Levon Helm Joins The Band in the Sky
Drummer from The Band Calls Time
Levon Helm lost his battle with cancer yesterday and joined that great band in the sky. Not just his former band mates in the legendary 70’s group The Band, but all those othe
r great musicians who have died this year and before.
This report from Forbes may not be the greatest tribute to Levon this week, but it does give some background information for those that are too young or unfamiliar with Levon and his former band mates.
A Tribute to Levon Helm’s Departed Band Mates Rick Danko and Richard Manuel
If you have not seen the film The Last Waltz, you really should. It is one of the best concert films of all time. Directed by Martin Scorsese, it features a host of guest performances from many great legends of rock music, including Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Ronnie Hawkins, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood and Neil Young to name but a few. It also serves as a great tribute to Levon Helm, as well as Rick Danko and Richard Manuel.
Elton John‘s song Levon also serves as a great tribute to Mr Helm. Apparently it was Helm’s name that inspired Bernie Taupin and Elton John to write this song. The Band was their favorite group at the time. Some of the the lyrics are really apt.
Nearly 20 years after the original Woodstock Festival, the biggest names in rock were brought back to recapture the mood and sound of that historic event. The sights and sounds are led by psychedelic tour guide Dr. Timothy Leary.