At 6:00 a.m. Sunday morning, singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg passed away peacefully at his home in Maine. He fought a three year battle with prostate cancer that was already advanced when diagnosed in 2004. He was 56 years old.
He will of course always be remembered for the music he left behind. The hits like "Longer," "Same Old Lang Syne" and "Leader Of The Band" will come to mind for most people, but I myself more strongly identify with those good-to-great albums he put out in the seventies, from Souvenirs to Twin Sons Of Different Mothers (with Tim Weisberg). He didn't quite reach the level of popularity or acclaim of Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Eagles or James Taylor, but he had his moments back then where he was every bit as good as those guys.
Just the day before yesterday I was realizing how some 30 years ago, his Captured Angel tricked me into liking country music without my knowing about it. His tasteful melodies, heartfelt lyrics and rigorous attention to detail in the musicianship made it all irrelevant.
But in the last years of his life, Fogelberg wanted to get something out to the public more important than music: the message for all men middle aged and up to get properly tested for prostate cancer:
I cannot encourage you strongly enough to get a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) and a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test EVERY YEAR.For more details, check the official Dan Fogelberg website.The medical community suggests this for men over 50, but men with a family history of prostate cancer should start getting tested at age 40.
The PSA test is a simple blood test...it only takes a minute or two. The DRE, okay, every man squirms at the thought of this exam, but hey, it too takes only a minute or two, and IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.
Prostate cancer can be very slow growing or very aggressive, but detected early while it is still confined to the prostate gland, it can usually be treated and cured successfully.
Once it spreads beyond the prostate it is called Advanced Prostate Cancer (PCa). At this point it becomes imminently more life threatening and harder to treat. Do yourself and your loved ones a huge favor and GET CHECKED REGULARLY. I promise you, you DON’T want to go through what I’m going through if you can avoid it.
Education and awareness are key, I urge you to follow the link below to the Prostate Cancer Foundation web site and read up on how best to protect yourself and reduce your likelihood of contracting this terrible disease.
May you be in a better place now, Dan. And thanks for giving us some great songs.
Article comments
1 - RJ Elliott
Great article. "Same Old Lang Syne" has long been one of my all-time favorite songs, especially around this time of year.
RIP Dan. :-(
2 - Glen Boyd
That double album of his "The Innocent Age" was a major guilty pleasure of mine in the eighties. I'm still just a sucker for the romantic stuff...
-Glen
3 - Bob Sheidler
As a prostate cancer survivor myself (and also a long time fan of Dan's music) I really want to empahsize what Dan says about the importance of all men getting a PSA test yearly -- I strongly recommend starting at age 40. In my own case I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at age 48, with no prostate enlargement or other symptoms. As it was I was given less than 50% 5 year survival odds -- that was nearly 10 years ago and so far so good.
4 - Jet in Columbus
In the age of hip-hop and rap, I yearn back to an age when someone actually sang a song to music... instead of reciting bad poetry to the same 6 bass notes over and over adnausium.
Dan was one of the artists that I'd reach back to use as an example of that.
I'll miss him too.
5 - NR Davis
talk about the bleak pre-winter...
dan fogelberg was my favorite artist of all time... has been since i discovered him in a record store in 1972
long live his music and his love...
cancer sucks! get tested, gentlemen. please!
6 - Donald Gibson
Yesterday was my birthday. When I read the news, I felt incredibly sad for him, his family, and those who appreciate his music.
There's a time and a place for all styles of music, and Fogelberg's music definitely has a place in my life.
- Donald
7 - Pico
As a prostate cancer survivor myself (and also a long time fan of Dan's music) I really want to empahsize what Dan says about the importance of all men getting a PSA test yearly -- I strongly recommend starting at age 40. In my own case I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at age 48, with no prostate enlargement or other symptoms. As it was I was given less than 50% 5 year survival odds -- that was nearly 10 years ago and so far so good.
Bob, thanks very much for passing this along. One of the people who needs to read this is yours truly. I'm 43 and my own father just recently successfully beat prostate cancer, but his was caught plenty early enough and treated with just a radiation seed. I'd much rather go through what my Dad did in his early seventies than what Fogelberg (and you, I'm assuming) had to endure in his mid fifties.
I'm glad that you are doing well, now. Keep fighting the good fight and thanks again for spreading Mr. Fogelberg's message.
8 - Michael J. West
A sad day. Dan was a guilty pleasure on a number of songs and a few albums.
9 - sulizano
Anyone who knows his music only from his radio cuts is missing out on his best stuff. Which is true of too many 'real' talents.
I played "Netherlands" for my senior college recital -- an amazing piece of poetry.
Suli
10 - RJ Elliott
#4:
Well said, Jet.