photos: Jean FogelbergA full and moving obituary can be read in the NY Times of December 17,2007 . For that reason I thought I would spend just a few moments with some personal thoughts---not reminiscences since I never met the man. Yet he made me reflect on things and for that reason some thoughts rather than an "obit" seems appropriate.
My musical tastes are eclectic and range from Classical, Semi-classical, Light Opera, and tend to focus on what can be termed "folk". That said I have to admit my appreciation of the newer artists have to be attributed to my daughter who introduced me to the music of Dan Fogelberg and Harry Chapin and opening my ears and mind to many other artists.
My original thought was ---"another rocker". But--No---those words really made one take notice. Insights about life and well told stories to a beat might be an apt description. In fact his writing was more than that. In many ways it was--as I had said many times in regard to Harry Chapin---an entire novel done musically in a few minutes.
The song that comes to mind that has always seemed to me to be his most touching is Leader of The Band. While it was written for his father it has a wonderful metaphorical sense. The listener can relate it to one's own feelings of an older generation and, then, can relate it to one's self--as one ages. I know I do.
Artists who practice what they preach really do stand out and in the later years Dan Fogelberg's involvement with environmentalism and writing music to that end is the type of thing that makes a person meaningful and not just of the moment.
On the right there are a few videos---and Leader of The Band is one of them.
Not ever having met Dan Fogelberg is my loss---discovering him in his heyday is my gain.
1 comment:
You are right---a person with a story and a message. A low key version of Harry Chapin. Loved them both
Great shows, by the way. All of them.
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