Dan Fogelberg
The late Dan Fogelberg (August 13, 1951, Peoria, Illinois – December 16, 20… Read Full Bio ↴The late Dan Fogelberg (August 13, 1951, Peoria, Illinois – December 16, 2007, Deer Isle, Maine) was an American singer/songwriter who had several gold and platinum releases in the late 1970's and early 80's. During his solo career, under assistance of Eagles manager Irving Azoff, he rose to prominence and epitomized the soft rock 70s sound. He also voiced his concerns on social and ecological issues, including the No Nukes concerts, and worked in the studio with a diverse variety of musicians including Van Morrison, Joe Walsh, Tim Weisberg and Ricky Skaggs.
The youngest of three sons, Dan was born in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Margaret (née Irvine), a classically-trained pianist, and Lawrence Peter Fogelberg, a high school band director, who spent most of his career at Peoria Woodruff High School and Pekin High School. Dan Fogelberg's mother was a Scottish immigrant and his father was of Swedish descent. His father would later be the inspiration for the song Leader of the Band. Using a Mel Bay course book, Dan taught himself to play a Hawaiian slide guitar his grandfather gave to him; he also learned to play the piano. He started his music career at age 14 when he joined his first band, The Clan, which paid homage to The Beatles. His second band was another cover combo, The Coachmen, which in 1967 released two singles on Ledger Records: "Maybe Time Will Let Me Forget" and "Don't Want To Lose Her." Another was the blues band, Frankie and the Aliens, who toured regionally during the 1980s covering songs by Cream and Muddy Waters, among others.
After graduating from Woodruff High School in 1969, he studied theater arts and painting at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and began performing as a solo acoustic player in area coffeehouses including the Red Herring Coffeehouse where he made his first solo recordings as part of a folk festival recording in 1971. There, he was discovered in 1971 by Irving Azoff. Fogelberg and Azoff – who started his music-management career promoting another Champaign-Urbana act, REO Speedwagon – moved to California to seek their fortunes. Fogelberg became a session musician who played with pop-folk artists like Van Morrison. In 1972, he released his debut album Home Free to lukewarm response. His second effort was much more successful: the 1974 Joe Walsh-produced album Souvenirs and its hit song "Part of the Plan" made him a major star.
Following Souvenirs, Fogelberg released a string of gold and platinum albums, including Captured Angel (1975) and Nether Lands (1977), and found commercial success with songs like "The Power of Gold." His 1978 Twin Sons of Different Mothers was the first of two collaborations with jazz flutist Tim Weisberg. 1979's Phoenix reached the Top 10, with "Longer" becoming a #2 hit and wedding standard in winter 1980. This was followed by his Top 20 hit "Heart Hotels."
The Innocent Age, released in October 1981, was Fogelberg's critical and commercial peak. This double album song cycle included four of his biggest hits: "Leader of the Band," "Hard To Say," "Run for the Roses", and "Same Old Lang Syne," based on a real-life accidental meeting with a former girlfriend (Jill Anderson). In 1984, he rocked a little again with the album Windows And Walls.
later years:
Fogelberg released High Country Snows in 1985. Recorded in Nashville, it showcased his (and some of the industry's best) talent in the bluegrass genre. Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, Jerry Douglas, David Grisman, Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen were among those who contributed to the record. In a world defined by "life in the fast lane" Fogelberg described the music as "life in the off-ramp." 1987 heralded a return to rock with Exiles, while 1990's The Wild Places was a tribute to Earth preservation. In 1991, he released the live album Greetings from the West.
River of Souls, released in 1993, was Fogelberg's last studio album for Sony Records. In 1997, Portrait encompassed his career with four discs, each highlighting a different facet of his music: "Ballads," "Rock and Roll," "Tales and Travels" (which displayed his talents as a narrative songwriter) and "Hits." In 1999 he fulfilled a career-long dream of creating a Christmas album called First Christmas Morning, and in 2003, Full Circle showcased a return to the folk-influenced, 1970s soft rock-style of music for which he and other singer-songwriters from his era had gained popular recognition.
Fogelberg also used his music to address social issues, including peace and Native American concerns. He was particularly outspoken about his commitment to the environment and to finding alternatives to nuclear power. To that end, Fogelberg included "Face the Fire" on the Phoenix album and performed at a number of the Musicians United for Safe Energy "No Nukes" concerts in 1979 and 1980.
