92-613: Gypsy Cowboy is the third album by the country rock band the New Riders of the Purple Sage . It was recorded and released in 1972. The album includes six original songs by John Dawson and three by Dave Torbert , plus cover versions of country classics "She's No Angel" and " Long Black Veil ". Donna Jean Godchaux of the Grateful Dead sings background vocals on two songs, "Whiskey" and "Long Black Veil". One single
184-592: A "farewell concert" known as The Last Waltz . Following an October 30 appearance on Saturday Night Live , the event, including turkey dinner for the audience of 5,000, was held on November 25 ( Thanksgiving Day ) of 1976 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco , California , and featured a horn section with arrangements by Allen Toussaint and an all-star lineup of guests, including Canadian artists Joni Mitchell and Neil Young . Two of
276-639: A back-up band, Music Express called the 1989 Juno appearance a symbolic "passing of the torch" from The Band to Blue Rodeo. In 1990, Capitol Records began to re-release the records from the 1970s. The remaining three members continued to tour and record albums with a succession of musicians filling Manuel's and Robertson's roles. The Band appeared at Bob Dylan's 30th anniversary concert in New York City in October 1992, where they performed their version of Dylan's " When I Paint My Masterpiece ". In 1993,
368-732: A band called Levon Helm and the RCO Allstars. He also began an acting career with his role as Loretta Lynn 's father in Coal Miner's Daughter . Helm received praise for his narration and supporting role opposite Sam Shepard in 1983's The Right Stuff . In 1997, a CD by Levon Helm and the Crowmatix, Souvenir , was released. Beginning sometime in the 1990s, Helm regularly performed Midnight Ramble concerts at his home and studio in Woodstock, New York, and toured. In 2007 Helm released
460-715: A break from touring, Dylan was injured in a motorcycle accident that precipitated his retreat into semi-seclusion in Woodstock , New York . For a while, the Hawks returned to the bar and roadhouse touring circuit, sometimes backing other singers, including a brief stint with Tiny Tim . Dylan invited the Hawks to join him in Woodstock in February 1967, and Danko, Hudson, and Manuel rented a large pink house, which they named " Big Pink ", in nearby West Saugerties, New York . The next month (initially without Helm) they commenced recording
552-477: A different take in a 1986 interview: "I made my big statement. I did the movie, I made a three-record album about it—and if this is only my statement, not theirs, I'll accept that. They're saying, 'Well, that was really his trip, not our trip.' Well, fine. I'll take the best music film that's ever been made, and make it my statement. I don't have any problems with that. None at all." The original quintet would perform together one last time: on March 1, 1978 after
644-615: A drunken jam session with Jerry Garcia , Bob Weir , John Dawson , and Joplin while singing "Ain't No More Cane". At about this time, Robertson began exerting greater control over The Band, a point of contention between him and Helm. Helm charges Robertson with authoritarianism and greed, while Robertson suggests his increased efforts in guiding the group were largely because Danko, Helm, and Manuel were becoming more unreliable due to their heroin usage. Robertson insists he did his best to coax Manuel into writing more songs, only to see him descend into addiction. Despite mounting problems among
736-580: A little more than one month and sat out the rest of that year's concerts, as well as the world tour in 1966. Helm spent much of this period working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. During and between tours, Dylan and the Hawks attempted several recording sessions, but with less than satisfying results. Sessions in October and November yielded just one usable single (" Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? "), and two days of recording in January 1966 for what
828-405: A major influence on their musical direction in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Clapton later revealed that he wanted to join the group. While he never did join, he recruited all of the members of The Band as well as other roots rock performers for his 1976 album No Reason to Cry . Following their second album, The Band embarked on their first tour as a lead act. The anxiety of fame was clear, as
920-520: A much-bootlegged and influential series of demos, initially at Dylan's house in Woodstock and later at Big Pink, which were released partially on LP as The Basement Tapes in 1975 and in full in 2014 . A track-by-track review of the bootleg was detailed by Jann Wenner in Rolling Stone , in which the band members were explicitly named and given the collective name "the Crackers". While Helm
1012-433: A music genre that fuses rock and country . It was developed by rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. These musicians recorded rock records using country themes, vocal styles, and additional instrumentation, most characteristically pedal steel guitars . Country rock began with artists like Buffalo Springfield , Michael Nesmith , Bob Dylan , Nitty Gritty Dirt Band ,
