His voice at this stage of his life was perfect for this song. You can hear the pain of the song. Just beautiful. Safe passage, Levon. Thank you for your life.
What is so incredible about Levon is how his singing bridges generations and musical genres. This is Americana past and present. Levon is such a vital part of our American musical history.
Scrolling through the comments it's so wonderful to see so many people Levon touched with his music and his basic goodness. The only artist I can remember whose death generated such an outpouring of love, respect, sadness, and admiration in the last 50 years has been John Lennon. I hope Levon realized how many people out there truly loved his music and admired him as a person. He was always my favorite member of The Band, but the years since then showed a fuller side of Levon. A great, great musician and an even better man.
As soon as Larry Campbell pulls bow across strings you know you're in for something special. An epic performance by one of the greats. Levon did some of his best work in his last years. God bless you for the music you shared with us.
With tears running down my cheeks, I am looking up to Heaven and trying my best to smile. I am 56 yrs. old and heartbroken for this loss. One of my many "Heros" but not just any one of them..This was Levon! A very important factor in the style of music I sing and play today is because of This Man....Truly Missed....Till we meet again....."Put The Load Right On Me"
Being from the smoky mountains in TN his voice really moves me. It reminds me of all the men I grew up around like my dad and grandpa's. Ole bluegrass and blues touches the soul! I'm so thankful men and artist of such talent and character like Mr. helm have graced this earth.
If you hear the words he sings, it takes your breathe. It calls memories of my grandmother and my mom singing to me when I was a child. The best of what Levon gave to us. Thanks Levon, for everything.
I’ve listened to this man most of my life, in one band or another. When I first he’s song so many years ago, I was shook to my core. It took about 10 listens before tears stopped falling. It’s a song about the loss of a mother, everyone has a mother, so it hits one hard. My own mother almost died last year, it had been a while since I heard this, the day after her widow maker heart attack, this popped up in my recommends for a listen… it was like the universe( God, karma) was preparing me for a tragedy. Luckily she escaped death, but I still get a little shook listening to this masterpiece. I would also tell folks, his daughter Amy Helm does a very lovely version of this as well, she’s the younger lady singing back up on this to the right of Levon.