His live concerts won acclaim across the nation over the years. Fogelberg said one of his proudest moments came in 1979 when he played New York City's Carnegie Hall for an audience including his mother and father. Most summers, Fogelberg would perform with full band or in solo acoustic setting; the formats allowed him to show the breadth and depth of his talent as a singer, guitarist, pianist and bandleader. In 2002, fans showed their appreciation by choosing Fogelberg to be one of the first 10 inductees into the Performers Hall of Fame at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
In May 2004, Fogelberg was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He underwent therapy and achieved a partial remission, which did not eliminate his cancer but reduced it and stopped its spread. On August 13, 2005, his 54th birthday, Fogelberg announced the success of his cancer treatments and he thanked fans for their support. He said that he had no immediate plans to return to making music but was keeping his options open and enjoying spending time with his wife, musician Jean Fogelberg.
Fogelberg maintained residences in Deer Isle, Maine and at Mountain Bird Ranch, a 610-acre property near Pagosa Springs, Colorado that he bought in 1982. The ranch was put up for sale in 2005.
After battling prostate cancer for three years, Fogelberg died on December 16, 2007 at his home in Maine with his wife Jean by his side.
Soon after his death, Fogelberg's wife, Jean, announced that a song written and recorded for her by Fogelberg for Valentine's Day 2005, Sometimes a Song, would be sold on the Internet and all proceeds would go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The song was released on Valentine's Day 2008. She further announced that this song would be included in a collection of eleven previously unrecorded songs (nine originals) to be released on a CD provisionally entitled "Love In Time".
The youngest of three sons, Dan was born in Peoria, Illinois, the son of Margaret (née Irvine), a classically-trained pianist, and Lawrence Peter Fogelberg, a high school band director, who spent most of his career at Peoria Woodruff High School and Pekin High School. Dan Fogelberg's mother was a Scottish immigrant and his father was of Swedish descent. His father would later be the inspiration for the song Leader of the Band. Using a Mel Bay course book, Dan taught himself to play a Hawaiian slide guitar his grandfather gave to him; he also learned to play the piano. He started his music career at age 14 when he joined his first band, The Clan, which paid homage to The Beatles. His second band was another cover combo, The Coachmen, which in 1967 released two singles on Ledger Records: "Maybe Time Will Let Me Forget" and "Don't Want To Lose Her." Another was the blues band, Frankie and the Aliens, who toured regionally during the 1980s covering songs by Cream and Muddy Waters, among others.
After graduating from Woodruff High School in 1969, he studied theater arts and painting at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and began performing as a solo acoustic player in area coffeehouses including the Red Herring Coffeehouse where he made his first solo recordings as part of a folk festival recording in 1971. There, he was discovered in 1971 by Irving Azoff. Fogelberg and Azoff – who started his music-management career promoting another Champaign-Urbana act, REO Speedwagon – moved to California to seek their fortunes. Fogelberg became a session musician who played with pop-folk artists like Van Morrison. In 1972, he released his debut album Home Free to lukewarm response. His second effort was much more successful: the 1974 Joe Walsh-produced album Souvenirs and its hit song "Part of the Plan" made him a major star.
Following Souvenirs, Fogelberg released a string of gold and platinum albums, including Captured Angel (1975) and Nether Lands (1977), and found commercial success with songs like "The Power of Gold." His 1978 Twin Sons of Different Mothers was the first of two collaborations with jazz flutist Tim Weisberg. 1979's Phoenix reached the Top 10, with "Longer" becoming a #2 hit and wedding standard in winter 1980. This was followed by his Top 20 hit "Heart Hotels."
The Innocent Age, released in October 1981, was Fogelberg's critical and commercial peak. This double album song cycle included four of his biggest hits: "Leader of the Band," "Hard To Say," "Run for the Roses", and "Same Old Lang Syne," based on a real-life accidental meeting with a former girlfriend (Jill Anderson). In 1984, he rocked a little again with the album Windows And Walls.
later years:
Fogelberg released High Country Snows in 1985. Recorded in Nashville, it showcased his (and some of the industry's best) talent in the bluegrass genre. Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, Jerry Douglas, David Grisman, Chris Hillman and Herb Pedersen were among those who contributed to the record. In a world defined by "life in the fast lane" Fogelberg described the music as "life in the off-ramp." 1987 heralded a return to rock with Exiles, while 1990's The Wild Places was a tribute to Earth preservation. In 1991, he released the live album Greetings from the West.
River of Souls, released in 1993, was Fogelberg's last studio album for Sony Records. In 1997, Portrait encompassed his career with four discs, each highlighting a different facet of his music: "Ballads," "Rock and Roll," "Tales and Travels" (which displayed his talents as a narrative songwriter) and "Hits." In 1999 he fulfilled a career-long dream of creating a Christmas album called First Christmas Morning, and in 2003, Full Circle showcased a return to the folk-influenced, 1970s soft rock-style of music for which he and other singer-songwriters from his era had gained popular recognition.
