIP CODE…then in the search box, type in DAN FOGELBERG and it will bring up the date & time in your area the program will be aired. I hope this reaches a lot of you in time. I watch the news religously and I never heard anything about his death. HomeFree was my favorite album & I continue to listen to all his music to this day! You will be missed greatly! Thanks, Amy in Kentucky
I miss this man dearly, period. I have been listening to him on vinyl almost everyday since his passing. I feel guilty about forgetting about him for several years as I got into other music genres. I put on his Innocent Age album in December and cried. I am 34 years old and none of my friends even know who he was. The fact that he was not mentioned in the mainstream media kills me. He was a serious musician that deserves respect. I cannot think of anyone with his vocal range that also plays so many instruments. I will have to excuse the knuckleheads that either refuse thier admiration of Dan, or are truly ignorant.
I knew the day he passed-True fans know what I mean. Not a day went by that I didn’t listen to his music. It almost hurts to play a CD right now, but if we all keep listening and never forget-pass his beautiful music on to our kids and keep it alive. God Bless Dan and his wonderful wife Jean.
Dan Fogelberg was larger than life…always in awe of his talent.Since Nether Lands was released, I have always thought of Dan and Colorado as one. I can’t imagine one with out the other.It saddened me when he put his ranch up for sale in 2005, probably due to his illness. I feel blessed to have witness a talent that may never be seen again. He was one of us, the baby boomer generation. The most talented and brightest generations that earth has ever experienced.Thank god, He was “Part of the Plan” Always follow with a true heart, Peace.