Donald Fagen's mother on nurturing her son's love of music
In a 1993 interview, Elinor Fagen recalls the astonishing moment young Donald first played the piano: "He just knew what he was doing."
In the series “From the Archives of Brian Sweet,” Expanding Dan joins forces with the author of the definitive Steely Dan biography, Reelin' in the Years, to explore his extensive trove of never-before-published interviews. In this edition, Sweet talks to Donald Fagen’s dear mum, Elinor. (For more info, check out my interview with Sweet.)
“For what it’s worth, my mother’s married name, Elinor Fagen, was just a couple of letters away from Billie Holiday’s given name: Eleanora Fagan,” Donald Fagen writes at the beginning of his 2013 memoir, Eminent Hipsters. “Although no Lady Day, my mother was a fine swing singer who from the age of five through her teen years worked with a trio in a hotel in the Catskills—the ‘Jewish Alps.’ Her career as ‘Ellen Ross’ came to an end at 16 when stage fright prevented her from walking up to the microphone on Major Bowes Amateur Hour, a radio program that was the American Idol of its time. After that, she performed only at ladies’ club functions and while she was at her housewifely chores, waking the kids up, vacumming, cooking and cleaning.”
In November 1993, Brian Sweet had the privilege of speaking on the phone with Mrs. Fagen, who would pass away a decade later following a long bout with Alzheimer’s disease. (Her death inspired Donald to write “Godwhacker,” about an elite squad of assassins assigned to take out the man upstairs.) During the interview, she recalls the first song Donald played on the piano, his teenage excursions to jazz clubs in Manhattan, as well as her own brief career as a professional singer.
Then Ellie apologizes. Dinner is on the stove, and she has to go.