Leader of the Band

[Intro]

[Verse 1]
C         F/C    C                Em              F
  An only child alone and wild, a cabinet maker's son
Dm                         Am                     Dm                 F    G
  His hands were meant for different work and his heart was known to none
C             F/C      C                 Em       F
  He left his home and went his lone and solitary way
       Dm            Am           Dm    G7    C  F/C  C  F/C  C  F/C  C
And he gave to me a gift I know I never can repay
 
[Verse 2]
C         F/C    C        Em             F
  A quiet man of music, denied a simpler fate
Dm                 Am                   Dm             F    G
  He tried to be a soldier once but his music wouldn't wait
C               F/C          C             Em                F
  He earned his love through discipline, a thund'ring velvet hand
    Dm              Am                      Dm       G7   C
His gentle means of sculpting souls took me years to understand
 

{ CHORUS }
F                   Em                    F                C
  The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old
        Dm                    Am                 Dm            A# G
But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my so-oul
F                    Em           F               C
  My life has been a poor attempt, to imitate the man
    Dm            Am            Dm     F      C   F/C  C  F/C  C  F/C  C
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band
 
[Verse 3]
C              F/C        C                  Em            F
  My brothers' lives were different for they heard another call
Dm             Am            Dm           F    G
One went to Chicago, and the other to St. Paul
C            F/C C             Em            F
  And I'm in Colorado when I'm not in some hotel
Dm              Am               Dm      G7      C  F/C  C
Living out this life I chose and come to know so well
 
[Instrumental] (repeat intro part with orchestra)
| C7  | C7  | F   | F   |
| Dm  | Am  | G   | C  F/C |
| C  F/C | C  F/C | C   |
 
[Verse 4]
C             F/C     C              Em             F
  I thank you for the music and your stories of the road
Dm                    Am              Dm              F   G
  I thank you for the freedom when it came my time to go
C             F/C     C                Em                 F
  I thank you for the kindness and the times when you got tough
    Dm            Am              Dm        G7    C
And Papa, I don't think I said "I love you" near enough
 
{ CHORUS }
F                   Em                    F                C
  The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old
        Dm                    Am                 Dm            A# G
But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my so-oul
F                    Em           F               C
  My life has been a poor attempt, to imitate the man
    Dm            Am            Dm     F      C
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band
 
  Dm            Am            Dm     F  G     C  F/C  C  F/C  C  F/C  C
I am the living legacy to the leader of   the band
 
[Outro]
| C7  | C7  | F   | F   |
| Dm  | Am  | G   | C
 
 
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| h  Hammer-on
| p  Pull-off
 
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