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Dan Fogelberg - Leader Of The Band Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsG, C, Am, Em, D7, Bm, D
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
  • Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
  • Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
  • Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram
  • Guitar Bm chord diagram Fingering: 2-2-4-4-3-2 Barre at fret 2.Guitar Bm chord diagram
  • Guitar D chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-3-2Guitar D chord diagram

[Opening]
[G] [C] [Am] [Em] [D7] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G]
[G]An only [G]child, [G]alone and [G]wild, a [Bm]cabinet maker’s [C]son
[Am]His hands were meant for [Em]different work,
and his [Am]heart was known [C]to [D]none
[G]He left his [G]home and [G]went his lone and [Bm]solitary [C]way
And he [Am]gave to me a [Em]gift I know I [C]never [D7]can [G]repay.

[interlude]
[G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G]

[verse 2]
[G]A quiet [G]man of [G]mu[G]sic, [Bm]denied a simpler [C]fate
[Am]He tried to be a [Em]soldier once, but his [Am]music wouldn’t [C]wait [D]
[G]He earned his [G]love through [G]discipline, a [Bm]thund’ring, velvet [C]hand
His [Am]gentle means of [Em]sculpting souls [C]took me [D7]years to under[G]stand

[chorus]
The [C]leader of the [Bm]band is tired and his [C]eyes are growing [G]old
But his [Am]blood runs through my [Em]instrument
and his [Am]song is in my [C]soul [D]
My [C]life has been a [Bm]poor attempt to [C]imitate the [G]man
I’m [Am]just a living [Em]legacy to the [C]leader [D7]of the [G]band.

[verse 3]
[G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G]
[G]My brothers’ [G]lives were [G]diffe[G]rent, for they [Bm]heard another [C]call
[Am]One went to Chi[Em]cago and the [Am]other to Saint [C]Paul [D]
[G]And [G]I’m in [G]Colorado [G], when I’m [Bm]not in some [C]hotel
[Am]Living out this [Em]life I chose, and [C]come to [D7]know so [G]well [G] [G]

[verse 4]
[G] [C] [Am] [Em] [D7] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G]
[G]I thank [G]you for the [G]music and your [Bm]stories of the [C]road
[Am]I thank you for the [Em]freedom when it [Am]came my time to [C]go [D]
[G]I thank [G]you for the [G]kindness and the [Bm]times when you got [C]tough
And, [Am]Papa, I don’t [Em]think I said “I [C]love you” [D7]near [G]enough.

[chorus]
The [C]leader of the [Bm]band is tired and his [C]eyes are growing [G]old
But his [Am]blood runs through my [Em]instrument and his [Am]song is in my [C]soul [D]
My [C]life has been a [Bm]poor attempt to [C]imitate the [G]man
I’m [Am]just a living [Em]legacy to the [C]leader [D7]of the [G]band.

[Closing]
I [Am]am the living [Em]legacy to the leader [C]of [D]the [G]band

[outro]
[G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [G] [C] [Am] [Em] [D7] [G]

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistDan Fogelberg
AlbumThe Innocent Age
GenresRock
Year1981
KeyG

How to play Leader Of The Band on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Dan Fogelberg - Leader Of The Band on guitar requires 7 chords and 12 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Leader Of The Band uses these transitions most often: Am → Em (16), Bm → C (12), and C → Am (11). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with G - C chord transition.

1. G → C chord transition

Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

To move from G to C;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
G to C

2. C → Am chord transition

Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram

To move from C to Am;

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
C to Am

3. Am → Em chord transition

Guitar Am chord diagram Fingering: x-0-2-2-1-0Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram

To move from Am to Em;

  1. While playing Am, lift your index finger from B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
Am to Em

4. Em → D7 chord transition

Guitar Em chord diagram Fingering: 0-2-2-0-0-0Guitar Em chord diagram
Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram

To move from Em to D7;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.
Em to D7

5. D7 → G chord transition

To move from D7 to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.

6. G → Bm chord transition

To move from G to Bm;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to B string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 4.
  4. Place pinky on G string fret 4.

7. Bm → C chord transition

To move from Bm to C;

  1. While playing Bm, lift your pinky from G string fret 4.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Slide your middle finger from B string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  4. Lift your ring finger from D string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.

8. C → D chord transition

To move from C to D;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on B string fret 3.

9. D → G chord transition

To move from D to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from B string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

10. Em → C chord transition

To move from Em to C;

  1. Lift your middle finger from A string fret 2 and place it on D string fret 2.
  2. Slide your ring finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 3.
  3. Place index finger on B string fret 1.

11. C → D7 chord transition

To move from C to D7;

  1. Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
  2. Lift your middle finger from D string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to E string fret 2.

12. G → Am chord transition

To move from G to Am;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.

Leader Of The Band chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Leader Of The Band.

  • Leader Of The Band includes 116 chord transitions, 12 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Leader Of The Band contains 5 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Leader Of The Band connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → Am: 13%
    After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
    • C → G: 35%
    • C → D: 11%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.