Levon Helm, drummer and singer for the Band, died yesterday from complications of cancer. He was 71. Helm is best remembered as the sole American in the otherwise Canadian group that became Bob Dylan’s backup band and later, simply “The Band.” In the past decade, he gained a reputation as a roots-music patriarch, hosting a series of concerts called “Midnight Rambles” in his Woodstock barn. Songwriter, producer, and Grammy Award-winning musician John Leventhal played with Levon in the 1980s. He remembers a charismatic performer who was often like a character in one of his own songs.
The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
When you make a gift of $10 or more a month, we’ll invite you to a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of our newsroom to thank you for being with The World.