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Doctor’s Orders: Share Your Favorite Levon Moment

Levon at the Last Waltz – photo by Larry Hulst

Maybe you were there, maybe you’ve just watched the performance or heard the music. Regardless, we’d love to hear about your favorite Levon Helm moment with any of the groups he enlivened over the years. Please share your thoughts below and we’ll run some of your responses in the next issue of Relix.

Comments

There are 5 comments associated with this post

Clovis August 21, 2012, 17:48:01

The media is full of tributes to Levon Helm and rlfgthuily so. But of all the pieces that are out there and those still to come, including the ones in the big bucks major publications, only one of them will have been written by someone who started listening to Levon with that 1965 John Hammond, Jr. LP, who was at Forest Hills ’65, who saw a Dylan-Hawks show when Levon was still with them, who had the Big Pinkrecord at its release, who saw the ’69 Filmore East show, the ’74 Dylan-Band tour, the incarnations of the post-Robertson version of The Band,who even saw the Helm-Danko shows, all the way through the years to seeing one of the Midnight Ramble shows when Levon took that on the road. And that one person is Peter Stone Brown.Furthermore, that’s just Levon. Peter Stone Brown can write with equal authority about all sorts of music and musicians. He’s followed the music since he was a kid, and his adult background as a singer/songwriter/recording artist/music journalist/radio host means he brings an insight to his subjects that others without such life experience just can’t match.Congratulations on the blog Peter. Your work deserves a wider readership. Hopefully, someone in a position to make that happenwill do just that make it happen.

Tim J April 20, 2012, 09:43:06

I never saw Levon play with The Band but I did see him with the Levon Helm Band a half dozen times or so. My favorite of these was at the Newport Folk Festival. They filled the stage and closed out an amazing day at Fort Adams.

Mike T April 20, 2012, 12:00:52

I know that some people feel that the Last Waltz places too much emphasis on Robbie Robertson but I think Levon is just wonderful. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” is a highlight for me.

Chuck Dorgan April 20, 2012, 14:03:32

On September 2, 2011, I decided to pay homage to my favorite musicians of all time, Levon Helm and Bob Weir, together in Woodstock. I was lucky to get a ticket to the show from a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend, and even more lucky to acquire a front row chair in front of the grand piano. Tears started to run down my face as Bruce Hornsby closed his set with Bob Weir joining him on Jack Straw. The surprise of the night was when Bobby, Larry, Teresa, and Fiona McBain sang Attics of my Life. Then with an evening already full of unbelievable memories,….Levon Helm Band closed the night with The Weight. I was filled with so much emotion that when Levon was exiting the stage directly in front of me, I gave him a hug and told him how much loved him. It was an evening I will never forget. Thank you Levon for the inspiration. Chuck Dorgan
Master Thieves

Brian Kennedy April 21, 2012, 15:02:35

Hunter NY 2008 was the first time in a long waited and wanted time I got to see this Americana Icon.Rolling in and out of Band songs Levon’s voice was powerful on this evening and as I held my 11 month old daughter in my arms high on a mountain at her first live music gathering Levon leads the band into the best sounding version of Ophelia,one of the most memorable of a live music junkie. In the middle of Ratdog’s set Bob brings Levon out to join him on she belongs to me,and as much love as I have for Bob i was let down to hear that it was only Bob on vocals.Jumping Ahead to 2011 Levon and band at the Vibes was sweet sounding though my wife April and I were bound to feeding the children before Furthur took the stage and only got to listen to the set from afar. then we see on Sunday September third a line-up at Moe.down that we could not miss Bruce Hornsby and the Noise makers and Levon Helm Band with special Bob Weir,so we buy a day pass and and hit the road.The children are almost wound up as April and I, as they are Vibe’s vet’s they were happy to be going to a festival that they have not been to yet.The sun was shinning and spirits were high all around as Levon’s Band set was nearing.The Black clouds were moving in and you could see lightning striking off in the distance of the Herkimer hills.Levon and co. were all on stage ready to start as the weather moved right over us and they were forced by nature to take shelter from the storm.As we were doing the same not seeing a let-up for 45 minutes I was wondering if we would be forced to leave in fear for our two children.Then the lightning passed and the rain slowed to a steady falling from heavy and the show went on.They opened with Wheels on Fire Larry took the vocals and played with inspiration as my daughter now 4 rides piggyback in her raincoat as we were singing and dancing in the rain.Midway through the set Bob comes out for a fine version of Masterpiece into a nice Deep Elem then into a beautiful Attics of my Life bring tears to an already soaked face.Thinking that this was the deepest and emotional song of the set I could not have been more wrong.As the set was coming to an end they go into the most unique and Heart felt version of Ripple ever heard,Teresa took the lead vocals as Bob joined behind her as the song progressed.Knowing that this song means so much to so many it meant a little bit more to April and I as she and her Family asked me to play this on mandolin at her Grandmothers funeral just a few months before.The Tears of sadness and joy were back on our faces.Then for the encore an uplifting version of The Weight Levon playing with a purpose as we was born to do you could feel the joy radiate from the stage from all and hit home to all listening and that was last time we would witness this magical music from Levon and friends.Thank you Levon from April,Brian,Johnny and Rhiannon.