News and Updates 2012

• Drawing of a young Robbie at the train station
• Robbie peeking into his Martin guitar
• "Mini Interviews 2012: Adam Gustavson"
• Adam Gustavson's blog

New Ramble date
December 8, 2012
Special Midnight Ramble!

Joe Russo (of Furthur) will be guesting with the Midnight Ramble Band performing tunes of The Grateful Dead

Dirt Farmer Band
Midnight Ramble Band

PBS aired an episode of their documentary series American Masters last week, titled "Inventing David Geffen" (the founder of Asylum Records and entertainment mogul). Robbie Robertson was interviewed for the program, discussing a trip to Paris that he and his wife, Dominique, took with Geffen and Joni Mitchell. The trip inspired Joni's song "Free Man in Paris." A video clip with Robbie from "Inventing David Geffen" is available from pbs.org.

• Very special event at Levon Helm Studios: Jimmy Vivino & The Black Italians, 2 Nights! Rehearsal - Friday 11/30, Live CD Recording - Saturday 12/01.

• Now available: Beautifully Gift Boxed - Just in time for the holidays - Love for Levon-Custom Ornament Keepsake

"John Donabie announced as 2013 inductee to Canadian Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame"!

NOV 24 8:00PM
KESWICK THEATRE
Glenside, Pennsylvania

"SONGS of THE BAND"

JIMMY VIVINO & GARTH HUDSON

With members of The Band, Levon Helm Band, (now Midnight Ramble Band) & Dirt Farmer Band: Jim Weider, Randy Ciarlante and Byron Isaacs.

Special guest: Sister Maud Hudson

Get your tickets at Ticketmaster

Details: Jimmy Vivino (Conan,The Fab Faux) and Garth Hudson (The Band,The Last Waltz) are celebrating The Last Waltz 36th Anniversary at Keswick Theatre on Thanksgiving weekend! They will present SONGS of THE BAND from the first four albums and The Basement Tapes with members of The Band, Levon Helm Band (Midnight Ramble Band), and Dirt Farmer Band: Jim Weider, Randy Ciarlante and Byron Isaacs.

Jimmy Weider says: "The songs of The Band need to be played and heard and Garth Hudson needs to be seen to be believed! He's a legend, a gentleman and a master musician."

Jimmy Vivino and Garth Hudson are having a great time! Mr. Hudson turned 75 this year and celebrations are following him around the globe! It was 50 years ago this year that Garth became a founding member of The Band that developed into a deep eternal brotherhood that continues to evolve through all of us. Mr. Hudson also lost a dear friend, Bandmate Levon Helm this year, the last of the three voices in The Band, the great storyteller, and drummer par excellence. We are here to witness and celebrate the flow of the blood from the past into the future.

"The music of The Band must pass through you into the future. Be a witness Keep buying tickets to 'Keep It Goin' at the barn, the farm and Philabundance! On behalf of Mr. Jimmy Vivino, Mr. Jim Weider, Mr. Randy Ciarlante, Mr. Byron Isaacs, Sister Maud Hudson and myself, Thank you and Keswick Theatre from the bottom of our hearts!"
--Garth Hudson

A portion of the proceeds benefit Philabundance and Levon Helms "Keep it Goin'".

• At last week's Americana Music Awards there was a tribute to Levon Helm. Musicians including Alabama Shakes did a cover of "The Weight" to close the show in honor of Levon.

• "Levon Helm and the Great River of American Music" -- obituary from realclearpolitics.com.

JIMMY VIVINO presents THE BAND SONGS
A Celebration of Richard, Rick, and Levon
Special Guest GARTH HUDSON with cohorts Jim Weider, Randy Ciarlante, and Byron Isaacs

Benefit concert will feature a star-studded lineup including John Mayer, My Morning Jacket, Ray Lamontagne, Eric Church, Gregg Allman, Dierks Bentley, Marc Cohn, Patty Griffin, Warren Haynes, John Hiatt, Bruce Hornsby, Jorma Kaukonen, The Levon Helm Band, Robert Randolph, Mavis Staples, Joe Walsh, Lucinda Williams and more legendary surprise guests to be announced... read more at levonhelm.com

Legendary photographer Elliott Landy (Woodstock, The Band, Dylan, Janis, Hendrix ++) will be appearing onstage today, August 16th at the Norton Museum in Palm Beach Florida at 6:30PM, prior to a concert. Elliott will be interviewed about the 1969 Woodstock Festival and the Sixties music culture. A nice article/interview with Elliott about this event appeared in the Palm Beach Daily News. See also the press release from the Norton Museum for more info.

"Special Friday event! August 10, 2012 - Jimmy Vivino presents The Band Songs - A Celebration of Richard, Rick, and Levon - Special guest Garth Hudson - with cohorts Jim Weider, Randy Ciarlante, and Byron Isaacs - Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock, NY - Tickets go on sale soon! Garth Hudson with Jimmy Vivino on Friday the 10th and/or Lucinda Williams with Larry Campbell on Saturday the 11th."

• Heaven and Earth (John Martyn, 2011)
• Joe Flood Translates and Sings Georges Brassens (Joe Flood, 2012)
• All is Gladness in the Kingdom (Fight the Big Bull, 2010)
• Hidden Treasures of Taj Mahal 1969-1973 (Taj Mahal, 2012)
• "Whispering Pines"/"Lonesome Suzie" (French single, 1970)

• Garth
• Jim
• The guys

Two handsome guys on the cover of Scene magazine ("London's largest well-read newspaper"). Nice article about Garth, too.

Tribute To The Band - featuring Garth Hudson and Deadman with guests On April 19 came the news music lovers around the world feared, but still waiting for. Levon Helm, one of music history's greatest profiles and best-loved singers and musicians had left us after a long battle with cancer. In The Band, he created rock music that can not be done again. It was innovative and brilliant, yet always most animated and utterly timeless. Levon Helm was the drummer of The Band's three singers Bands. He became the third of the band members who left us too soon. Before Levon has Rick Danko and Richard Manuel said goodbye and leaving only two members, Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson. Just days after Levons death met representatives of the Peace & Love and the little music company Rootsy on a mountaintop in Dalarna to discuss possible collaborations. What we came to talk about was, of course, The Band and Levon Helm. It is often where you meet if you love music. During that conversation the idea to celebrate the music and make it big. Later in the evening makes Texas band Deadman further than the splendid The Band-inspired concerts and suddenly it becomes clear. We invite The Band's keyboardist Garth Hudson to do a tribute concert in conjunction with Deadman and various special guests who may interpret The Band's tunes. Garth Hudson comes to Europe specifically for this show. He is one of rock history's true mysteries, and is considered as that of The Band, who lifted the music to the next level. The level of other bands dream of achieving. Garth was Levons closest friend and neighbor in Woodstock until the end. Both Danko and Manuel also stood near Garth and missing is still great. It is the longing that makes us the chance to present this exclusive tribute. A celebration of what we call "When The Music Is Not Forgotten."

June 9, 2012
Midnight Ramble with Members of The Levon Helm Band
Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock, NY
Gates and doors open at 7pm
Show starts at 8pm
Tickets will go on sale 8pm TONIGHT, June 4th

"Garth will receive the Lifetime of Achievement Award from the 2012 London Music Awards! Come celebrate in London , Ontario, Canada at the Wolf Performance Hall. Garth Hudson and Sister Maud Hudson will perform selections as will other local artists. We will be running all over town the preceding day. Give us a shout-out or say hello if you spot us! See Calendar for more information."

"We all feel the need to be together so we decided to host a show in honor of Levon's birthday on Saturday, May 26th at 8 p.m. at 'the barn'. We hope you'll join us. The detailed information and opportunity to purchase tickets will be on www.levonhelm.com ... tickets will go on sale at our website at noon tomorrow (Sunday)."

"Levon's friends & fans are invited to pay their final respects on Thursday, April 26, 2012 between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at his home/studio in Woodstock.  Personal vehicles will not be permitted at the studio, however. Parking will be available at 3 locations in Woodstock:  The Woodstock Playhouse 103 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, Cucina Woodstock, 109 Mill Hill Road and Andy Lee Field, Rock City Road, Woodstock. Buses will run continuously between 10 and 3 from Andy Lee Field and from The Woodstock Playhouse. Thank you, all, for your kindness and respect for privacy during this very emotional time."

"Levon Helm passed peacefully this afternoon. He was surrounded by family, friends and band mates and will be remembered by all he touched as a brilliant musician and a beautiful soul."

"Last week I was shocked and so saddened to hear that my old band mate, Levon, was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. It hit me really hard because I thought he had beaten throat cancer and had no idea that he was this ill. I spoke with his family and made arrangements to go and see him.

On Sunday I went to New York and visited him in the hospital. I sat with Levon for a good while, and thought of the incredible and beautiful times we had together. It was heartwarming to be greeted by his lovely daughter Amy, whom I have known since she was born. Amy's mother, Libby Titus, and her husband, Donald Fagen, were so kind to help walk me through this terrible time of sadness. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sandy.

Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I've ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever."

---Robbie Robertson

Dear Friends,

Levon is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey.

Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration... he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage...

We appreciate all the love and support and concern.
From his daughter Amy, and wife Sandy

Garth Hudson with Earl Scruggs (RIP) at the 2008 Grammy Awards

• On the rather inexpensive 67-track iTunes version of A Musical History, the tracklisting is quite different, disc 1 and the DVD are completely absent, and also tracks with Dylan and others are omitted, but it includes a previously unissued(?) live version of "I Shall Be Released."

• The 2003 collection Rock & Roll with Piano Volume 6 includes "Rosie Lee" by Paul London & the Capers, with Garth Hudson.

"Three In A Row CD combo" -- get all three of Levon Helm's Grammy winning CDs: Dirt Farmer, Best Traditional Folk Album 2007; Electric Dirt, Best Americana Album 2009; Ramble At The Ryman, Best Americana Album 2011.

Levon received A+ "rating" from Doctors yesterday! Woo-hoo! He'll be back in action at the March 10th Ramble.

• Chris Castle: Last Bird Home
• Kevin Hearn: Cloud Maintenance

"Levon will be undergoing a medical procedure that will necessitate his absence from the February 11th, 18th and 25th Rambles. We wish him the best and we know he will have a speedy recovery. We'll continue with the normal Ramble schedule with special guests joining the band. Those guests will be announced shortly."