R.I.P. Dan Fogelberg
The following message was posted on Dan Fogelberg’s website today:
Sunday, December 16
Dear friends,
Dan left us this morning at 6:00am . He fought a brave battle with cancer and died peacefully at home in Maine with his wife Jean at his side. His strength, dignity and grace in the face of the daunting challenges of this disease were an inspiration to all who knew him.
I’m so sad about this - I didn’t even know he was battling prostate cancer. He was only 56. I hope he is resting in peace. For now, you can listen to his beautiful song “Longer” below.
27 babblicious comments:
Oh, dear. I’m a long time fan. I had forgotten that he had cancer. I love that pic of him you posted. R.I.P. Dan.
There is so much sadness in the passing of Dan Fogelberg and yet, so much left in the words and music he gave to us. If I can be so bold as to suggest listening to “Homefree” - the lp that chronicled a young and yet to break through singer’s relationship with a woman he called Wysteria. This album was about their romance and the next one was about their break up. It’s all there.
Oh my. It is going to be tough to tell my wife. We played ‘Longer’ at our wedding.
I’m not listening to any music on New Years Eve either.
I hadn’t heard he was sick, either. Sorry to see him gone so young. His songs, Nether Lands, holds a special place on my iPod, and has from Day One. The vocals are a bit strained, but the melody and orchestration are as beautiful as anything I’ve ever heard in my life…and I’m not easily impressed. If you’ve never heard it, do yourself a favor (best option I could find): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTCHj8qhcjY (pops…and I’d recommend you click it, then just kick back, close your eyes and listen)
Well, as one of the beloved entertainment figures the outcry will be great and the media will cover the story well while the mere commoners who die today will be ignored except for kith and kin.
“May the trail rise up to meet you. May your heart rejoice in song. May the skies be fair above you as you journey ever on….”
His music has been such a big part of my life. I always thought he would live forever and I guess in a sense he will. Rest In Peace, Dan. @–>–
Dan’s music was such an important part of my life in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Netherlands in particular was “our” album as I romanced my wife during college. Celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary next week, we are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of one the great folk songwriter/singers of our time. God bless and god speed Dan…
I don’t know why, really, but I am incredibly saddened by his passing. I have incredibly rich memories of life lived with his music in the background…but then this is true of many musicians who have died. But something in me has shifted today and I feel the weight of grief.
Anonymous: Well, as one of the beloved entertainment figures the outcry will be great and the media will cover the story well while the mere commoners who die today will be ignored except for kith and kin.
And what acclamation have you earned?
How many millions of people have you made happy?
What good have you done for anyone but kith and kin?
Nobody descended from heaven and anointed Dan Fogelberg a “beloved entertainer”; he earned that. He reached out and touched the world. Of course more people are going to care about him than are going to care about someone who they never heard of, and who never did a thing for them, not even sang them a song.
I grew up listening to him in the late 70′ and I will forever miss him.
S.A.
Brooklyn, NY
Again, his music trancended many bounderies, and I am sad as well. RIP Dan, and let heaven sing to you…take a rest and we will see you someday.
Scott Lewis
Florida
His music touched so many hearts. I’m shedding many tears today for a man I never knew but one who made me feel love through his music. He was a truly elegant storyteller who will be missed.
How very, very sad it is to learn of the passing of this great musician, poet,artist, and indeed, as yet, unmet friend to us all.
I loved Dan’s music and all that it evoked: Beauty, peace, trust and love.
Something about the loss of such a talent takes more than a bit of me with him; I’ll never feel as “young” or as “safe” as I once did listening to his music.
There are so many stellar moments filled with memories that feature his music as the soundtrack.
We’re better human beings for having heard his songs and having been moved by his stellar performances.
RIP to a trus talent, a gifted minstrel and a warm being from whom we could all learn something.
“Safe home, Dan”…….
Young musicians with prostate cancer, like my friend, like Frank Zappa, Quincy Jones, Phil Lesh … Scary.
The Leader of the Band has died. Prostate cancer took this young 56 year old singer/songwriter. It has been said that had it been caught earlier, Dan might have survived. As a prostate cancer survivor I was diagnosed at age 47 (quite by accident). Fogelberg’s diagnosis happened when he was 52 and by then it was in advanced stages. As a professional speaker ( http://www.chuckgallagher.com ) I have the opportunity to speak to groups nation wide. While my presentations don’t center around this disease, I use every opportunity available to encourage men to get checked early and often. A simple blood test done soon enough could mean the difference between life and death.
Love when you can
Cry when you have to
Be who you must
It’s a Part Of The Plan
Await your arrival with simple survival
And one day we’ll all understand
R.I.P. Dan
Mike
Dan will be greatly missed. What a great voice and a good person. I had many memories of him and may he rest in peace.
Hi, I’m Dr BLT, and I’m a huge Dan Fogelberg fan. Thanks for covering the news about his death.
Feel free to post the following tribute:
When I heard about his death, I wrote this tribute for him called It’ll Never be the same Auld Lang Syne.
I posted it as a free mp3 at:
http://www.drblt.net
The corresponding blog can be found here:
http://www.bakotopia.com/home/Blog/drblt
and here are the lyrics:
It’ll Never be the same Auld Lang Syne
words and music by Dr BLT Copyright ©
Frosty Rock Records
the paper said that you were dead
that you had slipped away
and the snow that fell upon the pages
soon “turned into rain”
chorus:
and I realized
it would never be the Same Auld Lang Syne
and I realized
that every year
you’ll be missed
and Christmastime
December 19th
just a day
before my Starbucks show
I heard the news
and wrote this song
about the songs you sewed
your tender songs
were sewn into our hearts
and in our souls
and Auld Lang Syne
won’t be the same
without your rock n roll
and I realized
it would never be the Same Auld Lang Syne
and I realized
that every year
you’ll be missed
and Christmastime
time slips away
and so did you
you slipped away too soon
and every year at Christmastime
we’ll sing your Christmas tune
and I realized
it would never be the Same Auld Lang Syne
and I realized
that every year
you’ll be missed
and Christmastime
Dan, You shared your gift and touched millions of people well beyond the prose and verse you crafted.You fulfilled God’s plan for your life so he spared you from the aches and pains of old age. Your reverence for life showed in your work and left us with many examples of your beliefs
and family values.Go seek your reward my friend.
-Your friend from the crowd
From an Australian Fan.
I’m along time fan of Dan’s and his beautiful voice and music.
I have just heard of Dan’s death and im devestated.His music was such an important part of my youth.Many happy memories come to mind.
I selected some of his songs to be played during my wedding service.I admired Dan so much I named my son after him.That was 23yrs. ago.
“Tears are welling in my eyes”.
Words can’t really exsres how I feel.Other than to say the world has lost such a gentle,wonderful and talented soul.
Rest in peace sweet Dan.
I am still so sad that we have lost him and we will never hear anything new from Dan Fogelberg.
Whatever happened to his ex wife Anastasia who he wrote “Anastasia’s Eyes” about.
Who was he referring to in his lyrics “Tell me to my Face?”
I just had to leave a comment in reference to “Stuntbrains” comment.
Dan Fogelberg never dated anyone with the Name Wysteria. Don’t know where you got that one but it just isn’t so.
Dan was in a “Head Shop” one day and saw a scented candle there. The scent was “Wysteria”. He liked the name and wrote a song about it. It truly has nothing to do with a girlfriend.
I am a long, long time fan. I am also a musician. I would love to know if anyone has any info concerning planned activities for Aug. 13, 2008. I can think of no better way to spend that day than to play with other musicians/fans as many Fogelberg tunes as we can. Please contact me at donn.ross@kroger.com. I don’t care how far I have to go to get there. And if there is nothing in the works, maybe we can organize something. He was the best.
There’s an old Eagles song called “My Man” expressing what I think many people ar feeling about Dan:
“I once knew a man, very talented guy
He’s sing for the people and people would cry
They knew that his song came from deep down inside
You could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes
And so he traveled along, touch your heart, then be gone
Like a flower, he bloomed till that old hickory wind
Called him home
My man’s got it made
He’s gone far beyond the pain”
Farewell Dan
Dear Dan,
my english is very bad, but your music is very good for me and my wife.Thank you very much.
Setkal jsem se s Tvoji hudbou nekdy v roce 1983 v byvalem Ceskoslovensku a okamzite jsem si ji zamiloval.Album Windows And Walls poslouchame s manzelkou dodnes a skladba Tucson,Arizona je takovou nasi malou hymnou.Dekujeme a odpocivej v pokoji.
R.I.P Jaro and wife Viera
If you loved Dan’s music, and know sadness over his early departure from us, please light a candle for him at http://www.gratefulness.org” (http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=DanF ). Thank you.
On December 12th, 2008. FM Odyssey released a 2 CD interview retrospective with Dan Fogelberg.
It features my conversation with Dan about some of my favorite Dan songs, his stories of writing them and the funny things that happened because of them.
There are 11 full length songs interspersed throughout the 2 CD’s.
Dan’s wife provided us with the cover photos and Dan’s web master did the design of the package.
3 dollars of each CD sale goes to the prostate cancer foundation in Dan’s name.
Check it out at http://www.fmodyssey.com
And please get the word out,
Fred