Smile Politely. Speak Directly. A Champaign-Urbana Culture Blog

We are saddened to report the death of musician Dan Fogelberg, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 56, after battling prostate cancer for three years. Born in Peoria in 1951, he eventually enrolled at the University of Illinois to study theater and art. Shortly thereafter, he began playing at The Red Herring, of which he said, “I started meeting like-minded people, musicians who were bright and well read…The Red Herring went from being a hide-out for pinko leftists who were plotting the overthrow of the government to a really creative musical scene. And it started packing people in.” Eventually, Fogelberg was "discovered" by Irving Azoff, who ran a local booking agency and had recently landed local artists REO Speedwagon a record deal with Epic.

Fogelberg went on to travel the country and record twenty-two albums, including the popular songs “The Power of Gold” and “Leader of the Band,” a thankful tribute to his father for allowing him to drop out of school in order to follow his dreams. His song “Looking for a Lady” was included on the Record Service 20th Birthday compilation (1989). When he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004, Fogelberg posted an open letter to his fans on his website: “It is truly overwhelming and humbling to realize how many lives my music has touched so deeply all these years.” He died at his home in Maine.

Condolences can be left at The Living Legacy.

Quotes from The Official Dan Fogelberg Website
Photo courtesy of The Fogelberg Page