The Band is influential as music gets. And, I be remiss not to point out that although Helm was from Arkansas, The Band was born as one iteration of the Hawks, backing Ronnie Hawkins in a standing residency in Hamilton, Ontario (home of @Can-addick, and if I'm not mistaken @rileyaddick1967 as well).
It was here that the Band came together, and it was here in downtown Hamilton that they split from Hawkins, leading to their next gig as the backing band for Bob Dylan (after a brief blip performing as something called "The Canadian Squires"!) The rest, as they say, is history. Here's a casual history that I found in a hurry.
The Band were (and ARE, in the memory) very very special. made it all look so easy. If you search the youtube (Last Waltz) Emmylou Harris Evangeline song, you see them having swapped instruments around, Levon on mandolin in this case, and because they were all so so musical it was never showy, never a problem, just a bunch of guys thinking it, then feeling it, then doing it. Levon RIP, say hello to fellow Canadian Kate McGarrigle in musical heaven there...sadly missed, but grateful you were here.
The Band moved music along in the late 60's from the excess of Sgt Pepper/Bonde on Blonde/Pet Sounds back to a more rural sound and Levon was the southern spirit amongst the other Canandians in the Band. If you read This Wheels On Fire his autobiography he rails against the showbizz that entered the scene. A good old boy great drummer and singer another one of the greats has gone.
"Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon. He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul."
I had a tear in my eye when I heard.
As I said on the other thread a true genius of a man. If you've not heard the music of the Band then I envy you. So much great stuff to hear fresh. Fleet Foxes, all the Americana, Alt-Country acts owe so much to them. His recent Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt albums are also very good.
Top fella and The band were a stepping stone or more accurately a link between country, rock, bluegrass, blues and gospel, a more edgy Eagles if you like, I grew up listening to The Band, RIP.
Other members of the Band were also top musicians.Richard Manuel who sadly took his own life and Garth Hudson who was a classical pianist who made the leap to make a top rock keyboard player.He also was pretty useful on the Tuba and the Euphonium.
Rag Mama Rag and The Weight, 2 of my all time favorites by the boys from the Big Pink ... the passing on of all these rock and roll irreplaceables serves to remind me that life is far too short and is there to be enjoyed. R I P Levon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDnlU6rPfwY
Comments
R.I.P
It was here that the Band came together, and it was here in downtown Hamilton that they split from Hawkins, leading to their next gig as the backing band for Bob Dylan (after a brief blip performing as something called "The Canadian Squires"!) The rest, as they say, is history. Here's a casual history that I found in a hurry.
http://theband.hiof.no/history/part_2.html
It's a term that is thrown around all too easily anymore, but he, and they, are truly legends.
RIP
Levon RIP, say hello to fellow Canadian Kate McGarrigle in musical heaven there...sadly missed, but grateful you were here.
If you read This Wheels On Fire his autobiography he rails against the showbizz that entered the scene.
A good old boy great drummer and singer another one of the greats has gone.
"Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon. He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul."
I had a tear in my eye when I heard.
As I said on the other thread a true genius of a man. If you've not heard the music of the Band then I envy you. So much great stuff to hear fresh. Fleet Foxes, all the Americana, Alt-Country acts owe so much to them. His recent Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt albums are also very good.
Sad news - fab band