Soft-rock master Fogelberg dies
By By Nekesa Mumbi Moody
Associated Press

Monday, December 17, 2007

NEW YORK -- Dan Fogelberg, the singer and songwriter
whose hits "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang
Syne" helped define the soft-rock era, died Sunday at
his home in Maine after battling prostate cancer. He
was 56.

His death was announced Sunday in a statement by Anna
Loynes of the Solters & Digney public relations agency
and was also posted on the singer's Web site.

"Dan left us this morning at 6:00 a.m. He fought a
brave battle with cancer and died peacefully at home
in Maine with his wife Jean at his side," it read.
"His strength, dignity and grace in the face of the
daunting challenges of this disease were an
inspiration to all who knew him."

Fogelberg discovered he had advanced prostate cancer
in 2004. In a statement then, he thanked fans for
their support: "It is truly overwhelming and humbling
to realize how many lives my music has touched so
deeply all these years. ... I thank you from the very
depths of my heart."

Fogelberg's music was powerful in its simplicity. He
didn't rely on the volume of his voice to convey his
emotions; instead, they came through in the soft,
tender delivery and his poignant lyrics. Songs like
"Same Old Lang Syne" -- in which a man reminisces
after meeting an old girlfriend by chance during the
holidays -- became classics not only because of his
performance, but for the engaging storyline as well.

Fogelberg's heyday was in the 1970s and early '80s,
when he had several platinum and multiplatinum records
fueled by such hits as "The Power of Gold" and "Leader
of the Band," a touching tribute he wrote to his
father, a bandleader. Fogelberg put out his first
album in 1972.

Later in his career, he wrote material that focused on
the state of the environment, an issue close to his
heart. Fogelberg's last album was 2003's "Full
Circle," his first album of original material in a
decade. A year later he received his cancer diagnosis,
forcing him to forgo a planned fall tour.

Serious songs, 'kind of happy' artist

Dan Fogelberg's songs tended to have a weighty tone,
reflecting on emotional issues in a serious way. But
in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in
1997, he said it did not represent his personality.

"That came from my singles in the early '80s," he
said. "I think it probably really started on the
radio. I'm not a dour person in the least. I'm
actually kind of a happy person. Music doesn't really
reflect the whole person.

"One of my dearest friends is Jimmy Buffett. From his
music, people have this perception that he's up all
the time, and, of course, he's not. Jimmy has a
serious side, too."

-- Associated Press

© 2007 Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers


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