Happy Birthday Levon Helm: Performing Live With The Band & Solo Spotify Playlist
By Andy Kahn May 26, 2018 • 7:01 am PDT
Levon Helm was born in rural Arkansas on this day in 1940. The renowned drummer for The Band was 71 when he finally lost a long battle with cancer in April 2012. Helm’s distinctive Southern-drawl colored his standout vocal performances both during his time with The Band and subsequent solo endeavors.
This week’s Saturday Stream celebrates Levon’s life with a career-spanning Spotify Playlist of the dirt farmer performing live with The Band and leading solo groups. The 15-track playlist highlights songs that showcase Helm’s musicianship and signature vocals.
Levon, who also played mandolin at times, can be heard below performing with the original The Band lineup of Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson between 1971 and their final Last Waltz concert in 1976. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducted group delivers such classics as “Don’t Do It,” “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down,” “Ophelia,” “Up On Cripple Creek” and more.
Advertisement
The playlist then presents Levon leading The RCO All-Stars on three songs recorded during a 1977 New Year’s Eve concert in New York City. Helm, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Fred Carter, Lou Marini, Howard Johnson, Alan Rubin and Tom “Bones” Malone rang in 1978 with “Milk Cow Boogie,” “Goodnight Irene” and “Back To Memphis.”
The effects of the throat cancer that eventually took Helm’s life can be heard on the final three tracks that close out the playlist, which were recorded on September 17, 2008 at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium. A grizzled Helm admirably sings lead on The Band’s “The Shape I’m In” and gets assistance from guitarist Larry Campbell on “Chest Fever.” The playlist ends with a lovely duet between Levon and Sheryl Crow on “Evangeline.”
Stream Levon live below:
