RECOLLECTIONS
OF A
FOGELBERG FAN

The Innocent Age (1981)

Fogelberg fans everywhere were ripe with anticipation for this one and were not disappointed. It had been almost two years since the release of Phoenix, and "Same Old Lang Syne" had been available as a single (with the B-side "Hearts and Crafts") about a year earlier. I had to go to several stores on the morning of September 1, 1981 to grab a copy of Dan's first ever two-record set on the first day of its release. I heard Fogelberg refer to this piece in a later interview as his "high water mark." It would be hard to argue the point, considering the album yielded four hit singles plus a re-working of "Times Like These" from the soundtrack of Urban Cowboy. Dan's popularity at that time was such that a two hour syndicated radio program of his words and music was produced and aired nationally in early 1982. The album seamlessly blended ballads with rockers, and featured such notables as Joni Mitchell and Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield, Poco) in supporting roles. I remember having my Dad sit down and listen to "Leader of the Band" with me - it spoke so personally to the type of relationship we shared as father and son. To this day it can still bring a tear to my eye when I listen to it on Father's Day. I was in the audience at the Byrne Meadowlands Arena in October of 1981 to hear him perform it live. Click on cover art for additional information, song samples and on-line shopping!

Greatest Hits (1982)

Is an avid fan ever satisfied with a "hits" package? I suspect not. Nonetheless, I ran out to grab my copy on October 29, 1982. What the heck, I could use another copy of "Part of the Plan" since my Souvenirs album was pretty scratched up by this time. (Ah, the days of vinyl...) The album contained two new recordings, most notably "Make Love Stay," with its liner notes dedication to "Dr. Robbins and the Woodpecker." I've been reading Tom Robbins novels ever since. (Are there any Fogelberg fans who haven't?) I recall seeing Dan in a solo acoustic show at the cavernous Nassau Coliseum while this album was riding the charts. He performed his "south of the border version" of "Eleanor Rigby" that night. What a show! Click on cover art for additional information, song samples and on-line shopping!

Windows and Walls (1984)

The album's opening track, "The Language of Love," contains one of my all-time favorite guitar riffs, although I've often wished Dan had stretched out the scorching break in the middle a bit. There's a lot of fine rock guitar work throughout the Lp, and Fogelberg took a great band out on the road in support of its release. I was fortunate enough to catch their show at New York's Madison Square Garden. This was a time when Dan was getting an occasional spin on the fledgling video channels as well - imagine that! Click on cover art for additional information, song samples and on-line shopping!

High Country Snows (1985)

It was an exciting time in my life when this album was released. There was a new baby in the house and I had begun a career in music retail a few months prior. God knows how I justified my record-buying habit in those days, but at least now I was purchasing at a discount! This was my first chance to promote Fogelberg music to a wider audience than simply my circle of acquaintances and I relished the opportunity - playing the record in my store repeatedly (much to the chagrin of my young staff) and putting up promotional material wherever I could find room. As for the music, Dan had assembled an all-star lineup of bluegrass greats - David Grisman, Ricky Skaggs, Chris Hillman, Doc Watson, on and on - and made an album of material that didn't fit on any of his more pop-oriented records. I caught this assemblage performing live in the summer of 1985 at Jones Beach Theatre, and a show from that same tour was recorded and broadcast on the Westwood One radio network. Even more of a thrill for me was listening to my favorite radio personality Pete Fornatale interview Dan on WNEW-FM at around that same time. Click on cover art for additional information, song samples and on-line shopping!

Exiles (1987)

The last Fogelberg album to be a part of my vinyl collection. If you're ever in need of an album that chronicles the demise of a once-glorious relationship, this is the one you're looking for. The shattered wine glass on the back cover says it all. I came to a fuller appreciation of this record about ten years after its release. I was fortunate enough to see Dan twice on the Exiles tour, once at Jones Beach Theatre and once at Radio City Music Hall, although I caused my whole little entourage to be late for that second one by getting us lost on the subway. A tour guide I'm not. Click on cover art for additional information, song samples and on-line shopping!

The Wild Places (1990)

This album has the distinction of being my least favorite Fogelberg album of all time. Despite this, I bought tickets for a show at the Beacon Theater in NYC in the spring of 1991. Dan would be performing with a band and special guest Tim Weisberg. For various reasons, I was running late the night of the concert. Driving recklessly, I crashed the car in the Midtown Tunnel on the way to the city. Instead of enjoying the show, I humbly spent the remainder of the evening being towed 30 miles listening to Cousin Brucie count down the top 20 of God only knows what year. What a night. I did receive some measure of consolation later in the year when Fogelberg performed an acoustic set at the Beacon as part of the "Ban the Damn" benefit show with Rosanne Cash and Mary Chapin Carpenter. I attended alone, of course, it being difficult to entice even my best friends to get in a car with me at that point in time. I'm a better driver for this experience, by the way. Click on cover art for additional information, song samples and on-line shopping!

Live - Greetings from the West (1991)

Released in the fall of 1991, I've always maintained that Fogelberg released this "specially priced 2-disc set" and its accompanying video because he knew I'd missed the show earlier in the year at the Beacon! (Wonder how he found out.) Although I could quibble a little about the song selection on this set, it does contain rollicking versions of "Part of the Plan" and "The Language of Love." As of this writing, it's the only Fogelberg product available on DVD. Click on cover art for additional information, song samples and on-line shopping!

Three fine websites featuring Dan Fogelberg are danfogelberg.com, The Living Legacy, and The Fogelberg Page. Dan Fogelberg song lyrics may be viewed at Dan Fogelberg Lyrics.

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