Sunday, December 16, 2007

Daniel Grayling Fogelberg, 8/13/1951 - 12/16/2007

As I may have mentioned once or twice on my blog before Dan Fogelberg is my absolute all time favorite musician. Unfortunately, his time on earth was too short, dying this morning at only 56 from prostate cancer. When I read of his passing, I cried copious tears. I am probably not finished crying. Although I've never met him personally somehow I just felt I knew him. Maybe that's because he also grew up in central Illinois. Maybe it's because he also attended the University of Illinois. Maybe it's because we were both raised by music director parents. Maybe it was just because I was in awe of his musical talents, both in performing and composing. Whatever it was, Dan touched me deeply in ways no other musician ever has. I will miss you Dan, and I will always wonder what songs you still had inside you yet to be written when you left us.


Dan Fogelberg in 1975


Dan Fogelberg with his wife Jean in 2003



You want more information on him, visit his official website.

I close this post with the lyrics of one of his songs, not his best known, but it speaks to me right now.


Along The Road

Joy at the start
Fear in the journey
Joy in the coming home
A part of the heart gets lost in the learning
Somewhere along the road
Along the road your path may wander
A pilgrim's faith may fail
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Darkness obscures the trail
Cursing the quest
Courting disaster
Measureless nights forbode
Moments of rest
Glimpses of laughter
Are treasured along the road
Along the road your steps may stumble
Your thoughts may start to stray
But through it all a heart held humble
Levels and lights your way
Joy at the start
Fear in the journey
Joy in the coming home
A part of the heart gets lost in the learning
Somewhere along the road
Somewhere along the road
Somewhere along the road

4 comments:

Val said...

Wow, I told Z yesterday when I heard of DF's death on the radio: "Your father's going to be sad, he LOVED Dan Folgerberg!"
I'm sad too (hell, 56 is getting closer every damn minute!) but I'll be sadder when say, Sting dies...

Bunny said...

We heard this news on NPR last night in the car. My husband and were both stunned and sad. His music means a lot to both of us. It seems like no one actually dies of prostate cancer. They seem to be diagnosed, get treated, and move on. Guess this proves that wrong, huh?

Trueself said...

Val - Interesting isn't it how 56 sounds younger every year. It is, without doubt, far too young to die.

Bunny - From what I read back when he was diagnosed in 2004 it was already pretty well advanced. Perhaps he was one of those I-don't-like-to-go-to-the-doctor types. Like many cancers, I think it is highly treatable in it's early stages but much more difficult if not caught until later.

Val said...

FYI: the younger the patient, typically the more aggressive form of cancer...
[Old men who get prostate cancer typically DO die of something else!]
My godfather was recently diagnosed, but fortunately still seems to be confined to the prostate gland. With his bad heart, they will just be doing local radiation treatments...