Looked at wiki after cause I don’t know anything about the band. What a mess after they split. If I got it right they piano player hung himself at 42. Robbie spoke of 3 of the boys were in full heroin mode. Sixteen years on the road didn’t prepare the boys (except Robbie) for real life. Like a broke 30yo pro football player, super sad.
Reasonable accurate. Levon Helm kicked the habit, built a recording studio and performance space, The Barn in Woodstock NY which is still going strong today. I took the boys to see a Midnight Ramble in New Years eve there 15 years ago or so and it was a sensational evening of fun. Lots of great bands playing there. I would like to get back up there for a show at some point.
Rick Danko and Levon Helm were my favorites. Danko at any one point in time had hundreds of songs committed to memory and was involved in so much music as were all of them.
Since you dug The Last Waltz, sit down some chilly afternoon this fall or winter and watch Festival Express, a documentary about a train trip The Grateful Dead, Janis, Buddy Guy, The Band, Flying burrito Brothers and others took across Canada stopping at towns along the way to play concerts. Just some great footage in this gem.
montavillajazz.org
