“Will it play in Peoria?” It did. They did. And I did. How a Chasing Abraham Lincoln tour turned into a pilgrimage to the singer Dan Fogelberg.
The turn of phrase has its roots in the vaudeville era, where traveling vaudeville acts knew if they played well in Peoria, which at the time reflected the diversity of the nation as a whole with respect to race, income, age, rural, urban, and educational background. Peoria became the first stop on national tours – if it played well there it likely would play well all over the country. This was true not only for vaudeville acts, but for test marketing consumer products and politics too.
Abraham Lincoln gave one of his most famous speeches in Peoria, and certainly one of his most powerful speeches on the wrongs of slavery. The speech has been studied by many Lincoln scholars and was the focus of an entire book by Lewis E. Lehrman, Lincoln at Peoria: The Turning Point. I visited Peoria on Part 2 of my Chasing Abraham Lincoln tour, where I saw several Lincoln statues and related sites.
While there I made sure to head for the memorial grove in Riverfront Park where three large stones remember Dan Fogelberg. Fogelberg, one of my favorite performers, was born and raised in Peoria. His mother was a classical pianist, his father the local high school band director. Dan wrote the song “Leader of the Band” to honor his father; I used it as a framework for a dedication to my own father. Besides singing the vocals (including multitracking background harmony), Dan played many instruments, notably guitar (acoustic, 12-string, electric), bass, piano, and mandolin. He was a talent beyond the norm. He had commercial success, but I think the songs I love the most are those that tell stories that develop over time not conducive to the radio crowd.
Lyrics from three of Dan’s songs are etched into the three memorial stones. A park bench has been added and features a quote from Dan about why he was a musician. Unfortunately, Dan died in late December 2007 from prostate cancer. I was lucky enough to see him three times in concert and listened to him this morning while exercising on the elliptical. He is still a part of my life (along with Lincoln, of course).
Among Dan’s many amazing songs is a tribute to his home state, “Illinois,” from his Souvenirs album released in 1974. While I’m not a native of Illinois, I thought of Dan’s song as I realized how many Lincoln sites and statues I missed on my Chasing Abraham Lincoln tours.
And it looks like you’re gonna
Have to see me again
…
Illinois, oh, Illinois.
Illinois, I’m your boy.
As I write this there is a blizzard raging in Fogelberg/Lincoln country, so Part 3 of my Chasing Abraham Lincoln tour will have to wait until spring. But be prepared Illinois; it looks like you’re gonna have to see me again…
David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.
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Dan Fogelberg was maybe a little before my time, but I recall my dad listening to him. I think I still have a couple of his records.
🙂