Levon Helm: Levon Helm & The Rco All-Stars

[LP inner sleeve] [CD booklet] [CD back cover] [Master Recording LP cover] [RCO AllStars promo cards] [RCO AllStars promo cards back] [2-on-1 2008 CD]

The All-Stars were a dream aggregation of of Levon Helm's favourite musicians, including names like Mac Rebennack (aka Dr. John), Paul Butterfield, Booker T. Jones, Donald "Duck" Dunn, Steve Cropper, Tom Malone, Alan Rubin and the two old-timers Henry Glover and Fred Carter from the Hawks-period. Only one track, "Blues So Bad", was written by Levon himself. The songs, recorded partly at Shangri-La and partly at Levon's own RCO studio in Woodstock, were mostly good-time, bar-band rhythm and blues, disappointing Band fans that still were hoping for material more like the early Band albums. Levon Helm and the RCO All Stars stopped at #142 on the album chart, despite several innovative attempts to promote the album, including a mega release party and some very memorable live dates with the All-Stars.

RCO All-Stars was re-released on CD in 1989, and then again in 2008 as a 2-on-1, paired with American Son.

Tracks

1.	Washer Woman (Rebennack)	(331K)	(361K)
2.	The Tie That Binds (Rebennack/Charles)	(331K)
3.	You Got Me (Booker T. Jones)	(331K)
4.	Blues So Bad (Helm/Glover)	(331K)
5.	Sing, Sing, Sing (Earl King)	(331K)
6.	Milk Cow Boogie (P.D./Helm/Dunn)	(331K)	(392K)
7.	Rain Down Tears (Toombs/Glover)	(331K)
8.	A Mood I Was In (F. Carter Jr.)	(331K)
9.	Havana Moon (C. Berry)	(331K)	(375K)
10.	That's My Home (P.D./Helm/Rebennack)	(331K)

Sidemen

• Paul Butterfield, harmonica
• Steve Cropper, guitar
• Dr. John, guitar/keyboards
• Robbie Robertson, guitar
• Howard Johnson, horn
• Fred Carter, guitar
• Jeanette Baker, vocal
• Donald "Duck" Dunn, bass
• John Flamingo, vocal
• Henry Glover, "band master"
• Garth Hudson, accordion
• Booker T. Jones, keyboards
• Lou Marini, saxophone
• Emmeretta Marks, vocal
• Charles Kaipo Miller Serenaders
• Ray Kinney, saxophone
• Eddie Offord, engineer
• Alan Rubin, trumpet

Levon Helm - Levon Helm & The Rco All-Stars - (40:52) - 1977 - ABC AA-1017
Single sleeve LP with cut-out cover and printed inner sleeve
Compact Disc: Edsel EDCD 494 (1996)
Original Master Recording LP released in 1977, CD in 1989 (MFCD10-00761)
2-on-1 CD with Levon Helm & The Rco All-Stars and American Son - 2008 - Raven

AMG Rating: 6 (out of 9)