Dan Fogelberg And Me

Dan Fogelberg (1951-2007) is primarily remembered as a soft-rock singer whose heyday was in the seventies and eighties. He was far more than that, though: he was an excellent blues guitarist, he recorded a bluegrass album, and i would call a lot of what he did “country rock” à la early Eagles. Although i knew his name, i don't think i'd ever actually heard his music until about two years ago. I have since become obsessed with the man, his music, and his life.

The first song of his i ever heard was “Part Of The Plan” (with Graham Nash on backing vocal). John Ulett played it one Sunday morning about two years ago on the KSHE Klassics program – about which i write with predictable regularity. I was immediately struck by both the catchiness of the tune, and the beauty of his voice, and i downloaded the song from iTunes and played it almost every day – and liked it more each time. The lyrics are profound, the message is sincere, and it was his first hit single (1974).

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I went to my local CD shoppe, Video+ -- just on the off chance that they might have something of his and they had a greatest hits collection which i of course snapped up, and, wow, just wow. I was hooked. So many wonderful songs.

When he died, of prostate cancer, many people wrote, in tribute, that he had written the soundtrack of their lives. I don't think that's true for me. He wrote some extraordinarily beautiful music but i'm first of all a blues-rock fan (with prog and folk-rock closely behind). (I would, for the sake of convenience, consider a lot of his music as folk-rock.) But, from beyond the grave, he speaks to me. I don't know how to explain it, but i connected.

I now have around fourteen of his albums and just ordered another one yesterday. This has caused problems. So much great music in so short a time, i am trying very hard to become familiar with all of it, but it's taking time. For instance, there will be a song i really like, but i can't remember what it is or what album it was on!

Somehow, Dan, the city of St Louis and i are interconnected. Intertwined in some way. I first heard him on a St Louis radio station. The only other radio station i can recall ever hearing him on, was a different St Louis station. His concert DVD “Greetings From The West” was recorded at the Fox Theater in St Lou.... (I don't often watch concert DVDs but i've watched this thrice now, may in fact watch it again tonight, it's superb.)

Yet, he wasn't a St Louisan – he was born in Peoria, Illinois. In fact, in the state of Illinois, his birthday, August 10, is officially “Dan Fogelberg Day.” I have a commemorative t-shirt. And one of his best songs was entitled “Illinois,” which includes the lyric “it looks like you're going to have to see me again, Illinois,” and dammit all anyway, don't i feel the same way?

One last thing. His widow, Jean, is an artist (and a very good one). On behalf of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, she designed a set of Christmas cards – very attractive ones, too. I bought a set. Sixty dollars, yikes! (The cards were $20 US, the postage was $25 US, = $60 Canadian. But what the hell, i have more money than i need and it was for a worthy cause.)

Apparently there is “new” album coming out, “Live At Carnegie Hall” (iTunes only, i think) and a biography in the works. I look forward to both.

God bless you, Dan.

KSHE Klassics Show, Oct. 2nd, 2016

Excellent show, as always, even though Mr Ulett (although, as i've met the man, it would probably be ok if i were to call him John) (or even Uman) didn't play any Rory Gallagher this week. He did play "Part Of The Plan" by Dan Fogelberg, though. It was the first song of his i ever heard (although i knew his name) and i heard it on this very program over two years ago and it was the start of my current Fogelbergmania.

Jethro Tull -- Too Old To Rock 'n' Roll, Too Young To Die
Little Feat -- Fat Man In The Bathtub
Gulliver -- Ridin' The Wind
Procol Harum -- Simple Sister
Rod Stewart -- True Blue
Lynyrd Skynyrd -- I Know A Little
Ten Years After -- I'd Love To Change The World
The Grateful Dead -- Shakedown Street
Bob Seger -- Nutbush City Limits
Todd Rundgren -- Just One Victory
The Firm -- Radioactive
The Who -- Magic Bus
Honeymoon Suite -- New Girl Now
Uriah Heep -- Lady In Black
Styx -- Father O.S.A.
Michael Stanley -- One Good Reason
The Allman Brothers Band -- Blue Sky
Prism -- Julie
The Doors -- Backdoor Man
Gerry Rafferty -- Baker Street
Nazareth -- Razamanaz
Gypsy -- Don't Get Mad (Get Even)
Survivor -- Poor Man's Son
John Mellencamp -- Small Paradise
Novo Combo -- Tattoo
Joe Walsh -- Turn To Stone
Nantucket -- Heartbreaker
R.E.O. Speedwagon -- Say You Love Me Or Say Goodnight
Chris Rea -- Working On It
Emerson, Lake & Palmer -- From The Beginning
Dan Fogelberg -- Part Of The Plan
Traffic -- Rock & Roll Stew
Dr John -- Right Place, Wrong Time
The Tubes -- Don't Touch Me There
The Band -- Up On Cripple Creek
Steve Winwood -- Don't You Know What The Night Can Do
Steve Walsh -- Every Step Of The Way
Jefferson Starship -- Stranger
Ian Gomm -- Hold On
Jimi Hendrix -- Crosstown Traffic

And my own personal playlist for the week:

Mike Oldfield -- Ommadawn
Sky -- Sky 2
Dan Fogelberg & Tim Weisberg -- Twin Sons Of Different Mothers
Judy Collins -- 3
Godley & Creme -- Freeze Frame
Godley & Creme -- Ismism
Steve Earle -- Jerusalem
Jimi Hendrix -- Blues
Hothouse Flowers -- Songs From The Rain
Roger McGuinn -- Roger McGuinn
Jack Bruce -- Silver Rails
Dan Fogelberg -- The Wild Places
Jeff Beck -- Flash
Yes -- The Ladder
Mama's Pride -- Mama's Pride
Joe Walsh -- But Seriously Folks
Jethro Tull -- Thick As A Brick
Thin Lizzy -- Live And Dangerous
Various Artists -- All Talking, All Singing, All Rockin'
Paul Simon -- You're The One
Christine Collister -- Live
Cream -- Goodbye
Warren Zevon -- Excitable Boy