Leader of the Band Chords by Dan Fogelberg

[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ [Gb] _ [Ab] _ _ .
[Db] _ _ _ _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ .
[Bbm] _ _ _ _ [Fm] _ _ _ _ .
[Eb] _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ _ [Db] _ _ .
[Ab] _ _ [Db] _ _ [Ab] _ _ [Db] _ _ .
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ [Db] An only child, [Ab] alone and wild, [Cm] a _ [Db] cabinetmaker's son.
_ [Bbm] His hands were meant [Fm] for different work, [Bbm] and his heart was [Db] known to [Eb] none.
_ [Ab] He [Db] left his home and [Ab] went his lone [Cm] and _ solitary [Db] way.
_ [Bbm] And he gave to me [Fm] a gift I know [Bbm] I [Eb] never can [Ab] _ [Db] repay.
_ [Ab] A [Db] _ _ .
[Ab] _ _ [Db] _ _ [Ab] _ _ _ _ .
_ _ [Db] quiet man of [Ab] _ music denied [Cm] _ a [Db] simpler fate _ .
[Bbm] He tried to be [Fm] a soldier once, [Bbm] but his music wouldn't [Eb] wait _ .
[Ab] He [Db] earned his love through [Ab] _ discipline, [Cm] a thundering [Db] velvet hand.
[Bbm] His gentle [Fm] means of sculpting souls [Bbm] took me [Eb] years to [Ab] _ understand _ .
[Db] The leader [Ab] of the band is dead [Db] and his eyes are [Ab] growing old.
[Bbm] But his blood runs through [Fm] my instrument [Bbm] and his song is in [Ab] my [Eb] soul.
[Ab] My life has been a [Cm] poor _ [Db] attempt to imitate [Ab] the man _ .
[Bbm] I'm just a living [Fm] legacy [Bbm] to the leader [Ab] of the [Db] band.
My [Ab] _ [Db] _ _ _ [Ab] _ [Db] _ _ .
_ [Ab] _ _ _ _ _ [Db] brother's lives were [Ab] _ different, for [Cm] they heard another [Db] call.
_ _ [Bbm] One went [Fm] to Chicago and [Bbm] the other [Db] to St.
[Eb] Paul.
[Ab] _ [Db] And I'm in _ [Ab] Colorado when [Cm] I'm not in some [Db] hotel.
_ _ _ [Bbm] Living out [Fm] this life I've chose [Bbm] and [Eb] come to know [Ab] so _ [Db] well.
[Ab] I _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
[Db] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [Ab] _ .
[Bbm] _ _ _ _ [Fm] _ _ _ _ .
[Eb] _ _ _ _ [Ab] _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ .
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ [Db] thank you for the [Ab] music and [Cm] your stories [Db] of the road.
[Bbm] I thank you for the [Fm] freedom when [Bbm] it came my time to [Ab] go.
[Eb] _ [Ab] I [Db] thank you for [Ab] the kindness and [Cm] the times when you [Db] got tough.
[Bbm] And Papa, I [Fm] don't think I said [Bbm] I love [Eb] you [Ab] near enough.
[Ebm] _ [Ab] _ [Db] The leader of the [Cm] band is dead [Ab] [Db] and his eyes are [Ab] growing old.
But [Bbm] his blood runs through [Fm] my instrument [Bbm] and his song is in [Gb] my [Ab] soul.
[Db] _ My life has [Ab] been a poor _ [Db] attempt to imitate [Ab] the man.
_ [Bbm] I'm just a [Fm] living legacy [Bbm] to the [Db] leader [Ab] of the band.
[Bbm] I am a living [Fm] _ legacy [Bbm] to the _ leader _ [Eb] _ [Abm] of the [Db] band _ _ .
[Ab] _ _ [Db] _ _ [Ab] _ _ [Db] _ _ .
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ [Db] _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ [Ab] _ [Bbm] _ _ _ _ .
[Fm] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ .
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .