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Subject: Dan Tribute ~ Sellersville, PA ~ 8/13/08 Author: mountainbird [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 08/14/08 1:44pm I need to get into "review" mode since I woke this morning hungover from emotional overload and a very late night from getting lost in the bowels of PA. I never realized one missed exit in a blinding downpour could make it so difficult to cross the Delaware into NJ. If it wasn't for Mary's ability to read a map under a dome light, we'd still be out there. The cast of characters for the show, who were so humbled to be sharing their memories of Dan, were Tom Hampton, Tom Geddes, Michael Lille, Craig Bickhardt, Wendy Waldman, Cindy Bullens, Deborah Holand (the three who make up The Refugees), and Jim Photoglo. They worked separately and they worked together. They had all known Dan to some degree and those who are singer/songwriters treated us to one or two of their own pieces. The first song up was Aspen, followed by These Days and The Way It Must Be. That combination was Tom Hampton, Michael Lille (who met Dan after he moved to Colorado from Va. Beach), and Tom Geddes (percussionist). They continued with Hearts and Crafts (a B-side original) and Forefathers. Michael Lille soloed on a few songs, one of his own called Ships. Mary might want to jump in here since she remembers some of the lyrics. It was poignant in its tribute just by design. The rest of Michael's set was Old Tennessee (not Dan on the intro but not bad), Crow, and More Than Ever. Craig Bickhardt did a few of his own and Leader of The Band, explaining that he and Dan had similar backgrounds growing up in musical families. Craig's father retired from a musical group that he had worked with for his entire adult life. Everyone but The Refugees joined him for Part of The Plan and then came Intermission. The Refugees opened the second 'set' with Wendy's composition, Save the Best for Last, which was recorded by Vanessa Williams, and Morning Sky. Those three women are quite a combination of talents and it came as no surprise that Dan had invited Cindy Bullens to tour with him. She blew me away. While all that was going on, there was a slideshow of Dan pics behind them on a screen. To the right, on its own draped riser, was a wooden chair with an acoustic guitar leaning against the seat and a framed pic of Dan up against a leg. It was as poignant and significant as a riderless horse or one plane missing in a formation. The slide show ended and Jim Photoglo took the stage. He was alone and he was emotional. He explained how difficult it had been for him to choose a few Dan songs when there had been so many and how he didn't consider himself capable to do them justice. He spoke about Dan as a friend, not a boss ~ two "knuckleheads" on the road. He did The Reach and that's as far as Mary or I got with our notes. By this time I was sobbing and I forgot all about writing anything else. Mary may be able to fill in a blank or two there. The Refugees joined him onstage for one (maybe two) of his own and then the stage was full again for the finale. Tom Hampton explained that they were going to do a song that wasn't in Dan's catalogue and, in unison, they sang, "Happy Birthday to you," (just that line), and then segued into "....Gambler." At the end, from somewhere inside, I heard "Let it shine, People, 'til next time. Thank you, God bless you, goodnight." Old habits die hard. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

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[> Subject: Re: Dan Tribute ~ Sellersville, PA ~ 8/13/08 Author: Lori [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08/14/08 4:32pm Thank you for that. I am so glad you and Mary were there. Thank you.

[> Subject: Re: Dan Tribute ~ Sellersville, PA ~ 8/13/08 Author: Mary [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08/14/08 8:26pm Michael Lille's song entitled "Ships" used sailing as a metaphor for love and life. The refrain started with "Ships are safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for..." It was a song I thought Dan would have really liked. About the only thing I can add to mountainbird's post is that I wished they had done some more of Dan's later music. I just love "River of Souls," "Bones in the Sky," "Song of the Sea," and think the later music was every bit as good, and some better, than the music made when he was at the top of the charts. I also read the Morning Call article and saw that a lot more in the way of anecdotes was shared in those interviews than shared on stage. But it was a small operation put together rather quickly, I think. At any rate, it was a good chance for a group of people who loved Dan to meet and think deeply about Dan and his impact on their lives. I saw people crying, people smiling in remembrance, and people who didn't know of Dan but came to support the PCF see the impact of this disease on those left behind. One thing that stood out to me above all--even when I hear Dan's songs being performed by others, I recognize that he was a genius. Take away HIS good looks, HIS velvet voice, HIS on-stage persona, and the music can still stand on its own. I can think of great songwriters, great singers, great musicians, great entertainers; but I am hard pressed to think of anyone who embodies, or embodied, it all as well as Dan did. http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/all-fogelberg.6530643aug10,0,2387014.story

[> [> Subject: Re: Dan Tribute ~ Sellersville, PA ~ 8/13/08 Author: mountainbird [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08/15/08 7:11pm Mary, you forgot to add that I blew the "Happy Birthday" part. I guess I was so busy being an emotional wreck I never heard more than the first line.

[> [> [> Subject: Re: Dan Tribute ~ Sellersville, PA ~ 8/13/08 Author: Mary [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08/16/08 9:33am A small omission, and not a very important one. Thank you for writing the bulk of the review.

[> [> Subject: Re: Sellersville Author: Kelly [ Edit | View ] Date Posted: 08/17/08 4:08am Mountainbird and Mary, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the show. I thought Tom Hampton's set was a really sweet start to the show. His humbleness and sincerity in honoring Dan set just the right mood. I also liked his selection of songs, two of which were not the easiest of Dan's songs to sing, The Way It Must Be and Heart and Crafts, but I thought he did them justice. Forefathers was a particularly excellent choice, and he did a nice job with that too. I also want to mention that Tom is also a songwriter, but I was touched that he chose to play only Dan songs in his set. I can add a few more song titles from Jim Photoglo's medley - Run For The Roses, Hard To Say, Power of Gold, and Same Old Lang Syne. I think there were a few more, but I don't remember them. I was a little surprised he decided to do a medley. I would have enjoyed it more had he just picked several songs and played them all the way through. The Reach, in particular. I also wish he could have shared some more of his memories of Dan with us. I do remember the "knuckleheads" comment. And as he introduced his song "Spending Every Minute in Love", he mentioned how he and Dan both liked the blues and he always thought of Dan when he played that song. Before another of his own songs, he spoke of how friendships become strained at times, but he was glad that he and Dan were able to talk things out. Then he played his song, Silence is King, which he said was the flipside of such a friendship. It seemed a bit odd. I didn't get the connection. Maybe I was expecting too much in regard to him sharing stories and memories of Dan. Perhaps it's just too soon, and the emotions still too fragile. When the whole group came out at the end and played Gambler, it brought it all home again. There was a wonderful feeling of shared love for the man we all miss so much. And I do appreciate that they all took the time to come together to remember Dan.