So...how did Levon Helm hook up with the Band?

[OAITW r.2.0]

Curious. Arkansas guy heads to Toronto? And joins an anti-confederate Band?

[luvs2sing]

1. Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks

Hawkins was from Arkansas but played in a Toronto a lot. Levon hooked up with him in Arkansas, and they got the others in Toronto.

[hlthe2b]

2. I read his autobiography. Helm was with Ronnie Hawkins' band, the Hawks

at some point, Hawkins recruited the famous Canadians, Rick Danko, Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson. They all performed together for a while before hooking up as the Band with Bob Dylan.

Such a talented bunch and I so miss Levon.

[luvs2sing]

5. Levon's autobiography is fantastic!

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve reread it over the years.

[ms liberty]

3. Very short version. Levon was playing with Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks

They played in Canada, where Robbie saw them. At 16 Robbie wrote two songs that Ronnie recorded, and Ronnie gave him a job. Eventually all the members assembled as The Hawks, then they played for Dylan the tour he went electric. Levon didn't like getting booed, and left to work on an oil rig. Then they (all the guys except Levon) decided to go out on their own and Dylan talked them into moving to Woodstock where they rented the house now known as Big Pink. Robbie got ahold of Levon and told him to come home, and they recorded a bunch of music , decided to call themselves The Band, and the rest is history.
There's a documentary called Once Were Brothers, Robbie Robertson and The Band that tells it pretty well. Some of of the story is told in The Last Waltz. I recommend Robbie's book Testimony. He is an excellent storyteller and writer.

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. Wow, did not know. Thanks for the clarification....

Thanks!

[Hestia]

6. I so did not appreciate The Last Waltz when it was at the theater. Re-watched it recently - wow!

First off, Scorsese before he was Scorsese directed it and the music is phenomenal. My ex and I plus like 4 other people were the only ones in the theater to see it.

[ms liberty]

7. I first saw it on cable sbout 1982. What an amazing film

Still the best rockumentary ever made. And I fell totally in love with the whole band. I knew who they were of course, but not from having seen them live bc I was just a very few years too young.
Their clubhouse/studio that the interview scecnes are in (called ShangriLa) is now owned by producer Rick Rubin and was the studio you see The Avett Bros. recording In during their recent documentary "May it Last." The album they were recording is called "i and Love and You." You should check them out if you like The Band. They get placed in the Americana musical genre just as the band often is. If you haven't heard them, go to the Music Appreciation group...Glamrock posts their videos a lot, and I've posted a few, too. They've become one of my favorite bands.

[Hestia]

8. Thanks for the heads up!