Obituary
Aw, man. I was too young for The Band (with or without Dylan), but caught up on them later of course. It was those none-more-CD-age solo albums and *that* voice rather than his guitar which first caught my ear.
All together now, ‘She said “Hang the rich …”’
https://variety.com/2023/music/news/robbie-robertson-dead-the-band-1235692172/
He got a lot of stick, but he held The Band together when the rest of them were a bunch of washed up junkies,
Lots of favourites. Especially from the first solo album. Also the song Breaking The Rules. And I liked his Native American Indian album.
Another shock, despite his age. Loved The Band (obvs), but also rate his solo work very highly, particularly Storyville.
I’ve just remembered that he has the non-music highlight of The Last Waltz, when he talks about Ronnie Hawkins recruiting him to his band by saying, ‘Well, son, you won’t make much money, but you’ll get more pussy than Frank Sinatra.’
Robbie R. and Sixto R. on the same day, a sad day indeed.
Just talking to a Canadian cousin about him a few hours ago.
RIP Robbie
Ach, that’s really sad. Robertson was the one member of The Band who you thought would last forever. Just Garth left now.
Robertson, like McCartney, became a villain for many because he he was the professional keeping the show on the road, which is somehow less appealing than being a wayward artist. But it’s the music that will speak in the long run, and what music The Band came up with. His first two solo albums are fine too. His greatest solo song, for me, the magnificent Soap Box Preacher on Storyville.
RIP Robbie. Don’t let the rapture pass you by.
Another thing about Robbie, beyond the brilliant songwriting, guitar-playing, producing, and all round musicianship, is that he was impossibly cool. I mean just look at him in the Last Waltz – absolutely the coolest person on the stage all night. Here he is being cool listening to a Van Morrison record.
Back in 1968 he played with Charles Lloyd on ‘Sun Dance’ from the fabulous album, ‘Of Course, Of Course’, replacing Gabor Szabo.