1. Dennis Hardy "Fergie" Frederiksen was an American rock singer best known as the former lead singer of Trillion, Angel, LeRoux and Toto, as well as providing backing vocals for Survivor.
16 Facts About Dennis Frederiksen
1. 2.
In 1975, while he was still attending college at Central Michigan, Dennis Frederiksen was asked by his friend Tommy Shaw to replace him as the lead vocalist for the band MSFunk, as Shaw was leaving to join Styx.
3.
Dennis Frederiksen was with MSFunk for a year before disbanding in 1976.
4.
The band went on to tour with Styx, Heart and Aerosmith, where Dennis Frederiksen began performing his trademark back-flips during live shows to fire up crowds, a tactic he would continue with later bands.
5.
Dennis Frederiksen would leave the group after one album, and was replaced by Thom Griffin.
6.
Dennis Frederiksen was one of several candidates who tried out, but John Elefante eventually took over the lead vocal spot.
7.
Ultimately, Bickler was able to finish the album, and Dennis Frederiksen assisted with background vocals.
8.
The band's third album Eye of the Tiger was released in May 1982, with Dennis Frederiksen credited simply as "Fergie".
9.
Dennis Frederiksen provided harmonies on five tracks, including the album's second single, "American Heartbeat", which charted in the top 20.
10.
Meanwhile, Dennis Frederiksen reunited with Ricky Phillips to start a brand new band called Abandon Shame, featuring Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain, and his wife Tane.
11.
Toto, who had fired lead singer Bobby Kimball in the midst of recording their fifth album Isolation, invited Dennis Frederiksen to come audition for his spot.
12.
Dennis Frederiksen repeatedly cited his brief tenure with Toto as the highlight of his career.
13.
Dennis Frederiksen returned to music in the mid-1990s to reunite and collaborate with Ricky Phillips.
14.
In June 2010, Dennis Frederiksen announced he had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer.
15.
Dennis Frederiksen had been suffering from Hepatitis C and presented a few fundraisers to raise awareness of the disease.
16.
Dennis Frederiksen died from liver cancer on January 18,2014, at his home in Mound, Minnesota.