Fergie Frederiksen, who fronted Toto for 1984’s Isolation and rebounded despite a cancer diagnosis to release two recent albums, has died according to his official fan site and MelodicRock.com.
“It is with a heavy heart I tell you that my soulbrother Fergie Frederiksen passed away today,” a message on Frederiksen’s site says. “He was in no pain. His legacy lives on.” Melodic Rock’s Andrew McNeice also confirmed Frederiksen’s passing.
The Michigan native, who dies at 62, took over during the recording of Isolation from original Toto frontman Bobby Kimball, singing lead on seven of the album’s 10 tracks — and sharing a vocal with David Paich on the Top 7 mainstream-rock hit “Stranger in Town.” Though he departed afterward, Frederiksen later reunited with Toto for a few dates on their 2007 tour. More recently, Frederiksen and Kimball appeared in concert together, despite Frederiksen’s on-going battle with inoperable liver cancer — and a subsequent bout of Hepatitis C.
In 2011, just a year after doctors diagnosed his illness, Frederiksen issued the well-received Happiness is the Road, followed by 2013’s Any Given Moment — which included a new version of “Angel Don’t Cry,” one of four songs Frederiksen originally co-wrote for Toto’s Isolation. Family members began soliciting donations, however, when his condition worsened late last year. A “Friends of Fergie” benefit was also held in December, and the ailing rocker attended.
Frederiksen earlier sung backup on the Top 20 hit “American Heartbeat,” from Survivor’s 1982 breakthrough Eye of the Tiger. He also served as lead singer on LeRoux’s “Carrie’s Gone,” a regional hit that went to No. 79 on the national charts in ’83. Frederiksen released a series of collaborations with Ricky Phillips, of Babys and Styx fame, as well.
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