Dan Fogelberg’s songs are exceptional tunes that began to reign in the early 80s. Even though the rock star began to hit the stage in the 70s, he experienced a major breakthrough in his career with the release of The Innocent age, a 1981 album that splashed with intriguing melodies that glued the ears of esteemed lovers of pop, rock, and folk music, and of course the turntables of DJs. The album pushed him to his ‘critical commercial peak’ and won him several awards.
Who is Daniel Grayling Fogelberg?
Daniel Grayling Fogelberg is an American 20th-century music artist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and composer. He was born on the 13th of August 1951 in Peoria Illinois, U.S.A, and died on the 16th of December 2007 having lived over 5 decades.
The American-born was the youngest of three sons born to his parents. He attended Woodruff High school in 1969 and later proceeded to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he studied theatre arts and painting.
How Fogelberg Began his Musical Career
The rock star began his professional music career as a solo acoustic player, performing in Cafes until he was discovered by Irving Azoff who became his manager. Azoff later sent Dan to Nashville in order to build his talents in music. He became a session musician there and was able to record his first album Home Free in 1972.
The Notable Works That Brought him to Spotlight
1. High Country Snows (Album)
- Released: 1985
- Recorded: 1985
- Genre: Country, Country rock, and bluegrass
- Label: Full moon/Epic
- Producer(s): Dan Fogelberg, Marty Lewis
- Writer(s): Dan Fogelberg
This is the ninth album released by Dan. 2 out of the 11 tracks in the album made it to the U.S singles Billboard. The songs include Down The Road and Go Down Easy at No. 6. The album itself faired very well on the U.S Album Billboard category with its highest peak at No. 23. High Country was given a 4-star rating by Allmusic; An American online Database that has over 3 million album entries cataloged.
2. Same Old Lang Syne
- Released: 1980
- Recorded: 1980
- Genre: Soft Rock
- Label: Full moon
- Producer(s): Dan Fogelberg, Marty Lewis
- Writer(s): Dan Fogelberg
This song is an autobiographical narrative ballad that Daniel told of an erstwhile romantic desire in a grocery store during a Christmas eve. The song was able to peak at No.9 on the billboard top 100 chart and is still listened to during the Christmas holidays.
Lyrics: Met my old lover in the grocery store
The snow was falling Christmas Eve
I stole behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve
3. Souvenirs
- Released: 1974
- Genre: Soft Rock, folk-rock
- Label: Full moon/Epic
- Producer(s): Joe Walsh
- Writer(s): Dan Fogelberg
Souvenirs is the second solo studio album of Fogelberg. The album was able to peak at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 in 1974 and was later certified with double platinum by the RIAA. The Album further received a 3-star professional rating by All Music
4. Make Love Stay
Make love stay was a popular single released by Dan in 1983 as inspired by a book written by Tom Robbins. The song peaked at No. 29 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart in the same year. The song also peaked No. 1 on the Canadian RPM Adult contemporary and U.S billboard contemporary.
- Released: 1983
- Recorded: 1982
- Genre: Pop, adult contemporary
- Label: Full moon records
- Producer(s): Dan Fogelberg, Marty Lewis
- Writer(s): Dan Fogelberg
Lyrics: Now that we love
Now that the lonely nights are over
How do we make love stay?
Now that we know
The fire can burn bright or merely smolder
How do we keep it from dying away?…
SEE ALSO: Gina Gleason- 7 Intriguing Facts About The Guitarist
5. Run For The Roses
In this song, Dan describes the experience of horse racing and life as being synonymous. The song was deeply loved and adopted by Kentucky Derby Festival, a horse race held annually in Louisville, U.S.A. The song peaked many charts with its highest being at No.1 in the Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks.
- Released: 1981
- Recorded: 1981
- Genre: Soft Rock
- Label: Full moon records
- Producer(s): Dan Fogelberg, Marty Lewis
- Writer(s): Dan Fogelberg
Lyrics: Born in the valley
And raised in the trees
Of western Kentucky
On wobbly knees
With mama beside you
To help you along…
7 Quick facts about Dan Fogelberg that will interest you
1. Fogelber is From a Family of Musicians
Coincidence is nothing close to the exceptional musical talents of Daniel Fogelberg. His mother Margaret (nee Irvine) is a classical seasoned pianist while his father Lawrence Peter Fogelberg was also an established musician. He was the band director at Woodruff High School in Peoria, Pikin Community High school, and Bradley University in Peoria. The involvement of his parents in music greatly influenced his career path.
2. He Taught Himself How to Play the Hawaiin Guitar
The rock star is known to be excellent on the guitar even though he plays many other instruments. At the age of 12, his grandfather gifted him an old Hawaiin slide guitar. Dan used a Mel Bay course book to teach himself the instrument till he became a pro.
3. Daniel Was Married Three Times
The rock star had a pretty unstable romantic life across three women he married at different intervals in his lifetime. He first got married to Maggie Slaymaker from 1982 to 1985. He later got involved with Anastasia Savage from 1991 to 1996 and finally to Jean Marie Mayer from 2002 till his demise in 2007.
4. He died as a Result of Prostate Cancer
Dan was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2004. He was able to manage the condition till 2007 when the unfortunate condition caused him to sleep in his home, Deer Isle, Maine at the age of 56
5. Dan Was Conducting his School’s Band at the Age of 4
Dan’s involvement in music began when he was just 4 years old. His Dad used to permit him to conduct the Bradley university school band. At 14, he joined a band called The Clan and later became part of another cover band called The Coachmen.
Dan continued to hone his musical skills by learning several instruments and writing songs for his band till he graduated from high school in 1969.
6. A Street Was Named in Honor of Daniel Fogelberg in Peoria
In an effort to immortalize Dan, ‘Fogelberg Parkway’ was renamed after him in Peoria. the street was previously known as Abington Street located in the City’s East Bluff neighborhood. The street cuts across Woodruff High school, Dan’s alma mater, and the same institution where his father was a music teacher and bandleader for several years.
7. He Was Inducted Into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame
The legacy of the star was able to earn him a place in the Colorado Music Hall Of Fame during the Rocky Mountain Way induction concert. The Colorado music hall of fame is a museum located in the trending post at red rocks Amphitheatre
