# Levon Helm (The Band) dies of cancer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187 "2012-04-18T18:12:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/21 "2012-04-19T20:32:29Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I saw them live several times, but I’m not old enough to have seen the Robbie Robertson era line up. Saw them a couple of times before Richie Manuel’s death during their 80s come back. I was also at the Roger Waters Wall Concert at the Berlin Wall in 1990. The remaining members of The Band played with Ronnie Hawkins as a warm up and they were also in the concert. I only saw them once, but it was a good time to see them: January, 1974, on the tour which was eventually recorded on [_Before\_the\_Flood_.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_the_Flood) It was an awesome show - everyone was in top form that night! RIP Levon! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/22 "2012-04-19T20:37:12Z")
They always leave us in threes. Dick Clark, Greg Ham, and now Levon Helm. R.I.P. Levon ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/23 "2012-04-19T20:56:57Z")
I’m loving what people are saying in tribute to him. “Levon Helm, who helped forge a deep-rooted American music as the drummer and singer for the Band […] In Mr. Helm’s drumming, muscle, swing, economy and finesse were inseparably merged. […] Mr. Helm was the American linchpin of the otherwise Canadian group that became Bob Dylan’s backup band and then the Band. Its own songs — largely written by the Band’s guitarist, Jaime Robbie Robertson, and pianist, Richard Manuel — spring from roadhouse, church, backwoods, river and farm; they are rock-ribbed with history and tradition yet hauntingly surreal. […] Mr. Helm’s drumming valued space over showiness. He gave his drums a muffled, bottom-heavy sound that placed them in the foundation of the arrangements, and his tom-toms were tuned so that their pitch would bend downward as the tone faded.” -Jon Pareles for the New York Times “With songs like “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” “The Weight” and “Up on Cripple Creek,” The Band fused rock, blues, folk and gospel to create a sound that seemed as authentically American as a Mathew Brady photograph or a Mark Twain short story. In truth, the group had only one American - Levon Helm. […] In some ways, The Band was the closest this country ever came to the camaraderie and achievement of the Beatles. Each of the five members brought special talents that through years of touring, recording and living together blended into a unique sound.” -Michael Hill for the AP ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/24 "2012-04-19T21:17:56Z")
Love and farewell, Levon… ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/25 "2012-04-19T22:13:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I thought he had one of those voices you just believe, whatever he’s singing. I’ll miss him. This says it all, I think. Time to watch The Last Waltz again, I think. RIP Levon. ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/26 "2012-04-19T22:28:25Z")
My favorite rock drummer, and an inspiration since I was a teen. I loved Levon a lot. Very sad. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/27 "2012-04-19T22:41:40Z")
I had a weird coincidence/synchronicity with this today. I hadn’t heard about Helm being sick or his death. Earlier today I was at home and for some reason began thinking about The Band and started singing “The Weight” to myself. About 30 min. later I was in the car and heard about his death. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/28 "2012-04-19T22:43:50Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > I had a weird coincidence/synchronicity with this today. I hadn’t heard about Helm being sick or his death. Earlier today I was at home and for some reason began thinking about The Band and started singing “The Weight” to myself. About 30 min. later I was in the car and heard about his death. One of his songs (“Single Girl” from _Dirt Farmer_) came up on random on my iTunes while I was posting about him earlier. ---
**Author:** ![kirk1168](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@kirk1168](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk1168)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/29 "2012-04-20T00:06:36Z")
“I just need some place where I can lay my head.” Rest in peace, Levon. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/30 "2012-04-20T00:10:49Z")
Nice, **kirk1168**. Q ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/31 "2012-04-20T00:33:03Z")
“Why do the best things always disappear?” Thank you, Mr. Helm. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/32 "2012-04-20T00:49:17Z")
> [@kirk1168](#): > > “I just need some place where I can lay my head.” No, Levon was a little more like, “…lay my hey-yey-ed.” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/33 "2012-04-20T01:07:43Z")
NPR played part of _The Weight_ when they reported. They faded on, “Hey Mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?” ☹ ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/34 "2012-04-20T02:34:45Z")
I was glad to see that Robbie made a pilgrimage to his beside. RIP, Levon. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/35 "2012-04-20T03:02:54Z")
Alvin Tostig lost a son today… ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/36 "2012-04-20T03:18:45Z")
This is a great loss. Such a voice of mythology, southern and otherwise, and history and music. ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/37 "2012-04-20T03:25:26Z")
There’s not much to say when one of the greatest departs except, thank you, Mr. Helm. ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/38 "2012-04-20T13:12:45Z")
“Discovered” Them watching the Last Waltz… around 1982… my dad comes downstairs and says… yeah that’s Levon with Paul Butterfield… we used to live down the street from Butterfield in Chicago… WOW… “Mystery Train” on the Last Waltz… Cripple Creek… what a voice… what a presence… that’s the loss of a direct link… like losing history… what makes us us… Might have been the only black kid on the southside of Chicago rockin “Orphelia” but I could careless… ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187/39 "2012-04-20T18:41:46Z")
From Paste: [54 Musicians Remember Levon Helm](http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/04/54-musicians-remember-levon-helm.html). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/levon-helm-the-band-dies-of-cancer/619187.md?page=1)