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#17327865592761104-419: A music studio for the group. By 1975, the studio, Shangri-La , was completed. That year, The Band recorded and released Northern Lights – Southern Cross , their first album of new material since 1971. All eight songs were written solely by Robertson. Despite comparatively poor record sales, the album is favored by critics and fans. Levon Helm regards this album highly in his book, This Wheel's on Fire : "It
1196-561: A new album, an homage to his southern roots called Dirt Farmer , which was awarded a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album on February 9, 2008. Electric Dirt followed in 2009 and won the inaugural Grammy Award for Best Americana Album . His 2011 live album Ramble at the Ryman won in the same category. After he left The Band, Robbie Robertson became a music producer and wrote film soundtracks (including acting as music supervisor for several of Scorsese's films) before beginning
1288-581: A part in the development of Southern rock . Rock and roll has usually been seen as a combination of rhythm and blues and country music, a fusion particularly evident in 1950s rockabilly . There has also been cross-pollination throughout the history of both genres; however, the term "country-rock" is used generally to refer to the wave of rock musicians of the late 1960s and early 1970s who began recording rock songs with country themes, vocal styles, and additional instrumentation, most characteristically pedal steel guitars . John Einarson states that, "[f]rom
1380-563: A planned Last Waltz film and album could be released on the Warner Bros. label. Islands contained a mix of originals and covers, and was the last with The Band's original lineup. That same year, the group recorded soundstage performances with country singer Emmylou Harris ("Evangeline") and gospel-soul group the Staple Singers ("The Weight"); Scorsese combined these new performances—as well as interviews he had conducted with
1472-670: A possible tour with Bob Dylan. By late 1973, Danko, Helm, Hudson and Manuel had joined them, and the first order of business was backing Dylan on his album Planet Waves . The album was released concurrently with their joint 1974 tour, in which they played 40 shows in North America during January and February 1974. Later that year, the tour was documented on the live album Before the Flood ,. During this time, The Band brought in Planet Waves producer Rob Fraboni to help design
1564-719: A solo career and as a Hollywood music producer. As a result of their diminished popularity, they performed in theaters and clubs as headliners and took support slots in larger venues for onetime peers such as the Grateful Dead and Crosby, Stills and Nash . After a performance in Winter Park, Florida , on March 4, 1986, Manuel hanged himself , aged 42, in his motel room. He had suffered for many years from alcoholism and drug addiction and had been clean and sober for several years beginning in 1978 but had begun drinking and using drugs again by 1984. Manuel's position as pianist
1656-592: A variety of perspectives and motivations, these musicians either played country with a rock & roll attitude, or added a country feel to rock, or folk, or bluegrass. There was no formula". The term country-rock had rarely been heard until the critic Richard Goldstein used it the June 6, 1968 issue of The Village Voice . In his piece, titled "Country Rock: Can Y'All Dig It?", Goldstein counted several artists as moving towards country-friendly material – including Moby Grape , Stone Poneys , Buffy Sainte-Marie ,
1748-509: Is a view that jazz is 'evil' because it comes from evil people, but actually the greatest priests on 52nd Street, and on the streets of New York City were the musicians. They were doing the greatest healing work. And they knew how to punch through music which would cure and make people feel good. —Garth Hudson in The Last Waltz With Hawkins, they recorded a few singles in this period and became well known as
1840-429: Is not because I have lost perspective, it is precisely because I have found it, within music, yes, that was made five years ago. But it is there and unignorable." When the concert finally saw an official release as The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966, The "Royal Albert Hall" Concert in 1998, critic Richie Unterberger declared the record "an important document of rock history." On July 29, 1966, while on
1932-528: Is the last living original member of the group. In 1977, Rick Danko released his eponymous debut solo album , which featured the other four members of The Band on various tracks. In 1984, Danko joined members of the Byrds , the Flying Burrito Brothers, and others in the touring company that made up "The Byrds Twenty-Year Celebration". Several members of the tour performed solo songs to start
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#17327865592762024-604: Is usually considered some of their finest work; John Fogerty , who left Creedence Clearwater Revival behind for the country sounds of the Blue Ridge Rangers (1972); Mike Nesmith , who had experimented with country sounds while with the Monkees , formed the First National Band ; and Neil Young who moved in and out of the genre throughout his career. One of the few acts to successfully move from
2116-869: The Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium , the Long Island Arena and the Champlain Valley Expo in Essex Junction, Vermont ), culminating in an opening slot for the ascendant ZZ Top at the Nashville Fairgrounds in September. In early September, Richard Manuel suffered a severe neck injury in a boating accident in Texas, prompting Robertson to urge The Band to retire from live performances after staging
