Levon Helm passed away yesterday.
From the New York Times:
Levon Helm, who helped to forge a deep-rooted American music as the drummer and singer for the Band, died on Thursday in Manhattan. He was 71 and lived in Woodstock, N.Y.
His death, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, was from complications of cancer, a spokeswoman for Vanguard Records said.
...In Mr. Helm’s drumming, muscle, swing, economy and finesse were inseparably merged. His voice held the bluesy, weathered and resilient essence of his Arkansas upbringing in the Mississippi Delta.
Mr. Helm was the American linchpin of the otherwise Canadian group that became Bob Dylan’s backup band and then the Band.
...Mr. Helm was in 11th grade when the Arkansas-born rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins hired him as a drummer. He traveled with Mr. Hawkins to Canada, where the shows paid better, and Mr. Hawkins settled there and formed a band. Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks played six nights a week in Ontario and had a number of hit singles, like “Mary Lou.” They performed on Dick Clark’s TV show “American Bandstand.”
By 1961 Mr. Hawkins had assembled the lineup that would become the Band: Mr. Helm, Mr. [Robbie] Robertson, Mr. [Richard] Manuel, Rick Danko on bass and Garth Hudson on organ.
There were reports earlier this week that Levon Helm was very ill, so his death doesn't come as a shock. Nonetheless, there's a jolt that comes with such news.
There are only two surviving members of The Band. Richard Manuel and Rick Danko died in 1986 and 1999, respectively.
The music lives.
Rest in Peace.
_____________
Bob Dylan: In response to Levon’s passing
He was my bosom buddy friend to the end, one of the last true great spirits of my or any other generation. This is just so sad to talk about. I still can remember the first day I met him and the last day I saw him. We go back pretty far and had been through some trials together. I'm going to miss him, as I'm sure a whole lot of others will too.
No comments:
Post a Comment