Happy Birthday Richard Manuel: The Band Plays New York City In 1976

The Band multi-instrumentalist Richard Manuel was born in Stratford, Ontario on this date in 1943 which would have made today his 75th birthday. Sadly, Manuel didn’t make it past 42 as he died by suicide on March 4, 1986. Richard’s legacy lives on through the incredible music he made with The Band and various other projects. An example of Manuel’s talents can be found in a crispy recording of The Band’s September 18, 1976 visit to The Palladium in New York City that can be streamed below in honor of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Famer’s birthday.

In 1976, The Band retired from the road after one final tour that ended with the famed Last Waltz concert in San Francisco on November 25, 1976. Though the group was revived without Robbie Robertson in 1983, The Band never reached the heights of their pre-Last Waltz days. On September 18 and 19, 1976 Manuel, Robertson, Garth Hudson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko and a horn section played two nights to open The Palladium in New York City, a venue previously known as the Academy Of Music. The first show was simulcast on NYC rock station WNEW.

The Band kicked off their 17-song performance with “Ophelia” and then Manuel had his first turn in the spotlight for one of his signature songs, “The Shape I’m In.” A parade of beloved songs from The Band followed including such gems as “It Makes No Difference,” “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “Stage Fright” and “This Wheel’s On Fire.” The addition of the horns added so much to the group’s music dating back to their Rock Of Ages concerts and that trend was on display throughout The Band’s 1976 tour.

Richard Manuel was in fine form throughout with his delivery of “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” and “Across The Great Divide” among the evening’s highlights. While the Last Waltz was filled with guest spots, The Band’s September 18, 1976 show only featured one sit-in. Ace harmonica player Paul Butterfield added to the “Life Is A Carnival” that ended the main set. Levon Helm had one more turn fronting the ensemble for the encore, “The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show.” Listen to the FM simulcast of The Band’s September ’76 visit to New York City: