Comments on: one of the greats will be leaving the stage

one of the greats will be leaving the stage

flapjax at midnite — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:55:24 -0800

The Band singer and drummer Levon Helm is in the final stages of cancer, according to a note posted on his website Tuesday by his wife, Sandy, and daughter, Amy.

Levon Helm Wikipedia Levon Helm IMDb page Levon Helm Facebook The Billboard article includes several of the Band's greatest songs, which will be, of course, familiar to even casual fans. Here's a relatively recent (2008) performance by Levon and crew, and a fine one indeed, of one of my favorite Band songs, Ophelia. Thanks so much for all the great, great music, Levon.

By: MonkeyToes

MonkeyToes — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:59:23 -0800

Oh damn, damn, damn. The voice may be stilled, but the songs remain.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:01:19 -0800

I got to see Levon (and Amy and an astounding backup band) perform in Central Park last summer and it was tremendous. He only sang on a few songs (and flap, one of them was "Ophelia") but his drumming was still tremendous. His work with the Band and on his own ranks with some of the best rock and roll ever and has inspired me throughout my life. Thank you, Mr. Helm.

By: reverend cuttle

reverend cuttle — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:02:04 -0800

sad news. "the weight" is our wedding song.

By: MonkeyToes

MonkeyToes — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:02:11 -0800

And that voice, performing Steve Earle's "The Mountain." Godspeed.

By: Kinbote

Kinbote — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:02:21 -0800

He is one hell of a non-renewable musical resource, and tonight he is in my prayers.

By: ocherdraco

ocherdraco — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:12:38 -0800

Once, I was visiting family friends in Finland, and Jukka, the patriarch of the family, and a rather obsessive television and stage director decided that for the few nights I was with them, he was going to show me some of what he considered to be truly great works of art on film. The first night he showed me The Last Waltz. I was hooked. .

By: ocherdraco

ocherdraco — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:12:58 -0800

(My . is premature, I know, but . is how I feel inside.)

By: Horace Rumpole

Horace Rumpole — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:17:15 -0800

I hate obituaries. I don't want to write an obituary for Levon Helm, who is, in the words of his family, entering the last stages of his battle with cancer. So I'll write about him now, before he's gone. That way this isn't an obituary. It's a celebration.

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:17:38 -0800

Oh, I am sorry to hear that. I applaud him for all the amazing work he has done since his diagnosis. Bless him for using his time with us to create so many memorable musical experiences (and many of them with family and friends, which must have been a double joy for him and for them).

By: entropicamericana

entropicamericana — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:23:41 -0800

If you haven't experienced "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" from The Last Waltz, you owe it to yourself to check it out. They should have never have taken the very best... Amen, Levon.

By: Sailormom

Sailormom — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:35:29 -0800

A Train Robbery - Levon Helm A man who made the world a better place.

By: KingEdRa

KingEdRa — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:35:34 -0800

My prayers go out to Levon and his family. My mother got to know him back in the 80's & 90's (she was his dental hygienist) and would always talk of his kindness and warmhearted nature. The world will be a poorer place without him in it.

By: ThatCanadianGirl

ThatCanadianGirl — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:38:38 -0800

This makes me sad. I loved The Band. I read somewhere that what made The Band's music so great that every song sounded like it was some really old song already in the public domain. Absolutely true.

By: newfers

newfers — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:38:46 -0800

There's nothing I can say that says it well enough. First Richard Manuel, then Rick Danko, and soon, Levon Helm... Dammit, it just kills me.

By: OmieWise

OmieWise — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:39:29 -0800

It's funny, there isn't one shot of Hudson or Manuel in that cut from the Last Waltz of Dixie. This news makes me very sad. I love the Band, and I love Helm. I've always been curious how Helm felt about missing out on the '65 and '66 Dylan tours. Has anyone read his autobiography? Does he discuss it?

By: pemberkins

pemberkins — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:40:19 -0800

Sad news. Thanks for everything, Levon. I'll be playing The Band tonight.

By: ericost

ericost — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:45:56 -0800

Dreadful.

By: jabo

jabo — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:49:36 -0800

I'll have to pull out my old Band albums tonight and listen to the voice from Turkey Scratch.

By: rollbiz

rollbiz — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:49:38 -0800

Fucking goddamn cancer.

By: hippybear

hippybear — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:55:27 -0800

Goodness. Such sad news for his family and for music as a family at large. He helped create so much. Fuck cancer. My thoughts are with Levon and his family during this time of transition for all of them. I guess I'll have to revisit some of his work over the next week.

By: jonmc

jonmc — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:55:30 -0800

When I saw Levon, Amy was 8 months pregnant but still singing her ass off (I've always felt a kinship to her too, since according to Levon's autobio we were born the same exact day), so I'm glad Levon got to spend time with his grandkid and vie versa.

By: louche mustachio

louche mustachio — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:06:17 -0800

Heartbreaking news. The Band has been on heavy rotation in this house for years; Levon is a hero (I mean, how can you sing that powerfully and play drums that well?) I got to see him play at the Winnipeg Folk Festival a couple years ago. There were Band songs being sung all around the campground (as folkies are wont to do.) Everyone knew all the words, of course.

By: wellvis

wellvis — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:13:19 -0800

I was lucky enough to be one of those in attendance at the Last Waltz on Thanksgiving Day 1976 in San Francisco. It was the best $25.00 ticket I ever bought. A full feast (vegetarian, turkey, and salmon), dancing to the Berkeley Philharmonic Orchestra, the Band, poets, and all their special guests. Levon Helm was my favorite singer in the Band and an excellent drummer. My prayers go out for a safe passage for him, and condolences to his friends and family.

By: Benny Andajetz

Benny Andajetz — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:19:22 -0800

For my money, The Band was, hands down, the best rock and roll band of all time. I read one time that they played more than 50 instruments between them. They were a motley crew with some serious issues; the last time I saw them was several nights before Richard Manuel hung himself. But they were one of those bands that could just pull you in with the obvious joy they had playing music. Levon grinning, Rick bouncing his head like a chicken, Robbie sweating through his suit and biting his lip, Garth enthroned at his keyboards looking like a mad scientist and Richard, well he was kinda mopey but when he smiled it was definitely genuine. Nothing lasts, unfortunately. Levon has had a great run and brought a lot of people joy. He's played a shitty hand pretty well this last decade, and I hope his outro is as comfortable as possible.

By: snuffleupagus

snuffleupagus — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:21:52 -0800

From The Last Waltz: The Weight (w/the Staples Singers) I Shall Be Released In case anyone looking in isn't sure, Levon's on the drums. More recently, he's put out some very good solo albums. Growing Trade. His loss is going to be painful.

By: octothorpe

octothorpe — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:26:11 -0800

No. That just sucks. What a giant of music, it's hard to even calculate how much The Band has influenced music for the last forty years. I'm glad that I got to see them twice in the post-Robertson era, once with Richard Manuel and then once after he left us. My sister has tickets to see Helm in Northampton, MA in a few weeks, she's going to be crushed. Damn. What a loss to the world.

By: snuffleupagus

snuffleupagus — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:26:24 -0800

Richard Manuel hung himself Huh. So, I could have sworn my Dad had told me Manuel died of an OD, sitting on a bench in Golden Gate park watching the sun come up. Having looked it up, Benny is correct. Did I mix up my stories--i.e. does that describe a different musician's death--or does my old man have this completely wrong?

By: snuffleupagus

snuffleupagus — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:27:06 -0800

Oops. Let me try that again: Growing Trade.

By: leslies

leslies — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:28:05 -0800

Was so sorry to see this - he'll be missed - such a tremendous musician.

By: mediareport

mediareport — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:29:11 -0800

He also wrote an autobiography (1993 NYT review), which (not to get negative, but) was pretty scathing about Robbie Robertson and The Last Waltz. Sad/strange; I pulled Music From Big Pink for the first time in years to do the dishes to last night. I hope his passing is as painless as possible; the man's voice still goes straight to my spine. Side note/pet peeve: don't believe folks who tell you Music From Big Pink wasn't a psychedelic record. It's folk and roots and Americana and all that, sure, and sounded very different from the rest of the 1968 airwaves, sure, but that record is drenched in psychedelic goodness. I mean, have you listened to the lyrics to Caledonia Mission recently?

By: octothorpe

octothorpe — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:30:41 -0800

King Harvest and Long Black Vail from 1970

By: octothorpe

octothorpe — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:52:20 -0800

Just Another Whistle Stop from '74. Not that memorable a song in itself but one hell of a performance. Those guys could play up a storm.

By: hwestiii

hwestiii — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:58:46 -0800

It's kind of weird, but one of my favorite songs of The Band was their cover of Springsteen's "Atlantic City". I think it's my favoite Springsteen cover. Helm's voice has just the right amount of grit and weariness for it.

By: Lutoslawski

Lutoslawski — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:59:24 -0800

The Weight has long been one of my all time favorite songs. This is sad news.

By: bowline

bowline — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:59:30 -0800

;

By: MexicanYenta

MexicanYenta — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:03:14 -0800

This really, really sucks.

By: TheWhiteSkull

TheWhiteSkull — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:07:47 -0800

Now I don't mind chopping wood, and I don't care if the money's no good...

By: emelenjr

emelenjr — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:08:02 -0800

Wow, I'm going to miss him. The Last Waltz has no equal among concert films. He never lost his chops. Here he is four years ago.

By: Divine_Wino

Divine_Wino — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:10:47 -0800

Thank you Levon.

By: octothorpe

octothorpe — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:12:52 -0800

He could be fine actor at times too. Check out this clip from Coal Miner's Daughter.

By: marxchivist

marxchivist — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:19:19 -0800

I've been a fan for a long time, this is too bad. I remember staying up past midnight at my friend Scott's house around 1979, his family had some weird proto-cable thing called "ON-TV" that came in through an antenna. They were showing The Last Waltz and we were very excited to see The Band onstage with all our other heroes: Eric Clapton and Neil Young and Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan, it was all too much. My friend Scott died of cancer last week at the age of 49. Every god damn song on my Ipod reminds me of Scott. Fuck you cancer.

By: drhydro

drhydro — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:28:08 -0800

Damn. I hate to hear this. One of the greats, indeed. I've said this on mefi before: When I was at the U of Ark in Fayetteville, in the early 60s, Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks owned a part interest in a place called the Rockwood Club. BYOB- under the table, paper bag, Coke setups, college freshmen playing grownup. Levon Helm was from Springdale, and so the band was sorta home town folks to us... I even jammed with them once. Then they moved up to Canada, and I lost track of em for several years. Came back to grad school and all of a sudden there was this Big Pink thing, and there they were backing Dylan..... wow.

By: timsteil

timsteil — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:37:13 -0800

One of the better. most moving moments of my life, was checking into, let's just say not the most fashionable hotel in the Mississippi Delta. A blues landmark. At this point, I am so proud of myself, to be able to actually take pen to paper, and sign the register book, I am about to crap myself, considering myself a great pioneer. And as the proprietor hands me the register, turned to the page for me to sign, and a pen, the first thing that pops out at me, written in a brilliant blue ink, in about the neatest handwriting I have ever seen, just above above where I was about to sign my name, were the words "Levon Helm, Woodstock, New York" And let me just back up and say I have been a player for 35 years. I never had any illusions about being a star. While I never had a day job, the way it wrings out is I only played one stadium in my life and that sucked. Huge. I cherish that moment in the hotel in ways I really shouldnt, but for that one moment in time? Just to see my name so close to his? Might have lasted 20 seconds, to look down, see the name, and smile and think and write. "Wow! Me and Levon Helm? Am I a part of this familiy now? This is unreal." I dreamed of many things that night in the hotel, and one of them was clinking pints with him all night until it was morning.

By: philip-random

philip-random — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:41:32 -0800

... taking on a Little Richard number in 1970 (Festival Express).

By: doctor_negative

doctor_negative — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:55:58 -0800

By: crunchland

crunchland — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:13:25 -0800

By: Gronk

Gronk — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:26:25 -0800

I'm not exactly sure why but this news just crushes me. There is something so pure about Helm's music and voice. I really love all of his work and have been excited every time something new came along. I really, really wanted to take a spur-of-the-moment road trip to see one of his Midnight Rambles and now it doesn't look like I'll have the chance. Damn. Take a weight off, Mr. Helm. Peace and good wishes to you and your family.

By: incandissonance

incandissonance — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:30:22 -0800

He has brought much pleasure to many lives...I hope he has a peaceful journey beyond. Thank you Levon.

By: Meatbomb

Meatbomb — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:31:20 -0800

He really is my favourite. Robbie tried to get the cameras pointing at him, but anyone with the inside scoop knows it was Levon's band. I am so glad that my dad took me up to Woodstock a few years back, when I was in NYC, to see him play at the "Midnight Ramble". It is (was) a monthly concert held in his spacious home theatre / recording studio, to an intimate crowd of maybe 200 or so. He was frail but still in his groove. I was frequently stepping out for a smoke, and at the end of the show I managed to bump into the volunteer fire department, and sort of invited myself into the circle for a little funky somethin' somethin'. Flapjax, Ophelia is also my fav by a long shot - the vocals are so powerful, excellent instrumentation. And the lyrics are able to evoke the situation so strongly, and so economically. Fantastic. ROCK ON LEVON.

By: timsteil

timsteil — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:33:03 -0800

By: Jon_Evil

Jon_Evil — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:36:43 -0800

catch a cannonball, gonna take me on down the line my bag is sinkin' low, and I do believe it's time...

By: Meatbomb

Meatbomb — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:38:35 -0800

And here is the canonical version of Ophelia, with Levon in his prime. If you haven't seen the entirety of The Last Waltz you really need to get on that.

By: Alvy Ampersand

Alvy Ampersand — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:41:06 -0800

I got to see him play at the Winnipeg Folk Festival a couple years ago. My comment was going to be "A frequent regret is that I didn't go to see Helm at the Winnipeg Folk Fest a couple years ago." You lucky duck. Also regretting not getting around to putting together The Band FPP I've been meaning to for the past few months.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:45:24 -0800

The Last Waltz previously on MetaFilter.

By: fingers_of_fire

fingers_of_fire — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:10:31 -0800

Lest they get lost in all the Last Waltz love, let me raise a glass to two other devastating live recordings of the Band - Rock of Ages and my favorite, Before the Flood - the latter sides split between the Band and the Band backing Dylan. Holy smokes, that's some powerful firewater. (I'm mobile at the moment and can't easily provide links, sorry) travel safe, Levon.

By: TheDonF

TheDonF — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:32:16 -0800

Thank you, Levon. Your contribution to music, and my love of it, has been truly wonderful.

By: bjgeiger

bjgeiger — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:02:47 -0800

I have no words to express the heavy feeling in my heart tonight:-(

By: e-man

e-man — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:19:02 -0800

Playing the "Across the Great Divide" collection as I type - "The Weight" just came on. I wonder if Helm and Robertson ever reconciled? I was lucky enough to see The Band on their first reunion tour in 1983, at Vancouver's Queen E Theatre. As one reviewer noted (paraphrasing from memory), without Robertson they were like a T-Bird running on only seven cylinders, but they still beat most other cars on the road at the time. And I hate to be contrarian, but *the* definitive version of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" is to be found on "Before the Flood". All the fury and passion that song commands can be found right there. "I Shall Be Released" just finished - segue to "Chest Fever".... RIP

By: readery

readery — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:21:24 -0800

I Love Don't Do It. The song has remained a favorite since...well a long, damn time. I wish he wrote a new memoir to cover the years since that last one. He had so much anger still from The Band's final days. It would be great to hear all about the second half of his career and The Rambles. He will be missed.

By: Lorin

Lorin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:33:35 -0800

As a young guitar player, the first time I ever sat up and thought "Damn, that drummer is awesome!" was Levon Helm with the Band. Often I read news like this with a detached sort of sadness, but apparently not tonight... Listening to When I Paint My Masterpiece and just bawling my eyes out. Thanks for posting, and thanks Levon.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:36:46 -0800

very sad news.

By: mikelieman

mikelieman — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 03:42:13 -0800

Levon Helm Ramble at the Ryman - With John Hiatt (2009) - The Weight

By: marxchivist

marxchivist — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:00:54 -0800

Like e-man says above, I think Before the Flood contains some of The Band's most incendiary performances. There seems to be a dearth of cuts from that album on youtube. While looking I did find this performance of "Up On Cripple Creek" with Ringo's band. Levon looks like he's having fun.

By: man down under

man down under — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:22:39 -0800

I was raised as a Dylan kid...Before the flood is one of my favorite albums of all time, and it is Levon that makes that album shine. A sad day, but evoking some wonderful memories all he same.

By: private_idaho

private_idaho — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:37:55 -0800

The best...ever.

By: stompadour

stompadour — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:47:00 -0800

I first heard The Band when my dad put their self-titled album on while we were making dinner when I was 13. At the time, I thought that calling your band The Band was kind of presumptuous, but I have since recognized the truth. Levon Helm is a national fucking treasure.

By: jferg

jferg — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 07:07:01 -0800

So Daniel took his harp and went high on the hill He blew across the meadow like a whippoorwill He played out his harp just for time to pass And when he looked to the ground He noticed no shadow did he cast. Fortunately for the world, some people don't need to sell their soul to make a lifetime of great music.

By: maurice

maurice — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:15:12 -0800

The cover photo on the Levon Helm Facebook page has been changed to a touching photo of him with his dog. What a great talent. So glad I finally got to see him perform a few years ago.

By: Sailormom

Sailormom — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:22:55 -0800

Last week I was shocked and so saddened to hear that my old band mate, Levon, was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. It hit me really hard because I thought he had beaten throat cancer and had no idea that he was this ill. I spoke with his family and made arrangements to go and see him. On Sunday I went to New York and visited him in the hospital. I sat with Levon for a good while, and thought of the incredible and beautiful times we had together. It was heartwarming to be greeted by his lovely daughter Amy, whom I have known since she was born. Amy's mother, Libby Titus, and her husband, Donald Fagen, were so kind to help walk me through this terrible time of sadness. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandy. Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I've ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever. -Robbie Robertson via

By: Eyebeams

Eyebeams — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:54:56 -0800

The YT of King Harvest that Octothorpe posted above is beautiful. Thanks.

By: mygothlaundry

mygothlaundry — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:51:05 -0800

Oh man. I'm so, so sorry to hear this. Northern Lights, Southern Cross was one of the very first albums I ever owned and it's remained in heavy rotation in the thirty odd years ever since.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:41:34 -0800

Early in the morning When the church bells toll The choir's gonna sing And the hearse will roll On down to the graveyard Where it's cold and gray And then the sun's gonna shine Through the shadows When I go away Don't want no sorrow For this old orphan boy I don't want no crying Only tears of joy I'm gonna see my mother Gonna see my father And I'll be bound for glory In the morning When I go away I'll be lifted up to the clouds On the wings of angels There's only flesh and bones In the ground Where my troubles will stay See that storm over yonder It's gonna rain all day But then the sun's gonna shine Through the shadows When I go away (I'm going home - Lift me up) When I go away (No more trouble - I'm going home) (Lift me up - When I go away) No more crying (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away) No more trials (I'm going home) Home to leave my worries in the ground (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away) No more troubles (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away) No more crying (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away) No more trials (I'm going home) Home to leave my worries in the graveyard Home to leave my troubles in the graveyard Home to leave my trials And I'll be bound for glory In the morning When I go away All my kin who love me All my friends who care Look beyond the dark clouds We're gonna meet up there When they lay me in the cold ground Bow your heads and pray (Bow your heads and pray) And I'll be bound for glory In the morning When I go away And then the sun's gonna shine Through the shadows When I go away (I'm going home - Lift me up) When I go away (No more trouble - I'm going home) (Lift me up - When I go away) No more crying (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away) No more trials (I'm going home) Home to leave my worries in the graveyard (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away) No more troubles (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away) No more crying (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away) No more trials (I'm going home) Home to leave my worries in the graveyard Home to leave my troubles in the graveyard Home to leave my trials And I'll be bound for glory In the morning When I go away And then the sun's gonna shine Through the shadows When I go away Ah, when I go away When I go away (When I go away) When I go away (When I go away) When I go away

By: octothorpe

octothorpe — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 16:49:48 -0800

Damn Flapjax, now I'm all weepy. Nothing like staring death in the face and singing your own eulogy, the man's a badass to the end.

By: Richat

Richat — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:31:21 -0800

I'm just gutted by this. I'm also so pleased that I did manage to see him live once, not that long ago, at Massey Hall in Toronto. Levon's been one of the giants to me since I was about 23, and read his autobiography. As I say, I'm gutted to face the world without him in it. Oh, and OmieWise, from what I can recall, Levon CHOSE to bail on those Dylan tours. He felt that he didn't get into the business to be booed, so he took off and let the others do their thing.

By: blessedlyndie

blessedlyndie — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:35:41 -0800

Thanks, Sir Flapjax, for posting this. When I was young and had my first son, I named him after Bob Dylan. When I was (much) older and wiser, I named my second son after Levon Helm. Whatever there is after this life, Mr Helm, I hope you are repaid, a thousand fold, for the light and joy you brought to so many, including me.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:39:51 -0800

from what I can recall, Levon CHOSE to bail on those Dylan tours Pretty sure I heard Levon indicate that in an interview somewhere.

By: octothorpe

octothorpe — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 04:53:49 -0800

I can't find my copy of his autobiography and haven't read it since it came out but I'm pretty sure that Helm quit touring at that point and went and worked on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico for a while.

By: ThatCanadianGirl

ThatCanadianGirl — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 07:29:58 -0800

flapjax, that was such a great link. Thanks! Yes, in Levon's autobiography he talks about leaving the Dylan tour because of the booing and going to work on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. When he decided to come back to music he found out that Richard Manual had learned to be a drummer so he taught himself the mandolin so he'd have something to do when Manual was on drums.

By: deadmessenger

deadmessenger — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:24:25 -0800

Levon Helm has died. .

By: fingers_of_fire

fingers_of_fire — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:26:45 -0800

By: deadmessenger

deadmessenger — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:30:45 -0800

Better article.

By: The Card Cheat

The Card Cheat — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:35:18 -0800

By: Lynsey

Lynsey — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:00:24 -0800

Gone on to that great music hall in the sky. Thank you, Levon, for all the great tunes over the years.

By: middleclasstool

middleclasstool — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:21:56 -0800

Sad day. I'm glad his pain is over. Cancer is such shit. There is not enough hate in the world for it.

By: dhens

dhens — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:24:45 -0800

As I said in the deleted obit thread, while I usually prefer Bob Dylan's renditions of his own songs, I can't imagine anyone else but Levon singing "When I Paint My Masterpiece." .

By: Meatbomb

Meatbomb — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:26:35 -0800

By: jferg

jferg — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:27:02 -0800

By: rocket88

rocket88 — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:34:13 -0800

Thanks for the music, Levon. Say hi to Rick and Richard for me.

By: princelyfox

princelyfox — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:43:32 -0800

By: chuq

chuq — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:50:27 -0800

By: boofidies

boofidies — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:52:02 -0800

By: lalochezia

lalochezia — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:02:51 -0800

By: Herodios

Herodios — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:03:17 -0800

Play it fucking loud -- a warrior is on his way. .

By: Lutoslawski

Lutoslawski — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:05:08 -0800

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:12:10 -0800

By: OmieWise

OmieWise — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:18:11 -0800

By: readery

readery — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:27:58 -0800

By: oneirodynia

oneirodynia — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:40:23 -0800

I hadn't seen any of the news about Levon Helm, but had coincidentally been listening to a bunch of The Band on YouTube a few nights ago. Very sad news. Elton John and Bernie Taupin were fans of The Band and "Levon" was named for him.

By: -t

-t — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:44:16 -0800

By: Halloween Jack

Halloween Jack — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:52:42 -0800

By: lowest east side

lowest east side — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:06:18 -0800

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:20:55 -0800

By: dbiedny

dbiedny — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:53:39 -0800

Be at peace, Levon. .

By: dbiedny

dbiedny — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:55:08 -0800

From earlier this year.

By: snuffleupagus

snuffleupagus — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:21:18 -0800

By: drhydro

drhydro — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:33:35 -0800

By: Mental Wimp

Mental Wimp — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:38:13 -0800

. No more from this consummate musician. I am sad.

By: friendlyjuan

friendlyjuan — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:41:30 -0800

Damn, this is hitting me a lot harder than I expected. I almost never get emotional about the passing of musicians or the like, but Levon and the Band mean so much to me. A couple articles upthread suggest that he went out peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. I can only hope for so much when my time comes. Gonna put on some tunes and celebrate the life and work of an American musical treasure.

