Mark Lavon “Levon” Helm, best known for his innovative rock drumming and gravelly voice as a member of The Band, died last Thursday at age 71. That’s a video of him (above) singing a tune written by bandmate Robbie Robertson at Woodstock in 1968. At The Band’s farewell performance in 1976, he performed “The Weight” again with the Staples Singers and horns arranged by Alan Toussaint, and recently sang it in Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium with songwriter John Hiatt.
Mr. Helm is also remembered by many for his performances of Robertson’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
Related:
“Levon Helm, Drummer and Rough-Throated Singer for the Band, Dies at 71,” Jon Pareles, New York Times
This Wheel’s on Fire: Levon Helm & the Story of the Band, Levon Helm and Steven Davis, 2nd ed. 2000 (read the Times review by Margo Jefferson)
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Tags: Levon Helm, music, rock, The Band
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April 23, 2012 at 7:14 am
UPDATE:
“Listen to Levon Helm’s Finest Moments: From ‘The Weight’ to ‘Atlantic City,” Andy Greene, Rolling Stone