Fogelberg also used his music to address social issues, including peace and Native American concerns. He was particularly outspoken about his commitment to the environment and to finding alternatives to nuclear power. To that end, Fogelberg included "Face the Fire" on the Phoenix album and performed at a number of the Musicians United for Safe Energy "No Nukes" concerts in 1979 and 1980.
His live concerts won acclaim across the nation over the years. Fogelberg said one of his proudest moments came in 1979 when he played New York City's Carnegie Hall for an audience including his mother and father. Most summers, Fogelberg would perform with full band or in solo acoustic setting; the formats allowed him to show the breadth and depth of his talent as a singer, guitarist, pianist and bandleader. In 2002, fans showed their appreciation by choosing Fogelberg to be one of the first 10 inductees into the Performers Hall of Fame at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
In May 2004, Fogelberg was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He underwent therapy and achieved a partial remission, which did not eliminate his cancer but reduced it and stopped its spread. On August 13, 2005, his 54th birthday, Fogelberg announced the success of his cancer treatments and he thanked fans for their support. He said that he had no immediate plans to return to making music but was keeping his options open and enjoying spending time with his wife, musician Jean Fogelberg.
Fogelberg maintained residences in Deer Isle, Maine and at Mountain Bird Ranch, a 610-acre property near Pagosa Springs, Colorado that he bought in 1982. The ranch was put up for sale in 2005.
After battling prostate cancer for three years, Fogelberg died on December 16, 2007 at his home in Maine with his wife Jean by his side.
Soon after his death, Fogelberg's wife, Jean, announced that a song written and recorded for her by Fogelberg for Valentine's Day 2005, Sometimes a Song, would be sold on the Internet and all proceeds would go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. The song was released on Valentine's Day 2008. She further announced that this song would be included in a collection of eleven previously unrecorded songs (nine originals) to be released on a CD provisionally entitled "Love In Time".
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Dan Fogelberg Lyrics
(Someone's Been) Telling You Stories So you've heard I've been flyin' And tryin' to get into Some…
04 better change I can see you in the distance And you're heading for…
09 morning sky You and I were lovers all along We had a good…
A Cry In The Forest There's a cry in the forest, it's feathered and brown And…
A Growing Time It's a growing time It's the springtime of the year It's a…
A Leader of the Band/Washington Post March An only child Alone and wild A cabinet maker's son His hands…
A Love Like This And now the lonely days are done And with each rising…
A Voice for Peace You know that everybody has a voice And how they use…
All There Is In the eyes of the world your touch is like…
Along the Road Joy at the start Fear in the journey Joy in the coming…
Anastasia's Eyes There's thorns on the cactus tree There's thorns on the rose…
Anyway I Love You Here's another little song for you Hope you'll listen to it…
As the Raven Flies I see the raven's made Her nest in your eyes She's got…
Aurora Nova I was walking alone through the loft San Juans With a hear…
Be On Your Way Be on you way Don't try to say that You love me…
Beggar's Game [Chorus] I saw her first in a beggar's game Her eyes were…
Believe in Me If I could ever say it right And reach your…
Bell Fantasy/Hark The Herald Angels Sing Hark! The herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn Kin…
Better Change I can see you in the distance And you're heading for…
Beyond The Edge Beyond the edge twenty miles a minute Shot like a bullet…
Birds Lover, There will be another one Who'll hover Over you be…
Blind to the Truth The hours grow shorter as the days go by You never…
Bones In The Sky Up through the branches The stars shine above On the arroyo…
Captured Angel Found your heart And lost your lover Lick your wounds…
Changing Horses Changing horses in the middle of a stream Gets you wet…
Christ The King Christ the King, born in a manger Christ the King is…
Comes and Goes The woman's like the night She comes and goes She breaks my…
Crow Somewhere on a lonely muddy country road I heard your…
Cry in the Forest There's a cry in the forest, it's feathered and brown And…
Dancing shoes Dancing shoes On the wall above your bedside Saw it all as…
Down The Road Down the road Down the road Got a little pretty girl, down…
Drawing Pictures Paper people in a raging fire Trying to keep the cold…
Earth Anthem And we are but an island In an ocean This is our…
Empty Cages Waiting in the wings your courage sings Before you falter I…
Ever On May the trail rise up to meet you May your heart…
Exiles Exiles running from each other We are exiles, living underco…
Face The Fire I hear the thunder three miles away The Island's leaking int…
Faces Of America There was a time, a simpler time When a man could…
False Faces Oil on canvas Couplets and stanzas to divine who you…
Forefathers Forefathers Dan Fogelberg They came from Scandinavia, the l…
Full Circle Yeah If I could change the world Like a fairy tale I would…
Ghosts Sometimes in the night I feel it Near as my…
Give me some time Slow down girl, what's the hurry Love can wait if you're…
Go Down Easy Linda lost her lover in the early part of autumn And…
Gone Too Far World spinning out of control The odds diminish every die w…
Gypsy Wind I still recall the place When I first felt your gypsy…
Hard to Say Lucky at love Well, maybe so There's still a lot of things…
Hard to Say Lucky at love Well, maybe so There's still a lot of things…
Heart Hotels Well there's too many windows in this old hotel And…
HeartHotels Well there's too many windows in this old hotel And rooms…
Hearts and Crafts Handing me a looking glass You asked me who it was…
Hearts In Decline Nothing lasts foreverI know that this is true But I never…
Hickory Grove Hickory Grove, wait for me I'm just as poor as a…
High Country Snows There's a place in the Rockies A place that I know Where…
Higher Ground Rain keeps falling, keeps falling down Like it's never going…
Holy Road Last night I dreamed I was looking down On the planet…
I Saw Three Ships I saw three ships come sailing in On Christmas Day, on…
Illinois Dusty day dawning Three hours late Open the curtains And let…
In the Bleak Midwinter In the bleak mid-winter, the frosty wind did moan The earth…
In The Passage There's a ring around the moon tonight and a chill…
Innocent Age Capture the moment Carry the day Stay with the chase As l…
It Doesn't Matter Falling and spinning Losing and winning Keeping my head Watc…
Language Of Love She says no When she means yes And what she wants You know…
Last Nail I saw you running ahead of the crowd I chased but…
Leader Of The Band An only child alone and wild, a cabinet maker's son His…
Leader Of The Band Washington Post March An only child Alone and wild A cabinet maker's son His hands…
Leader of the Band / Washington Post March An only child Alone and wild A cabinet maker's son His ha…
Leader Of The Band/Washington Post March An only child Alone and wild A cabinet maker's son His hands…
Lessons Learned You With the past at your back And the future unsure Aske…
Let Her Go A bad situation right from the start She played me for…
Lion's Share Grand slam Your moment`s at hand The day holds a costly barg…
Lion's Share The Grand slam Your moment`s at hand The day holds a costly ba…
Lonely in Love Some say that love is its own Love is its own…
Long Way She was lost And I thought I was found Even so I…
Long Way Home Running in the wrong direction Isn't it a long way home? Peo…
Longer Longer than ther've been fishes in the ocean Higher than any…
Looking For a Lady Looking for a lady I'm looking for a lady To change my…
Loose Ends Climbing a mountain In darkness Stranded alone on the ledge.…
Lost In The Sun Every night I ask myself that same old question why And…
Love gone by Try your best to see through the confusion Seems the more…
Love In Time The hours grow shorter as the days go by You never…
Love Like This And now the lonely days are done And with each rising…
Lovers In A Dangerous Time The hours grow shorter as the days go by You never…
Magic Every Moment I awoke this morning to a shattering sound And I went…
Make Love Stay Now that we love Now that the lonely nights are over How…
Minstrel There's a love in my life neither mistress or wife And…
Missing You Hard days I'm traveling alone for too long Ooh Ooh, I'm…
More Than Ever If there are any words That we haven't said Let us say…
Morning Sky You and I were lovers all along We had a good…
Mountain Pass Well, I'm runnin' down this mountain pass at midnight Those…
Nether Lands High on this mountain The clouds down below I'm feeling so s…
Next Time One too many days I've felt forgotten And one too many night…
Nexus Across the vein of night There cuts a path of searing…
Old Tennessee End of October The sleepy brown woods seem to Nod down their…
Once in Love Some say that love is its own Love is its own…
Once upon a time Every morning you wake up alone And you shake up your…
Only The Heart May Know Silent sea Tell this to me: Where are the children that we u…
Our Last Farewell Once I loved you and you loved me We believed our…
Over & Over Well I got a lover and I got a friend She…
Over 7 Over Well I got a lover and I got a friend She…
Part of the Plan I have these moments All steady and strong I'm feeling so ho…
Phoenix I have cried too I have cried too long I have cried…
Power of Gold The story is told of the power of gold And its…
Promises Made Promises made Promises broken Measures of our demise Secr…
Reach It`s Maine... And it`s Autumn The birches have just begun tu…
Rhythm of rain Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain Telling me just…
River I was born by a river Rolling past a town Given no…
River Of Souls I take my place along the shore And I wait for…
Road Beneath My Wheels Well I'm a runnin' down the highway Got the road beneath…
Run for the Roses Born in the valley And raised in the trees Of…
Rythm of the Rain Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain Telling me just…
Same Old Lang Syne Met my old lover in the grocery store The snow was…
Sand and the Foam Dawn...like an angel Lights on the step Muting the morning…
Scarecrow's dream Seldom seen A scarecrow's dream I hang in the hopes of repla…
Seeing You Again Seeing you again Was like meeting for the first time In a…
Serengeti Moon The grass is high and the work is done Send the…
Shallow Rivers Shallow rivers run between us Where a stone may never sink. …
She Don't Look Back She's got a way of getting so inside you That you…
Since You've Asked What I'll give you Since you've asked Is all my time toget…
Sketches A. Summer Late in the summer When the cottonwood dies The fi…
Soft Voice There's a soft voice That follows me Everywhere Everywh…
Someone's Been Telling You Stories So you've heard I've been flyin' And tryin' to get into Some…
Sometimes A Song Listen to me and I will try to Sing you a…
Song for a Carpenter Oh, he makes his life as a carpenter He works his…
Song from Half Mountain Now the wind is still In a moment it will be…
Song of the Sea Broken clouds along the blue horizon The sun is setting and…
Songbird Listen to the songbird, hear him singing The song he loves…
Souvenirs Here is a poem That my lady sent down Some morning while I…
Spirit Trail Up through the branches The stars shine above on the…
Stars Stood out in the rain Let it soak me down Before I…
Statesboro Blues Well, wake up, mama Turn your lamp down low I said, "Wake…
Stolen Moments Every time we speak, our words betray intentions Insincere i…
Sutter Mill In the Spring of Forty-seven, So the story, it is told, Ol…
Sutter's Mill In the Spring of Forty-seven, So the story, it is told, Old…
Sweet Magnolia Two hearts throwing off sparks Young and in love with our…
Sweet Magnolia And The Travelling Salesman Two hearts throwing off sparks Young and in love with our…
Tell Me To My Face And though you try to Justify the meaning Of the note you…
Telling You Stories So you've heard I've been flyin' And tryin' to get into Some…
The Colors Of Eve She never looks And she never listens Her heart only knows w…
The Higher You Climb The higher you climb, The more that you see. The more that…
The Innocent Age Capture the moment Carry the day Stay with the chase As long…
The Language of Love She says no When she means yes And what she wants You know…
The Last Nail I saw you running ahead of the crowd I chased but…
The Last To Know Living in a house of cards Praying the wind doesn't blow…
The Lion's Share Grand slam Your moment`s at hand The day holds a costly barg…
The Long Way She was lost And I thought I was found Even so I…
The Loving Cup So many try to capture love And so many never do So…
The Minstrel There's a love in my life neither mistress or wife And…
The Outlaw Among the possessions of an outlaw of a low class…
The Power of Gold The story is told of the power of gold And its…
The Reach It`s Maine... And it`s Autumn The birches have just begun tu…
The River I was born by a river Rolling past a town Given no…
The Sand And The Foam Dawn...like an angel Lights on the step Muting the morning s…
The Spirit Trail May the trail rise up to meet you May your heart…
The Way It Must Be Baby, how could I have been so vain To make you…
The Wild Places I was walking alone through the lofty San Juans With a…
There There's a place in the world For a gambler There's a burden…
Think Of What You've Done (Chorus) Is it true that I've lost you? Am I not the…
Times Like These Tell me a secret Tell me a lie Tell me the truth…
To the Morning Watching the sun, watching it come Watching it come up over…
Tucson Arizona Tucson, Arizona Rising in the heat like a mirage Tony keeps …
Tucson, Arizona (Gazette) Tucson, Arizona Rising in the heat Like a mirage Tony keeps…
Tullamore Dew (instrumental)…
Voice for Peace You know that everybody has a voice And how they use…
Wandering Shepherd Wandering shepherd, wander no more Wandering shepherd, wande…
We Three Kings We three kings of orient are Bearing gifts we traverse afar…
What Child Is This What child is this who laid to rest On Mary's lap…
What You're Doing Look...what you're doing Baby what in heaven are you thinki…
When You're Not Near Me When you′re not near me The time don't seem to move…
Whispers in the Wind Like a wraith she ambles aimlessly Through the mists along …
Wild Places They came from Scandinavia The land of midnight sun And cr…
Windows & Walls Up every morning long before day Cooking her breakfast alon…
Wishing On The Moon How many eyes will you sack in sorrow; Seeking to borrow…
Wysteria Wysteria, did you change your face again Those of us who…
You Better Think Twice You better think twice about leaving me behind Make up…