Fogelberg Hoping His Past Will Catch Up With His Future
Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph; Colorado Springs; Jun 2, 1995; Knight-Ridder Newspapers

Don't like today's country stars? Do like them? Give part of the credit or blame to Dan Fogelberg, '70s troubadour of sensitive pop.

It was Fogelberg's catchy, folk-based country-rock songs of the '70s and early '80s - "There's a Place in the World For a Gambler," "Longer," "Part of the Plan" and more - that Garth Brooks and other younger country music stars have cited as inspiration.

Fogelberg is puzzled by this.

"In the context of the music coming from Nashville today, I guess it makes sense," Fogelberg said by phone from his Colorado home. "Myself, the Eagles and the Flying Burrito Brothers kind of pioneered that sound in California."

Fogelberg hasn't had a substantial hit since the Top 20 single "Language of Love" in 1984. But he recently finished recording a sequel to 1978's "Twin Sons of Different Mothers," with the album due for release in September.

"Twin Sons," recorded with flutist Tim Weisberg, added orchestral flourish to his traditionally acoustic approach. Not only did it feature his catchiest hit, "The Power of Gold," it remains one of his most popular releases.

The album marks a reunion with Weisberg, and Fogelberg thinks that might be just what his career needs.

"I was frustrated from working that last record (the world music-influenced "River of Souls," released in 1993) and I was kind of worn out. So I started thinking in terms of classical, and out of that came real pretty pieces and some instrumental things.

"I started tossing the idea around in my head and writing music for flute in Tim's style. I called him and asked if he was interested in doing another. It came fast, real easy . . . It was a breath of fresh air."

Fogelberg says he'll be happy if the still-untitled sequel does even half as well as "Twin I."

"For someone in my genre and age group (43), it's hard to get on Top 40 radio. It's become very compartmentalized and corporatized. I never really made records (to be hits), anyway, especially something like (the 1981 single) `Leader of the Band' - that had no reason to be a hit record - but once the record company gets hold of it, it's in their hands."

If you're expecting Fogelberg to mourn the passing of his heyday - the hit records, limos and big tours - forget it.

"I'm a lot happier now," says Fogelberg, who lives with his second wife in the mountains of southwest Colorado. "I have a wonderful audience, they still buy the records and come to the concerts."