Always loved this song. Unlike Dan Fogelberg, though, I sing the chorus after each verserather than after the second and fourth.


A Lonely child, alone and wild, a cabinet maker's son,
His hands were meant for different work,His soul was known to none,
He left his home and went his lone and solitary way
But he gave to me a gift that I know,I never can repay.

(Ch) The Leader of the Band is tired and his eyes are growing old,
But his blood runs through my instrument, his song is in my soul,
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man,
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band.

A quiet man of music, denied a simpler fate,
He tried to be a soldier once but his music couldn't wait,
He earned his love through discipline with a thundering velvt hand,
And his simple way of sculpting souls took me years to understand.

My brothers' lives were different for they heard another call,
One went to Chicago, the other to St Paul,
While I'm in Colorado when I'm not in some motel,
Living out this life I chose and have come to know so well.

So I thank you for the music and your stories of the road,
I thank you for the freedom when it came my time to go,
And I thank you for the kindness and the times when you got tough,
And Dad I know that I just never said 'I love you' near enough.