2208-536: The concert film The Last Waltz , directed by Martin Scorsese . It would be the last performance of the original five members. After five years apart, Danko, Hudson, Helm, and Manuel reunited in 1983 for a reunion tour without Robertson, as he had taken up a new career as a producer and composer for film soundtracks. Manuel died in 1986, but the remaining three members would continue to tour and occasionally release new albums of studio material until 1999, when, upon
2300-730: The " 500 Greatest Songs of All Time ". In 2008, the group received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . In 2014, they were inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame . The future members of The Band first played together as the Hawks, the backing group for Toronto -based rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins . Levon Helm began playing with the group in 1957, then became their fulltime drummer after graduating from high school in 1958. Helm journeyed with Hawkins from Arkansas to Ontario, where they were joined by Robbie Robertson , Rick Danko , Richard Manuel , and finally Garth Hudson . Latter-day Band member Stan Szelest
2392-497: The "queen of country-rock", creating a highly successful pop-oriented brand of the genre. Pure Prairie League , formed in Ohio in 1970 by Craig Fuller , had both critical and commercial success with five straight Top 40 LP releases, including Bustin' Out (1972), acclaimed by AllMusic critic Richard Foss as "an album that is unequaled in country-rock", and Two Lane Highway , described by Rolling Stone as "a worthy companion to
2484-418: The "second-most influential record in the history of rock and roll", and music journalist Al Aronowitz called it "country soul ... a sound never heard before". Their most popular songs included " The Weight " (1968), " The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down " (1969), and " Up on Cripple Creek " (1969). The Band performed their farewell concert on November 25, 1976. Footage from the event was released in 1978 as
2576-412: The 1966 tour, the group moved with help from Dylan and his manager, Albert Grossman , to Saugerties, New York , where they made the informal 1967 recordings that became The Basement Tapes , the basis for their 1968 debut album, Music from Big Pink . Because they were always referred to simply as "the band" to various frontmen and the locals in Woodstock, Helm said the name "The Band" worked well when
2668-546: The 21st century. Japan even took influence in the 70s with country rock mainly in the kayokyoku genre. Artists such as Takuro Yoshida , Lily and Saori Minami have often dabbled with country rock in their music. Country rock has survived as a cult force in Texas, where acts including the Flatlanders , Joe Ely , Butch Hancock , Jimmie Dale Gilmore , and California-based Richard Brooker have collaborated and recorded. Other performers have produced occasional recordings in
2760-815: The Band , as well as having their own four-page spread in Harvey Kubernik and Ken Kubernik's “The Story of the Band: From Big Pink to The Last Waltz ” (Sterling Publishing, 2018). A critical and commercial triumph, The Band , along with works by the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers , established a musical template (dubbed country rock ) that paved the way to the Eagles . Both Big Pink and The Band also influenced their musical contemporaries. Eric Clapton and George Harrison cited The Band as
2852-581: The Band for the second time since the original group broke up. The occasion was the induction of The Band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Helm, who had been at odds with Robertson for years over accusations of stolen songwriting credits, did not attend. In February 1996, The Band with the Crickets recorded " Not Fade Away ", released on the tribute album Not Fade Away (Remembering Buddy Holly) . The Band released two more albums after Jericho : High on
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2944-521: The Byrds , the Flying Burrito Brothers , The International Submarine Band and others, reaching its greatest popularity in the 1970s with artists such as Emmylou Harris , the Eagles , New Riders of the Purple Sage , Linda Ronstadt , Little Feat , Poco , Charlie Daniels Band , and Pure Prairie League . Country rock also influenced artists in other genres, including The Band , the Grateful Dead , Creedence Clearwater Revival , The Rolling Stones , and George Harrison 's solo work, as well as playing
3036-665: The Byrds into the genre, among them the Beau Brummels and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band . A number of performers also enjoyed a renaissance by adopting country sounds, including: the Beatles, who re-explored elements of country in songs such as "Rocky Raccoon" and "Don't Pass Me By" from their 1968 self-titled double album (often referred to as the "White Album"), and "Octopus's Garden" from Abbey Road (1969); The Everly Brothers , whose Roots album (1968)
3128-516: The Country Rock sound as the frontman for his Stone Canyon Band and recorded the 1966 album "Bright Lights & Country Music" and the 1967 album "Country Fever". Bassist Randy Meisner joined briefly in 1970 after leaving Poco and before joining Eagles . In 1966, as many rock artists moved increasingly towards expansive and experimental psychedelia , Bob Dylan spearheaded the back-to-basics roots revival when he went to Nashville to record
3220-717: The Grateful Dead , Eric Clapton and Wilco . Between 1958 and 1963, the group was known as the Hawks, a backing band for rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins . In the mid-1960s, they gained recognition for being the backing group for Bob Dylan , with his 1966 concert tour being notable as Dylan's first with an electric band. After leaving Dylan and changing their name to The Band, they released several records to critical and popular acclaim, most notably their 1968 debut, Music from Big Pink and its succeeding album, 1969's The Band . According to AllMusic , Music from Big Pink 's influence on several generations of musicians has been substantial: Pink Floyd member Roger Waters deemed it
3312-421: The Hawks for a recording session for Atco later that year. Also in 1965, Helm and the band met blues singer and harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson . They wanted to record with him, offering to become his backing band, but Williamson died not long after their meeting. Later in 1965, American musician Bob Dylan hired the group as his backing band for his U.S. tour in 1965 and world tour in 1966 . Following
3404-401: The Hawks if they brought their girlfriends to the clubs (fearing it might reduce the numbers of "available" girls who came to performances) or if they smoked marijuana . Robertson later said, "Eventually, [Hawkins] built us up to the point where we outgrew his music and had to leave. He shot himself in the foot, really, by sharpening us into such a crackerjack band that we had to go on out into
3496-408: The Hawks played a series of concerts from September 1965 through May 1966, billed as "Bob Dylan and the Band". The tours were marked by Dylan's reportedly copious use of amphetamines . Some, though not all, of the Hawks joined in the excesses. Most of the concerts were met with heckling and disapproval from folk music purists. Helm was so affected by the negative reception that he left the tour after
3588-540: The Hawks played at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester on May 17, 1966. The gig became legendary when, near the end of Dylan's electric set, an audience member shouted " Judas !" After a pause, Dylan replied, "I don't believe you. You're a liar!" He then turned to the Hawks and said, "Play it fucking loud!" With that, they launched into an acidic version of " Like a Rolling Stone ". The Manchester performance
3680-427: The Hawks. Dylan accepted and invited Levon and the Hawks to tour with him. The group was receptive to the offer, knowing it could give them the wider exposure they craved. They thought of themselves as a tightly rehearsed rock and rhythm and blues group and knew Dylan mostly from his early acoustic folk and protest music. Furthermore, they had little inkling of how internationally popular Dylan had become. With Dylan,
3772-468: The Hog (1996) and Jubilation (1998), the latter of which included guest appearances by Eric Clapton and John Hiatt . Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998 and was unable to sing for several years but he eventually regained the use of his voice. In 1998, the group revealed they were working on a follow-up album to Jubilation that has not been released. The final song the group recorded together
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3864-609: The International Submarine Band and Bob Dylan – but he expected the Byrds ' forthcoming album, Sweetheart of the Rodeo , to represent the new genre. Before the Byrds' album was released in August 1968, Goldstein considered the Band 's debut album, Music From Big Pink , as the "first major album" of the country-rock movement when he reviewed it for The New York Times on August 4. Key to
3956-599: The Natives' country rock cover of John Lennon's " Tight A$ " was included on the Lennon Bermuda album. A revival of country music blended with rock features in the 2020s was titled "ronky tonk" in the music press, with acts such as Zach Bryan , Jackson Dean , and Bailey Zimmerman identified by Billboard . Jelly Roll is another crossover artist that blends a unique fashion of country and rock, sometimes with hip hop influences. The Band The Band
4048-614: The Old Guys with two American members, drummer Andy Newmark and acoustic guitarist Bob Rafkin . Rafkin had written "Lazy Waters" for The Byrds from the 1971 album Farther Along , and Andy Newmark had played on the 1973 Gene Parsons album Kindling . Canadian country rock band Blue Rodeo has found considerable success in Canada, selling multi-platinum albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and continues to receive frequent radio airplay on Canadian radio stations. Later in 2013 Rocky and
4140-648: The Rolling Stones "High and Dry" (1966), as well as Buffalo Springfield 's "Go and Say Goodbye" (1966) and "Kind Woman" (1968). According to The Encyclopedia of Country Music , the Beatles' "I Don't Want to Spoil the Party", their cover of the Buck Owens country hit " Act Naturally " and their 1965 album Rubber Soul can all be seen "with hindsight" as examples of country rock. Former TV teen idol and rockabilly recording artist Ricky Nelson pioneered
4232-423: The Rolling Stones , and George Harrison 's solo work. It also played a part in the development of Southern rock , which, although largely derived from blues rock , had a distinct southern lilt, and it paved the way for parts of the alternative country movement. The genre declined in popularity in the late-1970s, but some established artists, including Neil Young, have continued to record country-tinged rock into
4324-530: The UK Isle of Wight Festival (several songs from which were subsequently included on Dylan's Self Portrait album). That same year, they left for Los Angeles to record their follow-up, The Band (1969). From their rustic appearance on the cover to the songs and arrangements within, the album stood in contrast to other popular music of the day. Several other artists had already made similar stylistic moves, notably Dylan, on John Wesley Harding (1967), which
4416-556: The album Blonde on Blonde , playing with notable local musicians like Charlie McCoy . This, and the subsequent more clearly country-influenced albums, John Wesley Harding (1967) and Nashville Skyline (1969), have been seen as creating the genre of country folk , a route pursued by a number of, largely acoustic, folk musicians. Dylan's lead was also followed by the Byrds, who were joined by Gram Parsons in 1968. Parsons had mixed country with rock , blues and folk to create what he called "Cosmic American Music". Earlier in
4508-462: The best rock group in the thriving Toronto music scene. Hawkins regularly convened all-night rehearsals following long club shows, with the result that the young musicians quickly developed their instrumental skills. In late 1963, the group split from Hawkins over personal differences. They had grown tired of playing the same songs so often and wanted to perform original material, and they were also wary of Hawkins's heavy-handed leadership. He would fine
4600-555: The country side towards rock were the bluegrass band the Dillards . Doug Dillard left the band to form the group Dillard & Clark with ex- Byrds member Gene Clark and Bernie Leadon . The greatest commercial success for country rock came in the 1970s, with the Doobie Brothers mixing in elements of R&B, Emmylou Harris (the former singer with Parsons) becoming a star on country radio, and Linda Ronstadt ,
4692-411: The death of Danko, the remaining members decided to break up for good. Helm would go on to have a successful solo career, winning multiple Grammy Awards in the folk and Americana categories until his 2012 death, while Hudson worked as a featured session musician. Robertson died in 2023, leaving Hudson as the only living member of the original lineup. Music critic Bruce Eder described The Band as "one of
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#17327865592764784-523: The genre, Goldstein wrote, was that the album had country music's "twang and ... tenacity", but it also "[made] you want to move" like rock music. Country influences can be heard on rock records through the 1960s, including the Beatles ' 1964 recordings " I'll Cry Instead ", " Baby's in Black ", " I Don't Want to Spoil the Party ", and their 1965 recording " I've Just Seen A Face ", the Byrds' 1965 cover version of Porter Wagoner 's "Satisfied Mind", or
4876-474: The genre, including Elvis Costello 's Almost Blue (1981) and the Robert Plant and Alison Krauss collaboration Raising Sand , which was one of the most commercially successful albums of 2007. Kid Rock , who broke through into mainstream success with a rap rock sound, gradually developed a country rock sound. In 2013, British country rock band Rocky and the Natives released Let's Hear It for
4968-441: The genre. The Byrds continued in the same vein, but Parsons left before the album was released to join another ex-Byrds member Chris Hillman in forming the Flying Burrito Brothers . The Byrds hired guitarist Clarence White and drummer Gene Parsons , both from the country band Nashville West . The Flying Burrito Brothers recorded the albums The Gilded Palace of Sin (1969) and Burrito Deluxe (1970), which helped establish
5060-468: The group (with the exception of Helm's), giving him major control of the presentation of the group's material, including latter-day compilations. Richard Bell died of multiple myeloma in June 2007. The Band received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award on February 9, 2008, but there was no reunion of former members. In honor of the event, Helm held a Midnight Ramble in Woodstock. He continued to perform and released several albums. On April 17, 2012, it
5152-533: The group came into its own. The group decided on it as their official name began performing as under it in from 1968 onward. Dylan continued to collaborate with The Band over the course of their career, most notably in a joint 1974 tour . In late summer 1965, Bob Dylan was looking for a backup band for his first U.S. "electric" tour. Levon and the Hawks were recommended by blues singer John P. Hammond , who earlier that year had recorded with Helm, Hudson and Robertson on his Vanguard album So Many Roads . Around
5244-524: The group members, The Band forged ahead with their next album, Cahoots (1971). Cahoots featured Dylan's " When I Paint My Masterpiece ", "4% Pantomime" (with Van Morrison ), and " Life Is a Carnival ", the last featuring a horn arrangement by Allen Toussaint . Toussaint's contribution was a critical addition to The Band's next project, and the group would later record two songs written by Toussaint: " Holy Cow " on Moondog Matinee and "You See Me" on Jubilation . In late December 1971, The Band recorded
