He gets so much less attention but he was often the musical glue. I'm working on a book (not by me) about Americana music, soon to be published, and the nuanced way in which Garth orchestrated all the tunes earned him the nickname Honey Boy by the others.
Yeah in this band he was like a portal to another time and place. This music lives and breathes with the soul of bygone eras, nearly forgotten musical traditions and influences from across the Great Atlantic Ocean, strains of France and Germany and Italy coming through. It's like the sound of the Great American frontier
Been loving The Band for 50 yrs and counting. Rick was the heart of The Band, but I love 'em all...Garth ,Levon, Richard , Robbie and Rick. Hope to meet you all on the "otherside" "The Band" shall play on forever.
I retired back home to south Louisiana (Lafayette). There are so many unbelievably talented musicians in Acadiana. The accordion is the heart and soul of our music here.
The assembled talent here is great. With or without Robbie Robertson. Jericho is a wonderful album, and the last one Richard Manuel is on (posthumously). Rick, Richard, Levon…all missed.
FYI...Evangeline is a nod to the Great Expulsion of the Acadians in Nova Scotia, one of the three Maritime provinces on Canada's East Coast. Hence, the lyric "Evangeline, from the Maritimes". For more background, it's worth reading Henry W. Longfellow's poignant poem, "Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie". The Band's song "Acadian Driftwood" is also about the Acadian Expulsion in 1755--when the British forcefully removed the French from their homes.
Sometimes I feel Garth, you and only you are responsible for making the Band. Graceful on the accordion, organ, yet silent...thanks to Rick, Lavon, Richard, Robbie💖🙏🏻🎵
Class is permanent ! Doing sessions in the biggest studio! God rest Levon,Richard and Rick. Still the main act in 'Paradise'! Just imagine Levon with a whole new 'Kit'? Richard, 'Shape i'm in'! Rick ' It makes no difference'! Waiting on Garth and his marvelous melodic fills ! John,Tom and George on guitar all writing the songs. That's only for openers! Many speak with 'Forked Tongue'!
The Band says they always concidered Richard to be their "lead" singer. His organ was most colorful, drums were interesting, vocals were erie and beautiful. Personally I'm a Rick fan and Garth and Levon WERE the talent but all together they made one of if not the greatest american bands of the 20th century. Imo
It's kinda sad that this was just after Richard's death but the songs from this show hold up really well compared to the videos I've seen from the the early 80's or 90's
Everywhere I go on RU-vid, I see people talking about extremely successful Superstar musicians like these guys referring to them as "underrated". Would you be able to define what you mean by the term "underrated"? They are literally gold standard, critically acclaimed, beloved national treasure musicians. It would be difficult to rate them any higher. What is the rating system you are perceiving? Among what people, in what context? As far as I am aware, this band is extremely well-rated and highly rated and frequently rated and widely known and almost universally loved
Never have I ever heard a group who by themselves the singers sound just a little odd singing by themselves just by how a-fucking-mazing they sound together.
you all commented on how the heart is missing since richards not there and the song performance still holds up to this day. I didnt really know the history of his passing i knew he commited suicide but assumed he OD'd or something in the 70's.....after doing some research to learn that they were in a big legal dispute over all the royalties from the singles that sold well and the 1980s was for lack of a better way to phrase it.....a rather sad, drug filled, stressful time for the remnants of the once unstoppable live tour de force known simply as " the band". I know this song from the last waltz obviously and from other duets with women such as sheryl crow and people levon would invite in on his last tours of TLHB like his daughter amy helm ( phenominal artist btw) so i wanted to see a version of it with just rick and levon.....as im watching this version i noticed this concert was from japan in 1987 and it struck me as odd that 10 years after the peak of their fame and album sales they would be on a tour in japan....not to mention theres a certain energy present (or should i say lacking) in the footage from this concert in particular....its the vibe of a group of people who are going through the motions and not really enjoying themselves.....Im a local musician from arkansas and levon popped his cherry in high school and his early years at the rockwood club in fayetteville, AR (if you like this comment for its historical and educational content than follow this link and youll keep your train of thought going in an awsome direction..... echoesoftheozarks.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/ghosts-of-the-rockwood-club/ just down the highway from where i live so i have heard alot of stories growing up and met his kin ( everybody and their mom claim to be his cousin, and probably are knowing how it is around western arkansas) but levon especially wears his heart on his sleeve and you can tell when hes into it and when hes not. hes was just that type of performer. I also get the vibe from my reading and several documentaries on the history of the band ive watched that this was the time period where everyone had to have a certain cocktail of drugs just to get on stage to play these bigger gigs. As we all know robertson had pretty much run off with all the royalties and turned out to be full of shit when he said it was gonna work out even in the long run if theyd just trust him. As far as the drugs go, Ive been around the block a time or two and i can tell by the eyes and the voice of a performer when they are just counting down the songs on the set list one by one til they can run back stage and get another bump of coke or shot of heroin or sip of whiskey or if your like richard probably, all 3!.....sounds great doesnt it? yeah maybe once on a friday night but not day after day year after year living out of hotels and planes and busses and .then one day you just look in the mirror and the band isnt what it used to be, the moneys not pouring in anymore but the expenses are higher than ever, you have watched the first half of your life fly by in a dream like whirlwind and your tired. Im talking the type of tired that a normal human working a 9-5 would never even comprehend. Your spiritually tired. Youve lived 200 years in 20, your voice is gone and the audience knows it...your childhood friend has stolen all your royalties and isnt even playing with you anymore and all the fun and passion has been sucked out of what was supposed to be a dream life. And to top it off you just cant get your shit together. Your the black sheep, the scape goat, the chris farley.....and your options seem limited. So after a good show one night, when nothing seems to be wrong, you talk with the people who know you best, the people you love and you thank them for all the years of hard work and comradery ....you go into your room privately....write a note....down your last bottle of your favorite brandy , do the last of your cocaine, put on a record, and as the samurai would do when disgraced in battle by defeat....you hang yourself with honor. if a suicide can in fact be honorable. So with all that going on in the back of the minds of these gentlemen i can understand why they have a bit of a hollow look as if they are simply going through the motions to get through the gig. And even though they are mostly canadian theres enough arkansas in levon helm to make them all southerners as far as Im concerned.....southerners stuck in tokyo with a fallen friend on the mind and music to play and bills to pay Hear the sound, Willie Boy, The Flyin' Dutchman's on the reef. It's my belief We've used up all our time, This hill's to steep to climb, And the days that remain ain't worth a dime. Oh, to be home again, Down in old Virginny, With my very best friend, They call him Ragtime Willie. Would-a-been nice just t'see the folks, Listen once again to the stale jokes, That big Rockin' Chair won't go nowhere.
that moon shining in the Gulf Coast off o f Gulfport …… Mississippi...….. spent many summer s there as a young on e...…. tha t roa d tha t drive along the coast as that light of moon shone..... that diamond on the gulf coast that reflected that light of the night …… across the shore … of wet san d at night ......…
it's strange seeing levon on the drums with this song.........he played mandolin and richard did the drums i know garth and levon would give 1,000 robbies just to have richard or rick back
Levon Helm a musical treasure ( R.I.P Levon ) Q: What instruments do you play Garth ? Garth: Yes ( All of them 😉) If you haven't watched or listened to The Last Waltz...... Please do so ASAP ! ✌😎 Here are a few friends that joined The Band on stage.... Eric Claption, Muddy Waters, Van Morrison, Paul Butterfield, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Dr John, Ronnie Hawkins ( started the original group )...... etc. ( & so many more... it's 4 hours of amazing music that's just not around anymore ! )
