I wrote a piece about Dan after he died that you might enjoy. I share your feelings about his music, but as a confused teenage girl, there was so much more that he represented to me.

Have a look.

http://beastgrrl.blogspot.com/2008/01/few-words-about-dan-fogelberg.html

Linda, while “image” would have worked fine I chose the word “mirage” quiet deliberately as it described the images that Dan’s music forges in my mind. Crystal clear mental images that you can experience yet are not really there. Mirages in other word(s).

I agree with you about Dan. He was wonderful. I too think that some of his best was never played on the radio. With all due respect, you wrote “Dan was a rare songwriter who could conjure up a mirage through his music that listeners can experience deeply”. Did you mean he could conjure up an image rather than mirage? I think he painted vivid pictures with his music an lyrics that listeners could imagine. A mirage is something that doesn’t exist…anyway nice post about Dan.

James,

I didn’t know he had died, either. IMHO, most of Dan Fogelberg’s best stuff never hit the top 40 radio market. You have to go hunting for it, but it’s worth finding. The older albums touch me most. “Daybreak” still goes through my head on those tough to get going days, because as he says, “There is really no way to say no to the morning.”

I agree, james…such a shame to lose him at such a young age…

I’m going to date myself now, but the first album I got for what then my girlfriend and now my wife, was Dan’s album (yes, one of those big round black things with a hole in the middle…) ‘Phoenix’ I think it’s called….must of been around ‘79….

I didn’t realize he died. James Taylor had a more profound impact on me personally, but Fogelberg wrote some amazing songs. In fact, I’m reminded by your post that I performed “Along the Road” at by high school commencement. Such a great song, and my first real public singing gig.