dan folgelberg

[desdemona]

I think dan folgelberg is a very underrated artist, brilliant musician and poet. His hit "leader of the band" was written about his father who was a high school music teacher. Below is a small biography, I'll try and follow up with more info.

by Steve Huey

Peoria, IL, native Dan Fogelberg has built a devoted following over the years with his laid-back, folky singer/songwriter style. A pianist since 14, Fogelberg switched to guitar and played local coffeehouses while majoring in art at the University of Illinois, where he met ex-student and REO Speedwagon manager Irving Azoff. Fogelberg relocated to Los Angeles and played the folk circuit while doing session work, landing a tour spot with Van Morrison at one point. Fogelberg's 1972 debut, Home Free, didn't make much of an impact, and he was dropped from Columbia. However, Fogelberg's connection with Azoff led to a deal with Epic. Fogelberg's Epic debut, Souvenirs, became his first in a string of seven consecutive platinum albums. He increased his visibility by touring with the Eagles in 1975. Fogelberg's popularity peaked in 1980 with the release of Phoenix, which contained the number two hit single "Longer." His follow-up, The Innocent Age, was a double concept album, and four Top 20 singles were pulled from it. Following the release of a greatest-hits package, Fogelberg's commercial appeal began to evaporate; none of his subsequent albums have gone platinum, but continue to sell well to a core of fans. 1993's River of Souls saw Fogelberg experimenting with worldbeat sounds as a backdrop for his lyrical musings. No Resemblance Whatsoever, a collaboration with Tim Weisberg, followed in 1995, and four years later Fogelberg returned with First Christmas Morning. Live: Something Old New Borrowed and Some Blues appeared in mid-2000.

[Kooperman]

I've always liked Fogelberg pretty well, but he's much more popular with women than with men, due to the nature of his songs. I had his album, Home Free, when it first came out and I played it at parties we used to have at my fraternity house. The sorority girls loved it....that album got me invited to a lot of sorority parties, as long as the record came with me.

On another note, I saw Fogelberg live at a concert in Jackson, Mississippi around 1974 I think. He was doing back to back shows that day and we saw the first show, in which he did OK other than some hoarseness. On the encore song he blew his voice out....and all the people waiting outside in a long line for the second show were sent home very disgruntled.

[Redneck4sure]

I know what you mean Koop. The women liked him better. I think I am driving that car in desdemona's picture above. It is in a little worse shape now but it has gotten older. :(

[Kooperman]

Not long after this thread was posted, Dan Fogelberg, in a routine pre-concert physical exam, was found to have cancer in a fairly advanced state. I remember reading that he was going into a treatment program that used experimental techniques, but I haven't heard anything else since then. I guess that in this case no news is good news...

[Kooperman]

here's the story:

http://noted.blogs.com/westcoastmusic/2004...ogelberg_w.html

[Kooperman]

Here's an update from August, 2005:

http://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/4864003/detail.html

[Jim Colyer]

I had a friend who was crazy about Fogelberg. It seems like a long time ago.