Levon Helm, R.I.P.

[king ubu]

Levon Helm Lives!

r.i.p. Levon Helm. Thank you so very much for the magnificient music made with The Band and later on.

Very, very sad.

[Pete C]

Levon & the Hawks

[ep1str0phy]

this is what i think of pretty much whenever Levon comes to mind:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJtkACrOymQ

sad to think of him being gone soon.

ABSOLUTELY. The groove on that tune is so inviting and ecstatic--that band was superheroically soulful. RIP to Levon, whose playing and singing animated and emboldened everything around him.

[Hardbopjazz]

RIP Levon.

[Stereojack]

Not much to add to all the sentiments expressed, but I can't let Levon's passing go without a comment. I loved the Band - saw them in 1969 and again in 1970, and bought all of their albums as they came out. They were just about as good as it gets.

[jostber]

Love The Band's music, and Levon's own albums. RIP to a great artist.

[Chalupa]

Someone just sent me this quote..... "The only time any drummer should sing is when he's Levon Helm."

[A Lark Ascending]

Though I was aware of The Band in the 70s I only really got gripped by them in the early 90s. One of the really distinctive bands.

RIP Levon Helm

[mjazzg]

singing drummers always make me think "how'd you do that?" but Levon Helm just made me think "that's the only way to do it". What a voice, what a drummer. RIP

[Pete C]

Someone just sent me this quote..... "The only time any drummer should sing is when he's Levon Helm."

Well, he can drum no more, but when he could I'd add when he's Robert Wyatt.

[skeith]

I was a big fan of the Band and of course Levon. He will be missed.

[Spontooneous]

Gone too soon. That last album proved he had plenty of fire left.

RIP Levon, and deepest thanks for so much joyous music.

P.S. The other day I was talking to a jazz drummer in his 20s, a serious jazz wonk who plays very well. He listed favorites: Blakey, Philly Joe, Jack D, Matt Wilson, Bill Stewart. And then he surprised me with "And Levon Helm. He does everything right and nothing wrong."

[.:.impossible]

He had a groove like no other. We saw Megafaun and Drive By Truckers last night. Megafaun did "No More Cane" during their set, then came on with Drive By Truckers for "The Weight" as the first song of a six song encore.

I know "The Weight" has been done to death, but we all sang along and it just felt great to celebrate Levon that way.

By the way, Joe Westerlund, drummer for Megafaun, sings and drums wonderfully. I believe he studied at Bennington if that tells you anything about his drumming.

RIP.

[thedwork]

P.S. The other day I was talking to a jazz drummer in his 20s, a serious jazz wonk who plays very well. He listed favorites: Blakey, Philly Joe, Jack D, Matt Wilson, Bill Stewart. And then he surprised me with "And Levon Helm. He does everything right and nothing wrong."

that's a pleasure to read. that young person has his head on straight

Edited April 21, 2012 by thedwork

[Fer Urbina]

P.S. The other day I was talking to a jazz drummer in his 20s, a serious jazz wonk who plays very well. He listed favorites: Blakey, Philly Joe, Jack D, Matt Wilson, Bill Stewart. And then he surprised me with "And Levon Helm. He does everything right and nothing wrong."

that's a pleasure to read. that young person has his head on straight

I'll second that.

*********************

Had never seen this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO-nwWOb098

F

Edited April 22, 2012 by Fer Urbina

[colinmce]

If you've not seen this, I couldn't recommend it more. It contains the footage posted above.

Interviews with all surviving members + John Simon Elliot Landy, Clapton, Harrison, performances, insights ... the gamut. Watching Robertson, Helm & Simon play back the master tape will make you drool.

[Fer Urbina]

If you've not seen this, I couldn't recommend it more. It contains the footage posted above.

Interviews with all surviving members + John Simon Elliot Landy, Clapton, Harrison, performances, insights ... the gamut. Watching Robertson, Helm & Simon play back the master tape will make you drool.

Got it, and have drooled accordingly . What I meant is that I hadn't seen the complete clip (that DVD has only an excerpt).

F

[paul secor]

P.S. The other day I was talking to a jazz drummer in his 20s, a serious jazz wonk who plays very well. He listed favorites: Blakey, Philly Joe, Jack D, Matt Wilson, Bill Stewart. And then he surprised me with "And Levon Helm. He does everything right and nothing wrong."

that's a pleasure to read. that young person has his head on straight

I'll second that.

*********************

Had never seen this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO-nwWOb098

F

Nice! From back when they were a BAND - took a few years before it disintegrated.

[paul secor]

Great duet with Richard Manuel on Whispering Pines!

I remember Marcus Van Story of the Sun Rhythm section telling us in the kitchen at the Twist and Shout club in Bethesda Maryland that everyone knew him as luh VONN in Arkansas, but the Hawks could not pronounce his name so it morphed into LEE vonn.

According to Levon's This Wheel's on Fire, his name was originally spelled Lavon.

Read about his passing when I was away. He was a wonderful drummer and singer - one of the real ones.

Thanks for everyting you gave, Mr. Helm.

[Quincy]

Some of my favorite live Band is on the Dylan/Band Before The Flood album, especially the songs that Levon sings. Many times I've skipped the "shouting" Bob songs for The Band sides. And if you see the late January '83 shows with Danko from Portland or Eugene grab them as they are delightful. Funny banter to go along with very good performances.

[.:.impossible]

Great stuff Quincy.

[Tom 1960]

A tribute to Levon Helm on CBS Sunday Morning. Click Here

[Fer Urbina]

If you've not seen this, I couldn't recommend it more. It contains the footage posted above.

[Classic Albums: The Band]

Here it is, for anyone to watch.

F

[.:.impossible]

Thanks! Currently not available on Netflix streaming... though Anthem Of The Sun is!

[Chalupa]

Thanks for posting that link. I love the part around the 37:40- 38:12 mark when John Simon and Levon are listening to the playback of "Rockin' Chair" and JS says "I love this part here," and Levon, who is just totally wrapped up in the music replies,"me too." They're like two teenage fans - totally giggling and grooving to the music. So great to see them have that love for something they recorded 30 years previously.

Edit: Also, am I alone in thinking that Rick Danko's singing/voice got better as he got older? His signing on "King Harvest" in the video is absent the forced mannerisms that marked his singing on the original version(and his singing from that era.) His voice also sounds fuller and he has no problems hitting those high notes.

Edited April 27, 2012 by J.H. Deeley