Leader of the Band
"Leader of the Band" is a song written by Dan Fogelberg from his 1981 album The Innocent Age. The song was written as a tribute to his father, Lawrence Fogelberg, a musician and the leader of a band, who was still alive at the time the song was released.[1] Lawrence died in August 1982, but not before this hit song made him a celebrity with numerous media interviews interested in him as its inspiration.[2]
"Leader of the Band" | ||||
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Single by Dan Fogelberg | ||||
from the album The Innocent Age | ||||
B-side | "Times Like These" | |||
Released | 1981 | |||
Genre | Folk rock, soft rock | |||
Length | 4:21 | |||
Label | Full Moon/Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Dan Fogelberg | |||
Producer(s) | Dan Fogelberg, Marty Lewis | |||
Dan Fogelberg singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
Dan Fogelberg - Leader of the Band (from Live: Greetings from the West) on YouTube |
Released as a single at the end of 1981, the tribute peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart[3] in March 1982.[4] It became Fogelberg's second #1 song on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, following his 1980 hit "Longer".[5] On the Radio & Records charts, "Leader of the Band" peaked at #2 on the CHR/Pop chart, and hit #1 on the AC chart.
Charts
Chart (1982) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard Hot 100[6] | 9 |
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[7] | 1 |
Year-end chart (1982) | Rank |
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US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[8] | 35 |
Other versions
- Lucie Arnaz has performed a version of the song as a tribute to her late father, Desi Arnaz.
- Regine Velasquez recorded this song in 2008 for her album Low Key, and she also performed the song to her father, Gerardo Velasquez, while he was still alive.
- Zac Brown recorded this song in 2017 as part of a tribute album to Dan Fogelberg. He also dedicated it to his father.
References
- "Dan Fogelberg Official Website Frequently Asked Questions (As answered in 2003)". 2003. Retrieved 2010-07-11.
"Leader of the Band" was written for my father Lawrence Fogelberg who was a musician, educator, and band leader. I was so gratified that I was able to give him that song before he passed on.
- Fogelberg, Dan. "FAQ's". danfogelberg.com. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
- Whitburn, Joel (1996)
- Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1982-03-06). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
- Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications)
- "Dan Fogelberg Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
- "Dan Fogelberg Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
- "Talent in Action : Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 51. December 25, 1982. p. TIA-20.