The music we grew up with...

and the musicians who have since passed on.

I just found out this morning that Jim Seals of Seals & Crofts died on Monday. "Diamond Girl" was my favorite song by them. When I hear that song, it reminds me of a road trip our family took from Wisconsin to New Mexico in the summer of 1973. The song had just come out in May of that year. "Summer Breeze" was also a favorite. I got the "Collection" cassette tape for Christmas, I think in 1977 or 78. It was a double album with 16 of their greatest hits. Their music came from a time when life was so much easier.

I remember when Dan Fogelberg died in 2007. Fogelberg's music has always meant a great deal to me. It got me through a lot of bad times. I can only imagine the songs he took with him to the grave. Dan died from prostate cancer. He was only 56 years old. I grew up an Eagles fan. My first Eagles album was the "Eagles Live" cassette tape from 1979. I played that tape all the time. I didn't really know the Eagles' history back then. I just loved the music. I was lucky enough to see …