Pete’s Comments:

While I was never familiar with the Dan Fogelberg catalog, it was his biggest hit, “Same Old Lang Syne”, that always connected with me. Who can resist the story line? Running into a former lover in a grocery store on Christmas Eve; grabbing a six-pack of beer and sitting in the car, toasting to the good times past, and saying goodbye all over again: “Just for a moment I was back at school / And felt that old familiar pain /And as I turned to make my way back home / The snow turned into rain.” Zowwww. Ouch. The song, and that line in particular, has always tugged at the heartstrings over the years. Michael Brecker’s saxophone finishes the bittersweet song with a warm snippet of “Auld Lang Syne.”

The song was a big hit in the U.S. in early 1981. Fogelberg said it was a true story of a mid-70’s encounter in a Peoria, Illinois grocery store with a high school girlfriend of his. The song apparently wrote itself.

Dan passed away Sunday at the young age of 56 after a battle with prostate cancer. [AP Story on Yahoo News]
My thoughts & prayers to Dan’s family and friends.

Dan Fogelberg – Same Old Lang Syne (mp3)

BUY: Check out The Very Best of Dan Fogelberg

WEB: Dan’s Official Site

REALITY: Dan’s message to us…

To each and every man….

I cannot encourage you strongly enough to get a DRE (Digital Rectal Exam) and a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test EVERY YEAR.

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.

Michael’s Comments:

When I was a very young man my uncle gave me a 45 rpm of the song “Leader of the Band”. To this day that song holds a special place in my heart and I have to stop and listen when it comes on.

The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt
To imitate the man
I’m just a living legacy
To the leader of the band

Dan Fogelberg lost his battle with Cancer this morning at the age of 56. Our condolences go out to the Fogelberg family, friends and fellow fans.