Multi-instrumentalist and virtuoso musician Garth Hudson, the last living member of the iconic group The Band, has passed away at age 87. Closely associated with Bob Dylan, The Band produced such memorable hits as "The Weight," "Up On Cripple Creek,""The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," and many more. During performances, Hudson stayed in the background, focused on playing a range of instruments from piano, to saxophone, to accordion, providing the essentials necessary to make the song whole. "I Shall Be Released" is one of those songs. R.I.P.
As you likely know, The Band's co- founder, lead guitarist and main songwriter Robbie Robertson passed away this past Wednesday at the age of 80. After serving as Bob Dylan's backup band (as The Hawks), the group changed their name to The Band and emerged as a musical force in the late 1960s through mid- 1970s, mixing their own distinct and timeless songwriting with traditional music, and continuing collaborations with Dylan. Canadian- born Robertson contributed such classics to 20th Century American music as "Up On Cripple Creek," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," and one of our selections today, their signature song (written by Robertson), "The Weight." (You should also check out this version of "The Weight" with global musicians led by Robertson in 2019 -- stunning.) We're also including one of their Dylan interpretations, "I Shall Be Released," with Richard Manuel's haunting vocal (keyboardist Garth Hudson, who turned 86 on August 2, is the sole surviving member of The Band). The great Martin Scorcese film "The Last Waltz" documents their final performance, and is a must- see for any music fan.
Before he was Robbie Robertson, the future rock star was born Jaime Royal Robertson, the son of a Mohawk mother who was raised on the Six Nations reserve in Ontario. He learned later in life that his biological father, Alexander Klegerman, was a Jewish member of the Toronto underworld who was known for his gambling.
All the great ones are departing this mortal coil, one after another. RIP.
The universally- acclaimed debut studio album by The Band, "Music From Big Pink," was released on this day in 1968. Though not necessarily to everyone's musical tastes at the time, this "roots rock" album was highly influential for other musicians, including CSNY, Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton. We're featuring not the best known cut ("The Weight"), but the two cuts that closed the album, "This Wheel's on Fire" (written by Bob Dylan and bass guitarist Rick Danko, who sings lead) and "I Shall Be Released" (written by Dylan and sung by pianist Richard Manuel). Sadly, three of The Band, Manuel (d. 1986), Danko (d. 1999), and Levon Helm (d. 2012) have been "released," leaving only Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson as surviving members. Album cover art by Bob Dylan. Hope you enjoy.
The Band's critically acclaimed first album, "Music From Big Pink," was released 50 years ago this month (yeah, yeah, we know). We're featuring the last two cuts from that album, both composed by Bob Dylan: "This Wheel's On Fire," and "I Shall Be Released." Rick Danko sings lead on the first (which he co- wrote with Dylan) and Richard Manuel sings lead on the second. Hope you enjoy.
R.I.P. Levon Helm, who passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer. He was 71. Helm was the drummer and one of the singers for The Band, an influential rock group of the 1960's. Here he is doing the lead vocal on "The Weight," judged one of the greatest songs in rock history:
