Robbie Robertson, frontman for The Band, dies at 80
Robbie Robertson, guitarist and songwriter of The Band, has died at the age of 80.
The Toronto native — whose influential music included classic rock hits like “The Weight” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” — died in Los Angeles on Wednesday following a long illness, according to a statement given by his manager to the Los Angeles Times.
He was surrounded by family including his wife, his ex-wife and three children.
The Band released its first album, “Music from Big Pink,” in 1968, which has been credited for inspiring future works by The Beatles, Eric Clapton and Elton John. Roger Waters of Pink Floyd called the album the second-most influential record in the history of rock 'n' roll, coming in only behind The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
In addition to his songwriting, guitar playing and vocal contributions to The Band, Robertson figured prominently in the 1978 film “The Last Waltz,” in which director Martin Scorsese chronicled the group’s final performance with all five original members in 1976. Robertson also served as lead guitarist for Bob Dylan in the mid-late 1960s and early-mid 1970s.
Robertson later moved on to pursue a solo career, one that included producing and composing soundtracks for many of Scorsese’s films. He most recently worked on “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Scorsese’s epic Western crime drama set to be released this October.
In 1994, Robertson reunited with The Band to perform at their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Clapton gave their introduction. That performance marked Robertson’s first time playing with his old bandmates — minus missing drummer Levon Helm — since shooting “The Last Waltz” two years before the film’s debut.
Helm, who parted with Robertson on bad terms, died from lung cancer in 2012. Robertson wrote in his 2016 memoir, “Testimony,” that drug and alcohol abuse drove a wedge into the group.
“I loved these guys beyond words, until it hurt inside,” he wrote. “But this beast was wounded, and we were unsure of its recovery.”
The only remaining original member of The Band is 86-year-old keyboardist Garth Hudson. Bass player Rick Danko died in 1999, preceded in 1986 by pianist and singer Richard Manuel.
Singer Neil Diamond wrote on social media that the world lost “a great one” when Robertson died.
“Keep making that Beautiful Noise in the sky, Robbie,” Diamond wrote. “I’ll miss you.”
E Street Band guitarist Stevie Van Zandt called Robertson an “underrated brilliant guitar player” he knew as “a good friend and a genius.”
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