The Leader of the Band (1951-2007)

I was getting ready for work very early this morning, and was watching the news as I do just about every day, and found out that one of my favorite music artists, Dan Fogelberg, passed away from prostate cancer yesterday. I knew he had been battling it for a few years.

This talented artist's music influenced a lot of my thinking (and my choice of music) over the years. His gift of the ability to pass on incredible emotion in his music is one that many of his fans deeply appreciated. When I moved from home in 1984, I left the song, "The Leader of The Band" on the turntable at my father's house, with a note asking him to play it. I don't know if he did, but I do know that when I retrieved my music collection later from my father's house, that 45 was not in the collection (Do you still have it dad? If so, please keep it. I meant the thoughts in the song that day!). Here are the lyrics to that song, for those of you that may not recall it, or who have never heard it:

The Leader of The Band

An only child alone and wild

A cab'net maker's son

His hands were meant for diff'rent work

And his heart was known to none

He left his home

And went his lone and solitary way

And he gave to me a gift

I knowI never can repay

A quiet man of music

Denied a simpler fate

He tried to be a soldier once

But his music wouldn't wait

He earned his love thru' discipline

A thund'ring velvet hand

His gentle means of sculpting souls

Took me years to understand

The leader of the band is tired

And his eyes are growing old

But his blood runs thru' my instrument

And his song is in my soul

My life has been a poor attempt

To imitate the manI'm just a living legacy

To the leader of the band

My brother's lives were diff'rent

For they heard another call

One went to Chicago

And the other to St Paul

And I'm in Colorado

When I'm not in some hotel

Living out this life I've chose

And come to know so well

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

I thank you for the kindness

And the times when you got tough

And Papa I don't think I said

"I love you" near enough

The leader of the band is tired

And his eyes are growing old

But his blood runs thru' my instrument

And 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

I am the living legacy

To the leader of the band

Goodbye, Dan.