By: Sailormom

Sailormom — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:06:03 -0800

R.I.P. .

By: jonmc

jonmc — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:25:55 -0800

By: bjgeiger

bjgeiger — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:30:37 -0800

By: Cosine

Cosine — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:34:07 -0800

By: Kinbote

Kinbote — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:16:24 -0800

By: songs about trains

songs about trains — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:18:26 -0800

By: trip and a half

trip and a half — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:24:34 -0800

I'll just put this here. Thanks for everything. Take a load off. .

By: JohnnyGunn

JohnnyGunn — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:26:03 -0800

Take a load off Fanny...

By: Sys Rq

Sys Rq — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:30:33 -0800

. It's Annie, not Fanny!

By: trip and a half

trip and a half — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:36:55 -0800

No. It's Fanny.

By: Sailormom

Sailormom — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:40:26 -0800

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. Bob Dylan

By: brennen

brennen — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:15:25 -0800

By: scody

scody — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 22:11:25 -0800

Take a load off, Levon. RIP.

By: owalt1

owalt1 — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:01:02 -0800

The Weight helped me survive my teenage years. Music From Big Pink and the Basement Tapes still form the tropics of my musical world, and I know that every time I put Rock of Ages on Levon and the band are gonna rock my soul with Alan Touissant's horn arrangements. Now, we'll have to take a load from Levon and simply pray that his grace will help us find our path. Thank you, Mr. Helm. My life would have been much poorer without you.

By: owalt1

owalt1 — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:03:18 -0800

oops. bad syntax. . .

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:30:59 -0800

Dear friends, I lost my father today....he passed peacefully, surrounded by friends and family. The outpour of love and support I have received in the last 2 weeks has been overwhelming to me. I cannot begin to express how deeply moved I am by the people who have reached out... poems, prayers, beautiful words of comfort, offers to bring food, help with babysitting, and on and on and on... As I've been walking through this incredible heartbreak, the letters, e-mails, text messages, and phone calls have lifted up my spirit and helped me stay strong and present for him throughout. I started this facebook page in the hope of reaching back to many of you and telling you how truly grateful I am for all of the support. It's hard to really convey how much it means... I'm sure many of you understand and have gone through similar losses. With Love, Amy

By: JBennett

JBennett — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:36:37 -0800

Sad news. My favorite drummer. A friend affectionately described his fills as sounding like "a guy falling down a flight of stairs". He left behind a great body of work. And, Bob Dylan says: 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.

By: chococat

chococat — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:12:44 -0800

There will be Levon music playing loud in our house tonight.

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:15:09 -0800

If you've got a copy of Dylan's Planet Waves, crank up Tough Mama, chococat. Levon at his funkiest.

By: tommasz

tommasz — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:26:44 -0800

By: flapjax at midnite

flapjax at midnite — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 08:46:51 -0800

Don't Do It - the Academy of Music, NYC, 1971.

By: zaelic

zaelic — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:26:55 -0800

By: Mcable

Mcable — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:44:38 -0800

I guess this is Levon's Obituary thread? I leave you with a small contribution from his acting career. A line from the Right Stuff, where he played Jack Ridley, Chuck Yeager's drop ship pilot. "Sir, is that a man?" "Damn right it is." .

By: hippybear

hippybear — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:10:48 -0800

Wolfgang's Vault's page celebration Levon Helm's life and commemorating his passing.

By: hippybear

hippybear — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:11:23 -0800

celebration = celebrating I saw the error right as I clicked post. Dammit.

By: El Brendano

El Brendano — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 03:20:01 -0800

By: Trochanter

Trochanter — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 10:46:33 -0800

Robbie Robertson's songs and Levon's voice together are one of American music's great gestalts. I was just reading a Slate piece on Helm, and there was a line about how Helm's voice could make any song sound like an American traditional. It was so perfect for what Robertson was doing as a song writer.

By: maudlin

maudlin — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:15:10 -0800

Springsteen (and crowd): The Weight.

By: maudlin

maudlin — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:18:59 -0800

(This one includes Bruce's spoken tribute before the song.)