5336-459: The group released their eighth studio album, Jericho . Without Robbie Robertson as primary lyricist, much of the songwriting for the album came from outside of the group. Also that year, The Band, along with Ronnie Hawkins, Bob Dylan, and other performers, appeared at U.S. President Bill Clinton 's 1993 "Blue Jean Bash" inauguration party. In 1994, The Band performed at Woodstock '94 . Later that year Robertson appeared with Danko and Hudson as
5428-409: The group's songs turned to darker themes of fear and alienation: the influence on their next work is self-explanatory. Stage Fright (1970) was engineered by musician-engineer-producer Todd Rundgren and recorded on stage at the iconic Woodstock Playhouse . As with their previous, self-titled record, Robertson was credited with most of the songwriting. Initial critical reaction was positive, but it
5520-403: The group—with the 1976 concert footage. The resulting concert film – documentary was released in 1978, along with a three-LP soundtrack . Helm later wrote about The Last Waltz in his autobiography, This Wheel's on Fire , in which he made the case that it had been primarily Robbie Robertson's project and that Robertson had forced The Band's breakup on the rest of the group. Robertson offered
5612-515: The guests were fundamental to The Band's existence and growth: Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan. Other guests they admired (and in most cases had worked with before) included Muddy Waters , Dr. John , Van Morrison, Ringo Starr , Eric Clapton, Ron Wood , Bobby Charles , Neil Diamond , and Paul Butterfield . The concert was filmed by Robertson's friend, filmmaker Martin Scorsese . In 1977, The Band released their seventh studio album Islands , which fulfilled their record contract with Capitol so that
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#17327865592765704-493: The hit "Let Your Love Flow"(1976). In 1979, the Southern rock Charlie Daniels Band moved to a more country direction, released a song with strong bluegrass influence, " The Devil Went Down to Georgia ", and the song crossed over and became a hit on the pop chart. Outside its handful of stars, country rock's greatest significance was on artists in other genres, including the Band, Grateful Dead , Creedence Clearwater Revival ,
5796-505: The late set of a Rick Danko solo show at The Roxy , the group performed "Stage Fright", "The Shape I'm In", and "The Weight" for an encore. Although the members of the group intended to continue working on studio projects, they drifted apart after the release of Islands in March 1977. The Band resumed touring in 1983 without Robertson. Accomplished musician from Woodstock, NY, Jim Weider became lead guitarist. Robertson had found success with
5888-490: The likes of the Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo and other gems of the genre". Former Poco and Buffalo Springfield member Jim Messina joined Kenny Loggins in a very successful duo, while former members of Ronstadt's backing band went on to form the Eagles (two members of which were from the Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco), who emerged as one of the most successful rock acts of all time, producing albums that included Desperado (1973) and Hotel California (1976). However,
5980-402: The live album Rock of Ages , which was released in the summer of 1972. On Rock of Ages , they were bolstered by the addition of a horn section, with arrangements written by Toussaint. Dylan appeared on stage on New Year's Eve and performed four songs with the group, including a version of "When I Paint My Masterpiece". In 1973, The Band released the covers album Moondog Matinee . There
6072-580: The magazine's history ; Greil Marcus 's articles contributed to The Band's mystique. The Band was also featured on the cover of Time (January 12, 1970), the first rock group after the Beatles, over two years earlier, to achieve this rare distinction. David Attie 's unused photographs for this cover—among the very few studio portraits taken during the Band's prime—have only recently been discovered, and were featured in Daniel Roher's Robbie Robertson documentary Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and
6164-533: The manner in which they ultimately adopted the name "The Band". In The Last Waltz , Manuel claimed that they wanted to call themselves either "the Honkies " or "the Crackers " (which they used when backing Dylan for a January 1968 concert tribute to Woody Guthrie ), but these names were vetoed by their record label; Robertson suggests that during their time with Dylan everyone just referred to them as "the band" and
6256-498: The most popular and influential rock groups in the world, their music embraced by critics ... as seriously as the music of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones ." The Band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked them 50th on its list of the " 100 Greatest Artists of All Time ", and ranked "The Weight" 41st on its list of
6348-559: The name stuck. Initially they disliked the moniker, but eventually they grew to like it, thinking it both humble and presumptuous. In 1969, Rolling Stone referred to them as "the band from Big Pink". Their debut album, Music from Big Pink was released in July 1968 and was widely acclaimed. It included three songs written or co-written by Dylan (" This Wheel's on Fire ", " Tears of Rage " and " I Shall Be Released ") as well as " The Weight ", which became one of their best-known songs after it
