The Leader of the Band has Died

[EarlJam]

Dan Fogelberg, age 56, cancer.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7148268.stm

-EarlJam

[EarlJam]

I apologize for my lame headline for this post. The important thing here is the death of one of music's greats - Dan Fogelberg.

But my headline? Lame. Just lame. Most newspapers will probably use that line. It's just too obvious. Too easy.

Of course, like I said, the important thing here is the death of a folk and pop music legand - Dan Fogelberg.

But I really do regret and apologize for the lameness of my headline. Besides, Dan F. was NOT the leader of the band, his father was. So technically, the headline is wrong.

-EarlJam

[Lavabe]

Wow, that WAS lame. :eek: Are you okay, EarlJam?

Another icon of the late 70's/early 80's gone. I don't know. First Ben Orr, then Robert Palmer, and now Dan Fogelberg. Who's next?:(

Lavabe

[EarlJam]

Wow, that WAS lame. :eek: Are you okay, EarlJam?

Another icon of the late 70's/early 80's gone. I don't know. First Ben Orr, then Robert Palmer, and now Dan Fogelberg. Who's next?:(

Lavabe

Don't forget:

-The lead singer of Quiet Riot

-Pavorati (sp)

Weren't there a handful of other well-known musicians to die this year?

-EJ

[JasonEvans]

Don't forget:

-The lead singer of Quiet Riot

-Pavorati (sp)

Weren't there a handful of other well-known musicians to die this year?

-EJ

Ike Turner
Robert Goulet
Porter Wagoner
Beverly Sills
Mirstislav Rostropovich (sp?)
Bobby "Boris" Pickett
Don Ho
Denny "Papa" Doherty

--Jason "some real legends lost" Evans

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Dan Fogelberg, age 56, cancer.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7148268.stm

-EarlJam

"Your Heart Will Lead You Home" has spoken volumes to our family for a number of years. Helped us through some tough times. Gosh, I'm sad over this one.

Bless his heart.
Love, Ima
PS Quit kicking yourself over your title, Earl. Thanks to it, I opened the thread because I suspected what it was about.

[Lavabe]

Ike Turner
Robert Goulet
Porter Wagoner
Beverly Sills
Mirstislav Rostropovich (sp?)
Bobby "Boris" Pickett
Don Ho
Denny "Papa" Doherty

--Jason "some real legends lost" Evans

"I understand about indecision
But I dont care if I get behind
People livin in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind."

Brad Delp, the voice of Boston.

Wow.

Lavabe

[EarlJam]

"I understand about indecision
But I dont care if I get behind
People livin in competition
All I want is to have my peace of mind."

Brad Delp, the voice of Boston.

Wow.

Lavabe

Was Delp THIS year? Wow, can't believe I missed that one. I LOVED Boston.

I woke up this morning, and the sun was gone....

-EarlJam

[Lavabe]

Was Delp THIS year? Wow, can't believe I missed that one. I LOVED Boston.

I woke up this morning, and the sun was gone....

-EarlJam

March 9, 2007: suicide. Still makes me shake my head in disbelief.

Lavabe

[EarlJam]

March 9, 2007: suicide. Still makes me shake my head in disbelief.

Lavabe

He had unbelievable vocal range. Didn't he start a group at one time called RTZ? The music wasn't that great but a couple songs were good and showed ridiculous range.

I saw Boston play in the Dean Dome in '88? for the Third Stage tour. It was awesome.

Won't you take me home tonight;
Lavabe, it's all right!

-Earl "Smokin'" Jam

[dkbaseball]

Back to Fogelberg: He figured in one of my car radio coincidences. Was driving past a Mormon church and began to think about the Mormon doctrines of pre-earthly spirit existence and marriage for eternity. Seconds later his song Longer -- which seems to give narrative voice to those doctrines --came on the radio.

The guy could pen a lyric. Somebody who has clue one about music during the last couple of decades can correct me if I'm wrong -- please, please do -- but I'm categorizing Fogelberg as one of our last literate and thoughtful songwriters. The outer intellectual range today seems to extend no further than adolescent angst and alienation. Again, please tell me otherwise.

This one kind of hits home. Fogelberg was the same age, and often spoke to my narcissistic baby boomer concerns. In issuing such strenuous warnings the last three years to get checked for prostate cancer after age 50, he's causing me to revisit a decision I made several years ago to opt out of the medical system's testing regime -- principally for prostate and colon cancer, for men. My first rule of health care has been to stay away from doctors unless absolutely necessary. I put a lot of stock in the view of a doctor friend, very skeptical of the system, who believes it more likely that you would get a false positive on a PSA test and then suffer ill consequences from a biopsy than that full-blown prostate cancer would overtake you before announcing itself much earlier with symptoms.

[Johnboy]

The guy could pen a lyric. Somebody who has clue one about music during the last couple of decades can correct me if I'm wrong -- please, please do -- but I'm categorizing Fogelberg as one of our last literate and thoughtful songwriters. The outer intellectual range today seems to extend no further than adolescent angst and alienation. Again, please tell me otherwise.


I haven't listened to Dan Fogelberg for many years, but I once knew whole albums of his by heart. RIP, Dan Fogelberg.

It probably belongs on a new thread, but I think there are lots of talented songwriters out there. Don't forget, there are still lots of songwriters still kicking from the 60's and 70's: Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello come to mind immediately. But there are lots of younger lyricists out there who go beyond rebellion, angst and alienation: Aimee Mann, David Byrne, Bono, Neil Peart, Lyle Lovett, Sufjan Stevens, whoever writes for They Might be Giants, Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy . . .

Oooh! Here's (http://mouthfulsfood.com/forums//index.php?showtopic=9490&st=0&p=703828&#entry703828) a fun list and discussion of the 100 best living songwriters. How many are great lyricists? Eye of the beholder.

Edit: I didn't even know there was one of these: Songwriters Hall of Fame (http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/inductees_by_era.asp)

[Mal]

dk, let me just echo johnboy in saying "otherwise." All is not lost. The good stuff's just not terribly accessible without a good bit of effort. If you want literate, intelligent lyrics, look no further than James Mercer or Sufjan Stevens.

[rsvman]

There are still a lot of great songwriters, but most of them don't get any airtime. Heck, I played bass with a songwriter in Nashville that never even recorded a demo and his music was outstanding. I have never met a better lyricist, either.

Tom Waits is a modern poet with a musical bent, IMO. I like Rocky Volotalo. There are really quite a few wonderful talents out there, but it's hard for them to find an audience, in many cases.

RIP, Dan Fogelberg. I really liked this guy's music back in the day.

[willywoody]

earljam, i thought robbie robertson had died with that thread title.

[mpj96]

earljam, i thought robbie robertson had died with that thread title.

Me too.

A bit on the southern side, the list of great still living lyricists is probably not complete without including John Prine, David Allen Coe and Guy Clark. There is also a Mr. Young who can be quite deft with a lyric when he has the inkling, speaking of which I've got a new album to go listen to...

Beck can also turn a phrase. i know that there are many many I am leaving out.

[rasputin]

I agree about John Prine. I think he's unparalleled.