Levon Helm: RIP

Drummer, singer, mandolin player and sometime actor Levon Helm known for his work in The Band died Thursday of cancer. The Band were "roots rock" and "Americana" before the term was invented and despite the fact that Levon was the only one not from Canada in the group. Levon was the lead singer on arguably their best known songs: The Weight, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down and Up On Cripple Creek.

At his farm/recording complex in Woodstock, NY Levon has been holding his Midnight Ramble since 2005. These were intimate 3-4 hour concerts that many times featured guest musicians such as Elvis Costello, Ralph Stanley, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris and Donald Fagen among many others. There are really too many to list. The last Ramble held in late March featured Los Lobos. I had read about them a few years ago and checked out his site, it almost made me wish I lived in upstate NY.

Just last week before word broke that he was in the final stages of cancer I pulled out the live CD Rock Of Ages and listened to the unreleased tracks including four with a guy they worked with extensively named Bob Dylan. He's somewhat well known:) It was recorded at a New Years gig with a brass section complimenting the group featuring arrangements by legendary musician Allen Toussaint who gives them a New Orleans/R&B feel.

The Band is also known for their legendary final concert , The Last Waltz, captured on film by music lover Martin Scorcese at Winterland in SF on Thanksgiving in 1976. If you haven't seen it do yourself a favor and watch The Band get a rousing send off with the help of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Joni Mitchell, Ronnie Hawkins, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Paul Butterfield.

Like my friend Ian said today, "All our musical heroes are going to start dying."

It sucks.