6440-594: The principal country rock influence in the Eagles came from Bernie Leadon , formerly of the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Eagles are perceived as shifting towards hard rock after he left the band in late 1975. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils had hit singles "If You Wanna Get To Heaven" (1974) and "Jackie Blue" (1975), the latter of which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. The Bellamy Brothers had
6532-533: The respectability and parameters of the genre, before Parsons departed to pursue a solo career. Country rock was a particularly popular style in the California music scene of the late 1960s, and was adopted by bands including Hearts and Flowers, Poco (formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina , formerly of the Buffalo Springfield) and New Riders of the Purple Sage . Some folk-rockers followed
6624-757: The same time, one of their friends from Toronto, Mary Martin, was working as secretary to Dylan's manager, Albert Grossman . She told Dylan to visit the group at Le Coq d'Or Tavern, a club on Yonge Street , in Toronto—though Robertson recollects it was the Friar's Tavern, just down the street. Her advice to Dylan: "You gotta see these guys." After hearing The Band play and meeting with Robertson, Dylan invited Helm and Robertson to join his backing band. After two concerts backing Dylan, Helm and Robertson told Dylan of their loyalty to their bandmates and told him that they would continue with him only if he hired all of
6716-497: The show, including Danko, who performed "Mystery Train". Danko also released two collaborative albums with Eric Andersen and Jonas Fjeld , along with some live and compilation albums in the 1990s and 2000s; many of the latter records were produced by Aaron L. Hurwitz and are on the Breeze Hill/Woodstock Records Label. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Helm released several solo albums and toured with
6808-684: The slow progress in the New York studio, Dylan accepted the suggestion of producer Bob Johnston and moved the recording sessions to Nashville. In Nashville, Robertson's guitar was prominent on the Blonde on Blonde recordings, especially in the song " Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat ", but the other members of the Hawks did not attend the sessions. During the European leg of their 1966 world tour, Mickey Jones replaced Sandy Konikoff on drums. Dylan and
6900-553: The world, because we knew what his vision was for himself, and we were all younger and more ambitious musically." Upon leaving Hawkins, the group was briefly known as the Levon Helm Sextet, with a sixth member, saxophonist Jerry Penfound, and then as Levon and the Hawks after Penfound's departure. In 1965, they released a single on Ware Records under the name the Canadian Squires, but they returned as Levon and
6992-424: The year Parsons had released Safe at Home (although the principal recording for the album had taken place in mid-1967) with the International Submarine Band, which made extensive use of pedal steel and is seen by some as the first true country-rock album. The result of Parsons' brief tenure in the Byrds was Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968), generally considered one of the finest and most influential recordings in
7084-573: Was a Canadian-American rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario , in 1967. It consisted of Canadians Rick Danko (bass, guitar, vocals, fiddle), Garth Hudson (organ, keyboards, accordion, saxophone), Richard Manuel (piano, drums, vocals), Robbie Robertson (guitar, vocals, piano, percussion), and American Levon Helm (drums, vocals, mandolin, guitar, bass). The Band's music combined elements of Americana , folk , rock, jazz and country , which influenced artists such as George Harrison , Elton John ,
7176-473: Was also in the group at that time. Hawkins's act was popular in and around Toronto and nearby Hamilton, and he had an effective way of eliminating his musical competition: when a promising band appeared, Hawkins would hire their best musicians for his own group; Robertson, Danko, and Manuel came under Hawkins's tutelage this way. While most of the Hawks were eager to join Hawkins's group, getting Hudson to join
7268-409: Was announced via Helm's official website that he was in the "final stages of cancer"; he died two days later. In December 2020, it was announced that the third album of The Band, Stage Fright , would get an expanded reissue. The album has alternate versions of some songs. Robbie Robertson died at the age of 80 on August 9, 2023, after battling prostate cancer. With Robertson's death, Garth Hudson
7360-469: Was filled by old friend Stan Szelest (who died not long after) and then by Richard Bell. Bell had played with Ronnie Hawkins after the departure of the original Hawks, and was best known from his days as a member of Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band . The Band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 1989 Juno Awards , where Robertson was reunited with original members Danko and Hudson. With Canadian country rock superstars Blue Rodeo as
