Dan, I was in Napa CA. last weekend on a business trip and had a great person play guitar at our dinner.  Of course I asked him to play one of your songs and his eyes got big and he told me that he was also a "fan of Dan's".  We talked about your music, what it meant to us and how much your music affected our lives.  Keep on fighting Dan!  You CAN beat this and you will get better.  Thanks for all the great music but remember, all your energy must be focused on you beating this cancer.  I give anything to hear you sing live once again!  My prayers are with you and Jean once again. ~ Terry - Thornton, Colorado

Dear Dan and Jean:  WOW!  So many people wishing you well...that's wonderful.  Just wanted to check in, let you know we are thinking of you often and sending up our prayers for your complete recovery.  Our years in the "wild places" neighborhood were some of the best of our lives.  Blessings ~ Ron and Janelle

Dan, I want to send my thoughts and prayers to you and your family.  You and I are the same age and grew up about 15 miles from each other.  You in Peoria and me in the small community of Metamora.  I actually met you at a party in Peoria when I was in my early 20s.  I had not heard of you then, but you were jamming with an acquaintance of mine by the name of Chuck.  I can't recall his last name.  I moved to San Diego in 1974 and really got into the whole Southern CA rock sound. I wore out the Eagles' Desperado album.  I picked up your LP that had "Part of the Plan" and "Illinois" on it.  I started playing guitar at 25 and learned a couple of your tunes.  I now live in San Luis Obispo on the Central Coast of CA.  My wife Deb and I saw you perform at Cal Poly's Performing Arts Center a few years back.  (BTW it was a great show.)  In 2004 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer....53 years old.  What a drag.  The good news is that my doctor was closely monitoring my PSA and saw it creeping up.  I elected for surgery and had it done at Stanford.  Things are good now and I consider myself lucky.  When I heard you had PC I thought that there must have been something in the air or water back in Central Illinois.  Know that I am thinking of you.  Your music has inspired me over the years, as it has many, many others. Take care.  ~ Richard

Dan, I've been unable to locate an update on your condition. I hope this mailing finds you and your family well or healing. Like so many posting on this site, I too have had the privilege of knowing your music since the 70's and have been a fan ever since. I have come through the years with your albums, cassettes, and CD's... virtually all of them.  I never grow tried of any of it. Your music is timeless, true, and wonderful. It's wonderful to see and experience how the Lord blesses someone, that someone gets it, and that someone shares that blessing with those around... all around the world!!! May God bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you, be gracious unto you, left up His countenance upon you and give you peace and grant you healing.   Pull through this, if haven't already.  I'd love another CD and concert! ~ Cliff

Dan - There are no words to really thank you for sharing your gift of music with us!  Your music has warmed my heart since the early 70's.  Because of your music I can always remember the important things in life ..........to LIVE each day to it's fullest!. My dad also has prostate cancer. I do not need to say more. My prayers are and will always be with you and your family!! Take care....~ Christie of Indiana

Dear Dan, I just wanted you to know that you and your family are still in our thoughts and we continue to pray for your health and recovery.   As I read through some of the "Good  Wishes" that have been posted by your fans, I couldn't help but notice how deeply connected we all feel to you.  All these years you have shared your heart and soul with us through your music, and as we listened, we were touched to the core by the honesty and truth we found in your words.  You became a part of our lives.  As I think back to my college days studying late at night, driving through the canyon,  being with special friends, and falling in and out of love...you were there too.  And even though many years have passed, that connection never changes.  You will forever be part of our past, our present, and our future.  (We'll still be playing your music when the great grandkids come!)  I hope you are regaining your strength, and enjoying your life and those you love.  You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. If you need anything, you just post it and we'll make it happen...fasting, prayers, you name it, we're there for you. With love and best wishes ~ Lora Draper, Provo, Utah    

Mr. Fogelberg, I cannot express enough the heaviness I feel knowing someone else is experiencing cancer. I, too, dealt with it in 1993 and am cancer free now some 16-years later! As an avid heavy metal listener and band member for most of my youth and teen years I sought out more meaningful, lyrically-encompassing music now in my mid-30s. My friend and boss at my comic book shop re-introduced me to CSNY, America and Dan Fogelberg! It's just three of many life-changing things he's done for me for which I'm grateful! Please remain strong and with faith and love you'll get through just fine...a fellow Illinois Boy wishes you the very best, my friend! ~Chris Pratl

Dear Dan and family, when I was a teenager in the 70's I would listen to this one album rock station in Shreveport, Louisiana.  One day I heard the most beautiful song in the whole world.  I didn't know who sang it or who played the instruments or who the band was or whatever.  It was so beautiful that it stirred in me so many emotions.  Of course I didn't learn the name of the song or the artist for quite a while as sometimes I would catch the song in the middle as I turned on the radio or the song would just be played and there was no mention of the artist or song.  I finally found out one day.  It was "Nether Lands" by Dan Fogelberg.   Of course I went out and bought the album and have been a fan ever since.  Today I watched a 2004 Soundstage concert of you and your band and felt the need to check on you to see how your were doing regarding this illness.  You stay strong and battle this with all you have.  Of course your family and friends love you and are supporting you I'm sure in every way possible.  And remember this:  there are people out there-like me- whom you have never met and whose lives you have changed for the better with your beautiful music.  I will pray for you and your family. Sincerely ~ Megan Watson

My husband and I are two more souls touched by your incredible music, especially "To the Morning."  The entire Home Free album is my all time favorite.  We wish you and your family all the best as you fight this horrible disease.  ~ Frits & Suzanne Ponsen, Bellingham, Washington

Dan, you've been an inspirational part of my life since 1974.  Please know that I'm praying for you and your family. ~  J in Baton Rouge

Dan, I respect your wish to remain a private citizen through it all and I pray for your healing.  I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me as a pro musician.  I sing a LOT of your songs at weddings and I play piano and sing quite a bit, too.  Beats getting a job, anyway! I just wanted to say a special thank you for the major seventh chords you have given us over the years.  Especially the opening to "Heart Hotels".  Leave the "glassiness" of it all. Get well! ~ David

Hello Dan, I have been checking your web site infrequently every other month over the last few years.  Every time I check I am hopeful it will say you are OK. Finally I am sending you a message although I am not really sure what to say. I am sorry that your health is still not there yet. I really hope things are getting better for you. Hang in there my prayers are with you & your family. I think of you (and my good brother) every time I play my guitar with a pick of yours he gave me. It is amazing how special such a small piece of plastic can be.  I still feel a catharsis every time I attempt to play one of your wonderful songs with the "The Last Nail" still one of my favorites to play. THANK YOU so much for sharing your music &
spirit with us. I feel so fortunate to have seen you play so many times and in so many places from Red Rocks to Rochester. I guess I am sounding like a sappy fan but your music has touched my life and still brings back those old feelings and memories every time I listen to one of your albums or a tape of one of your shows. I hope to be visiting your web site soon and it will say you are recovered 100%. I have also taken your PSA advice having turned 50 this year. Take care for now friend ~ Steve Lamb

Dan,  I just got my most recent check up results back last week and they were all clear.  This month marks the 5 year anniversary of diagnosis/treatment for my fight w/ the big "C".  My joy over this news is muted by finding out (albeit very late) about your battle.  Even after dealing with this, it's still hard to discuss with others who are touched by this.......hard to know their emotions.  Just want you to know how much I enjoy your music.  I can still see the gang sitting in the dorm at college listening to your albums and also remember seeing your shows when you were in the area (remember one in KC in 1981, you had Joe Vitale and Kenny P. from Joe Walsh's band with you....what a rocker that show was!).  All the best and you can do it! ~ Dave.

I just for the first time visited your website. Your music is beautiful and inspiring!! I seen you in concert about 7 years ago, and I can say it was a highlight in my life I will never forget. Your music to me is moving and spiritual. I wanted to see you again but had heard about your illness. I truly wish you all the best with your recovery, and I found it so amazing how you thought so much of others at your difficult time to write a message to all men as to the precautions they should take and the importance of the exams!! It is very touching. I just love your talent and your love of music that really is so
evident.  I hope and pray that I will get the opportunity to see you again some day , very soon performing. But all the same the precious time that I was able to be at one of your concerts is a time I will always deeply treasure!!!! I wish you and your wife all the Best!!! :-) Sincerely ~ Cindy Semelsberger

I just want you to know how much your music and lyrics inspired me as a young high schooler in the 1970's.  I saw you in concert in the Orange  County area then and I will always remember how powerful your stage presence  was.  Your
words and music now inspire my children and cause them to  reflect upon what lies ahead in their very young lives (16, 13, 12 &  4yrs).  We love listening to your music while traveling in the car and we  all sing along!  You are truly and inspiration and have touched  many.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. ~ Elizabeth Harkey

Hi Dan, My husband and I were married in 1989.  Mark was 49 and I was 47 at the time.  We spent part of our honeymoon in Aspen.  You were in concert that July 4th and we got tickets.  It was the best concert!  And our honeymoon
continued to be just perfect with your music traveling with us wherever we went.  To this day, we are never far from one of your cd's.  Your music makes us smile and when friends hear it, they always say, "Wow! What a great voice!"  Anyhow, we heard about your illness and we just want you to know that you are always in our hearts and will now be in our prayers.  We hope that we will one day get to celebrate our anniversary by going to another one of your concerts. Get well soon. ~
Joy Davies, Chadds Ford, PA

I was sitting at the computer listening to "Stars", and thinking about how incredible a song it is...and how your words painted such incredible portraits, of love, of loss, of life. I have never attended one of your concerts, but I sit here and hope that in the future, there will be a night that my husband and I will share with you...Best wishes and prayers for you and yours.... ~ Doris

Dear Dan, I was thinking about you this week and wondering how you  are.  I discovered your music in 1977 with Nether Lands.  I have  been a fan ever since.  While I was going through a painful relationship (1977-1980) your music really pulled me through, so many times.  I pray for  you and I hope you are doing much better!  God Bless ~ Martha

I was deeply saddened and concerned to hear about your illness. I hope you stay strong. There's a  history of prostate cancer in my family. Even the women in my family get it. I made that joke to my doctor before he did the digit, he looked at me and said; "You're joking right? I couldn't let you walk out of here thinking that." As a precaution I now have my dentist check when I get a cleaning. While you're down there... Humor, I think, is all that sustains us. As I type this, my family is listening to Captured Angel. When my son Dylan and daughter Kyra were in utero we played this beautiful album through headphones on mom's belly. When they were fussy infants all we had to do was cue up the CD and their little bodies would relax and unwind in our arms. So I'd have to say you have always been a part of my life. Your music helped me to woo. Some can have Sinatra or Davis' "Kinda Blue", for me it was always "Beggars Game". "Innocent Age" remains the single strongest sense memory of my freshman year at college. The opening notes of "Ghosts" take me immediately to Adelphi University and your solo acoustic concert at Nassau Coliseum. A rented limo and second row tickets to your Greek Theatre show in 1995 was our fist "date" night after we became proud parents. Your Christmas album is the first holiday music that plays throughout our house on Thanksgiving weekend. Thank you for your legacy. Thank you for the memories! Thank you for making a family of four happy with the gift of your songs! I wish you all good things and a speedy full recovery! You are very much in our thoughts and prayers. You have given us so much pleasure that warming your heart in our hands seems to be the very least we can do to repay you!  All Good Things ~ Michael & Jory Lindsay, Dylan, Kyra

Hey Dan, I was so sorry to read you have been so poorly. I don't know you personally of course, but I just wanted to send you some good wishes and loads of healing thoughts.I hope you are winning your fight, Dan and my wishes extend to your family and friends too. For me illness has really taught me a lot of things about myself that I barely knew, some good some things that needed improving (erm, ok then ...... quite a lot!) But it can be SO tough when faced with the struggle. I love and have always loved your music. All my family and friends do too, we grew up with it. I don't know of a single person in my sphere, who when listening to your music, doesn't absolutely fall in love with it. It's like it's your essence. And a lovely one at that, if I may say so. It's people like you that have the special gift to touch our lives with your unique talent and sensitivity. I have felt inspired to shake off my shyness, etc and pick up my guitar and sing many times
after hearing you. For that and everything else you have touched our world with, I want to say a Great Big 'Thank you,' and
send you truck loads, convoys even, of Healing Wishes to you.Lots of love~ Katie from Cambridge UK. 

Dear Dan, I am so deeply sorry to hear about your diagnosis of cancer. I am only finding out about your condition now, because some friends and I were discussing some of our favorite musicians over the years and I was telling them that I was a faithful follower of your music and attended all of your concerts here in New York State so I decided to run a search to find out what you have been up to. Two of the more memorable concerts were when I waited outside of Saratoga Performing Arts Center and managed to acquire a second row ticket from a group of teenage boys, with whom I sat for the whole concert. And a second was when I traveled with a friend through a blizzard to SUNY Plattsburgh, slept on the floor of my cousin's dorm room, and pulled my friend by the hand around the crowd of students to sit down in front of the stage on top of a photographer's camera equipment. THAT'S how much I adored you and your music. Not to mention my collection of all of your albums. The only problem was, my cousin's friend was your driver at SUNY Plattsburgh and I had asked him to kindly ask for your autograph, being a young groupie at the time. The night after your concert, in anticipation of the ultimate keepsake, I approached the friend. He proceeded to tell me that when he asked you for the autograph, you became quite frustrated and angry with him and the request, and therefore you didn't bother to leave him a tip. I must admit that I was shocked by this and saddened. Therefore, I am afraid that I let it get the best of me and allowed it to change my image of you. Looking back, at 49 years old, I realize that he may have made the whole thing up, I do not know. But, I want to apologize for giving up on you, because your music has always been calming to me and made me smile through some of my darkest days. I vow to rediscover your music in your honor, and I sincerely wish you and your wife and family the best. My thoughts and prayers will be with you.~ KT, Albany NY

Dan... I think your music is great; and I certainly enjoy listening to it.  I wonder if you still have a message to share.

My wife and I have never missed your concerts. Living in Boulder we are blessed with the many times you have played in Colorado over 35 years. If I had one wish for you is they would change the name of Red Rocks to Dan's. Your voice and the rocks are one with the universe. When you play solo there and sing "Make Love Stay", it is magical. NO ONE can touch the energy and harmony that you can create there. Through the years the messages that are carried in your music has always been influential in the way we look at the world and each other. It's Feb, 2007, and as usual we are looking at future concerts and hope we will see you at Dan's this summer. Our thoughts and prayers are with you each day. ~ mr lewis - Boulder Co.

Dear Dan: I flew from Cleveland to Las Vegas last week over the southern Rockies.  Continental divide, Gunnison, Telluride.  It's hard to tell accurately from the air.  Winds aloft apparently necessitated an altitude of  18,000 feet so the view was incredible, mountains, rivers, red, browns, grays.  Really spectacular. Knew that you were down there somewhere, so I cranked up the IPOD and had myself a Dan Fogelberg festival.  The next time that you look up to the north and see the contrails of a plane off in the distance, know that there's someone, in all likelihood doing the same.  I saw you and Tim back at Siena College back in I think 1977.  I have been a fan ever since.  I will be 50 this year, which is absolutely impossible, and as you suggest, I will be scoped, poked and tested.   Music, it turns out, is not your only gift to us.  I'm working on learning "Forefathers" at present.  Love the song.  Although I am not much for this type of thing, I thought I would share the story above and wish you God speed. ~ DG

If there is a God, I pray he will help you through this ~ Jack Young

Dear Dan, Your music shaped my musical tastes in the 70's. I played guitar in clubs throughout the college years and yours were always my favorite songs to perform. We came to your last 2 performances in Charlotte where you again
proved that your musical talent is magical. Thank you for influencing my life in a positive way. God bless you for the gift you gave us all and through your recovery. Our best wishes ~ Larry and Suzun McCrary, Charlotte, NC

Dear Dan:  I just found out from my brother who is a cardiologist in Columbus Ohio that you have P.C.  I used to listen to your music when about 20 years ago and thought you were wonderful.  I am 46, so I am late getting into the CD's etc.  Yes, I still have the albums.  So I went to Barnes and Noble and bought every CD of  yours that they had and ordered my favorite, "Nether Lands".  I listened to them all for the entire day. I was amazed how much I still love your music, talent at writing and I really like your art work.  You are so GIFTED.  Your music talks to my heart.  I never got to see you in concert, but wanted you to know how much you inspired me to get through my day.  Your music got me through some rough times.
Thank-you!!!!!  God Bless! ~ Barbara Barga

Dan, I am sorry to hear about your condition.  I too was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004.  I had hoped that the surgery would have gotten it all but it did not and I had to have 40 radiation treatments.  I have been cancer free for over a year.  Initially, I didn't have any symptoms and I suggested casually to the doctor on a regular check-up to give me a PSA only because my father had prostate cancer.  My research indicated that you were twice as likely to get prostate cancer if you have one first degree blood relative with it and eight times as likely if you have two first degree blood relatives with it. Upon diagnosis, I notified my brothers immediately and gave them my sermon. I can only imagine what you are going through with your battle. Be assured of my prayers and the thought that because millions of people throughout the world have had their hearts touched in a positive way through your music, that everytime they think of you, there are millions of positive thoughts directed toward you.  Keep the faith because as the "leader of this band," you have a multi-million member orchestra backing you up. ~ Ed, Philadelphia, PA

Hi Dan. Such beautiful music must come from a beautiful person. It must be very comforting to you to know you have touched so many people.

Dan - I cannot adequately express the profound sadness I felt when I recently read your web site and found out about your illness....my only hope it that you are breaking records (of a different kind) in regards to your condition.    Since the web site notes that you were diagnosed in 2004, and it is now 2007, I simply hope that things are going very well, and life is good for you....that is my wish for you.

As a long time fan, I find that as I enter into my middle years (50 is the 30- 35ish?...right:-)) I find extreme comfort in some of the wonderful tunes and tales that were such a large part of my younger times....you were a big part of that.   Since all the more "mature" favorites of we baby-boomers are back on the road again, I thought you too might be doing a "victory lap" of concerts as well.   While I'm saddened to think that I will not see you in concert again, I'm thrilled to listen to your music again and again with a different ear....time brings many things - experience, change, complexities as well as new
adventures.  Your music still makes me think, which is what I enjoy about it so much...and sometimes (especially when I am stressed) it takes me away to some soothing place, and for that, I thank you. I've always admired your talent, your willingness to "put it out there" and your ability to connect on so many levels.   I hope you are enjoying wonderful things....thanks again for your very positive contribution to my life, and I wish you good health and peacefulness. With kind regards ~ Barbi Mason

Dan, I will say a prayer for you and your family every night. I just want to let you know that your music has always meant a lot to me because of its sincerity. The first time I heard "Leader of the Band," I had tears in my eyes, what a beautiful tribute to your father. I just found out about your illness last night before I went to work. God must work in mysterious ways because when I showed up for work they were doing a campaign for charitable organizations. I decided to have money taken out of my paycheck every two weeks and donated to Prostate Cancer Research. May my small donation help you and others. May each day bring you joy and happiness. Dan hang in there, I am pulling for you as I know many other of us who have been blessed with your songs. Sincerely ~ Glenn Meadows, Holbrook, New York

Dan, I have been  watching your "Rhythm of the Rain" video with Jeff and Mike Porcaro. Jeff was a  friend of mine and it's always hard for me to watch old videos of his, but this one was especially touching. I had no idea that they played with you. I  spent a lot of time with them in 1990 when this song was first out.  I  have been writing to you for almost three years now, not knowing about this. It  is a great song, and it's so wonderful for me to be able to see all of you  together. I am still thinking of you, I always do, and it's great for me to still be able to see you this way whenever I can. I am absolutely addicted to that video. The closeup of you is the best way for me to keep you right there with me whenever I need to see and hear you. ~ Dana