A while back, I was watching one of those "the making of an album" documentary discs. This one was about the year The Band made their self titled album The Band. I thought it was a hoot to hear all these music critic types talking about how this album represented the beginnings of a rebirth of interest in "Americana" music.
Here's a group of musicians, four-fifths of whom hadn't been further south then Ontario Canada until they started playing professional music, and they're being credited with being the focal point for the rebirth of interest in American folk music. It's not as if their early professional career had much to do with it either. They started off playing behind "Rompin" Ronnie Hawkins ("The Hawk") who was pure Rock & Roll.
Heck, he was so un-American that he left Arkansas and moved to Canada where he's lived since the sixties. He was the undisputed King of the scene in Toronto, and anybody who was anybody stayed with him out in his suburban home in Mississauga on the outskirts of Toronto. In 1969, when John Lennon showed up, he stayed out there, as did Janis Joplin and other luminaries of the era.
Since the old time music influence didn't come from that Good Ole Boy, it must have come from the fifth member in the band who just happened to hail from Ronnie's home state of Arkansas, Levon Helm. After all it was Levon who wrote "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", and his was the only voice that sounded like it should be singing "The Weight". With all due respect to Rick Danko, an Ontario accent just doesn't cut it for something that sounds like Southern Gospel music.
As I tend to be out of touch when it comes to news about people's personal life, it was only upon watching that same video that I found out Levon was in recovery from throat cancer. He had never been the biggest of men, and now he looked almost cadaverous. His voice, not the most dulcet of instruments in the first place, could only have sustained God knows what damage from chemotherapy, surgery, and cancer. I never thought I'd hear him sing again.
Then last year I reviewed a Holmes Brother album, and, lo and behold, there was Levon and Amy Helm singing vocals on one song. The voice might have sounded a bit thin, and even rougher around the edges than ever before – but it still had the same character and emotional depth that I remembered from his days in The Band and his sporadic solo career. It was great to hear him again, but I still didn't think there would be an album forthcoming anytime soon.
Never have I been so glad to be wrong; Vanguard Records has just released Dirt Farmer, Levon's first disc since his diagnosis and treatment for his throat cancer in 1998. In honour, and probably with a whole bunch of gratitude, of being allowed to come back again to health and a career, he chose to make this disc in homage to the people who first got him interested in music – his parents.
Article comments
1 - J Shaw
I do not think Levon Helm "wrote" The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down. Robbie Robertson did. But Levon sang the great lead vocal.
2 - James R.
Yeah, it was Robertson who wrote it, but regardless i'm psyched to hear this record. I have so much respect for Levon and what he contributes to the music scene. If you havent been to a Ramble, do yourself a favor and take a weekend off. You will understand what people mean when they say "the house was on fire!"
3 - Pete
Having just seen Levon perform a couple of weeks back at his barn in NY, all I can say is he's back! I love the man's voice... a little thinner then in his days with The Band; but honest and with a smile. I have Dirt Farmer... got it early at his barn. Wonderful!
4 - Evo
I think that this album pretty much proved (if we ever doubted) who was the grit and soul in "The Band". Sure, Big Pink and the other greats were collaborative efforts but listen to Dirt Farmer and go back to the old stuff. Levon's stamp is all over it.
Here's a good article written by a Levon Helm fan that I came up on that you all might enjoy.
5 - Mike
Have always loved Levon Helm, as drummer, singer, & film actor. Kinda wish Richard Markus could have written his Dirt Farmer review without slagging Rick Danko or his "Ontario accent". The Band was a majestic thing to behold during its heyday, and Levon, Garth, Robbie, Rick & Richard will always be a favorite of both Americans and Canadians, not to mention fans all over the world.
6 - Chris Eldridge
Wow! What a great album. I've only had it a few days, but haven't taken it out of my truck yet. I lisren to it on the way to work and on the way home. I have to learn all the songs. The stories and emotions that Levon sings about feel so real. It's been a long time since I've been this moved a an album. I am forever indebted to my friend Tom for turning me on to this recording. I didn't know that Levon was even working on an album. The last I had heard, Levon had been diagnosed with cancer. I'm glad beyond measure that he's recovered and made this fine, fine album.
I'm sorry I've rambled on so much. I tend to do that when I get worked up.