7452-453: Was intended to be Dylan's next album, Blonde on Blonde , resulted in " One of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) ", which was released as a single a few weeks later and was subsequently selected for the album. On "One of Us Must Know", Dylan was backed by drummer Bobby Gregg , bassist Danko (or Bill Lee ), guitarist Robbie Robertson, pianist Paul Griffin , and Al Kooper (who was more a guitarist than an organist) playing organ. Frustrated by
7544-459: Was more difficult. Having earned a college degree, Hudson planned on a career as a music teacher, and was only interested in playing rock music as a hobby. The Hawks admired his wild, full-bore organ style and asked him repeatedly to join. Hudson finally agreed, under the condition that the Hawks each pay him $ 10 per week to be their instructor and purchase a new state-of-the-art Lowrey organ ; all music theory questions were directed to Hudson. There
7636-543: Was no tour in support of the album, which garnered mixed reviews. However, on July 28, 1973, they played at Summer Jam at Watkins Glen , a massive concert that took place at the Grand Prix Raceway outside Watkins Glen, New York . The event, which was attended by over 600,000 fans, also featured the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers Band . It was during this event that discussions began about
7728-400: Was not involved in the initial recording, he did perform in later sessions and in overdubs recorded in 1975 before the album's release. The sessions with Dylan ended in October 1967, with Helm having rejoined the group by that time, and the Hawks began writing their own songs at Big Pink. When they went into the recording studio, they still did not have a name for themselves. Stories vary as to
7820-608: Was practically a group member: he aided in arrangements in addition to playing occasional piano and tuba . Simon reported that he was often asked about the distinctive horn sections featured so effectively on the first two albums: people wanted to know how they had achieved such memorable sounds. Simon stated that, besides Hudson (an accomplished saxophonist), the others had only rudimentary horn skills, and achieved their sound simply by creatively using their limited technique. Rolling Stone lavished praise on The Band in this era, giving them more attention than perhaps any other group in
7912-580: Was released in conjunction with the album — "Groupie" / "She's No Angel". In 2007, Gypsy Cowboy was re-released on the Wounded Bird Records label, with four bonus tracks. These were live versions of "Groupie", "Sutter's Mill", "Superman", and "She's No Angel". All except "Superman" were from the New Riders' 1974 album Home, Home on the Road . Country rock Country rock is
8004-521: Was seen as a disappointment from the previous two albums for various reasons. After recording Stage Fright , The Band was among the acts participating in the Festival Express , an all-star rock concert tour of Canada by train that also included Janis Joplin , the Grateful Dead and future Band member Richard Bell (at the time he was a member of Joplin's band). In the concert documentary film, released in 2003, Danko can be seen participating in
8096-416: Was the best album we had done since The Band ." The album also produced more experimentation from Hudson, switching to synthesizers, showcased on "Jupiter Hollow". By the mid-1970s, Robbie Robertson was weary of touring. After Northern Lights – Southern Cross failed to meet commercial expectations, much of the group's 1976 tour was confined to theaters and smaller arenas in secondary markets (including
8188-556: Was their 1999 version of Bob Dylan's " One Too Many Mornings ", which they contributed to the Dylan tribute album Tangled Up in Blues . On December 10, 1999, Rick Danko died in his sleep at the age of 55. Following his death, The Band broke up for good. The final configuration of the group included Richard Bell (piano), Randy Ciarlante (drums), and Jim Weider (guitar). In 2002, Robertson bought all other former members' financial interests in
8280-535: Was used in the 1969 film Easy Rider . While a thematic continuity ran through the music, the musical style varied from song to song. In early 1969, after the success of Music from Big Pink , The Band went on tour, starting with an appearance at Winterland Ballroom . They performed at the Woodstock Festival (their performance was not included in the famed Woodstock film because of legal complications), and later that year they performed with Dylan at
8372-558: Was widely bootlegged (and mistakenly placed at the Royal Albert Hall ). In a 1971 review for Creem , critic Dave Marsh wrote, "My response is that crystallization of everything that is rock'n'roll music, at its finest, was to allow my jaw to drop, my body to move, to leap out of the chair ... It is an experience that one desires simply to share, to play over and over again for those he knows thirst for such pleasure. If I speak in an almost worshipful sense about this music, it
8464-532: Was written during the Basement Tapes sessions, and the Byrds , on Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968), which featured two Basement Tapes covers. The Band featured songs that evoked old-time rural America, from the Civil War in " The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down " to the unionization of farm workers in " King Harvest (Has Surely Come) ". These first two records were produced by John Simon , who
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