I was lucky enough to see 4 out of 5 members of the Band live (Robbie Robertson with Elvis Costello in Rome, Italy, in the nineties; Rick Danko in NYC in 1998; Levon Helm at the Ramble in Woodstock in 2009; and Garth himself with the Sadies in NYC in 2010). I actually managed to speak to Garth before his concert with the Sadies: he was kind and gracious, he told me he hadn't slept in 14 days. Great article BTW. There'll never be a group even remotely comparable to the Band again.
I saw The Band minus Robertson after Last Waltz in DC when they decided they didn’t want to stop touring although Robbie did. If you want to talk to people about Garth, find yourself some Boomers. (The SNL skit with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey … Wayne and Garth and I believe both of them are Canadian.) We ALL know The Band and Garth. We also knew who made the music, and that he figured prominently in that enterprise.
It was God’s final lesson for Robertson that he died before Garth. He was denied his last grandstanding interview where he lowered his head, looked up through tousled curls to explain humbly that he really really was the leader of the band, a bald face lie. I am from Memphis and know musicians who worked with both Levon and Garth. If you want to know how it all came down, believe Levon.
Also, John Berenzy recorded Cold Gray Sky with Garth shortly before he retired to live in the nursing home. John is a NY musician who played CBGB back in the day, toured with Dylan and Willie DeVille, and is an exquisite guitarist. You can hear Cold Gray Sky on YouTube. He and Garth were friends for years. If you ever run into Joe Mulherin in Memphis buy him a beer and ask about Garth, who he wrote about poignantly today.
Very few people could do the things Garth did musically. In a live performance, although his back was to the audience, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Every movement was interesting. I would have watched that crew every night if I could. Nice article Kody. (And yes, we loaded vinyl up on the stereo to play The Band all night long. We were in our 20s and believed we had the best music ever.)
I saw that tour as well in Philadelphia, no Robbie but instead, Blondie Chaplin on guitar and man it rocked! Missed the taping of Rock of Ages (was in the alleyway listening for a bit at the mobile recording unit), decided not to go to Watkins Glen and almost made it to the Last Waltz but decided not to fly out to San Fran :(
I attended Medway High School in Arva, Ont. Canada. Garth was a year ahead of me and always played the piano or organ every Friday for the whole school gathered in the auditorium for the "Friday Morning Exercises." He playing was phenomenal. He made O Canada and God Save The Queen sound like a rock concert. It was the late 50's and his career was just beginning! Enjoyed his playing with the Hawks, Ronnie Hawkins band when they played the Brass Rail Tavern in London Ont. every 3rd Fri/Sat. night. Then they became the backup band for Bob Dylan and toured with him. The last time I saw the Band and got a chance to speak with Garth was at the Old Lantern, near Burlington, Vt. They were trying to begin a world tour but it didn't last long. I had a chance to reminisce with him about the Old Days in London, Ont., I also got a T shirt with all their signatures written in indelible ink on it. Them were the days my friends............!!!!
Yes, I'm sure that the student body and myself as teens, didn't realize that we were blessed with the best in Garth Hudson playing the piano or organ while we sang O Canada and God Save the Queen. We knew that he was good because he was the only pianist that played. Even then he was already recognized as being an excellent musician. When he played the organ his rendition of those songs was very innovative! Rocking Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks brought Rock and Roll to London Ontario. I remember clearly dancing my head off to the band playing Rock & Roll at the Brass Rail Tavern. Ronnie's theme song was 'Come On Baby Lite My Fire!!' It was a wonderful time to be a teenager. The drinking age was 21, so we all dressed up to look older!
I just had an epiphany: I seriously wonder if my parents played The Band on repeat when I was little because I feel like it was just embedded in my soul since birth. Music has always seemed to hit me different than other people and I have such an appreciation for country, delta blues, bluegrass, and more recently folk music. The whole Big Pink album has always seemed strangely familiar. I am starting to think that I was born with The Band playing on my dad's old "reel to reel". Whether or not, it would be so sad to not appreciate something as amazing as The Band, and "Honey Boy" especially!!!
As a kid hearing the opening salvo of "tears of rage" and then "chest fever" as an 11 year old when my brother brought home that new release, had quite an impact! To this day they remain one of my favorite bands. I was fortunate enough to share the stage with Levon when I was touring as a guitarist in Sheryl Crow's band, performing "the weight" among a few other classics with Levon playing mandolin. eventually it was documented at the '94 VH-1 honors show with not only Levon but, Emmylou Harris, Jakob Dylan, James Taylor & Steve Winwood ...
I fucking love Garth, everything about him, literally everything. I met him whilst having dinner with my friend Jeff from Mercury Rev. Jeff had recorded with Garth in the 90s, I went outside to smoke with Garth and despite explaining multiple times I had NEVER been in Mercury Rev he insisted I was. Once I gave up trying to convince him I was not part of Mercury Rev we got on famously and he regaled me with the most hilarious and amazing stories of years playing music. What a legend. Number one in my book. Can't believe I found the pic we took, Garth & I https://www.instagram.com/p/BtaJZx6lgYM/
Is Garth "quoting" Irving Berlin's *Alexander's Ragtime Band* at the begining and at the end of *Ophelia*? Very briefly, but I hear it. I can't find confirmation anywhere.
I was lucky enough to see 4 out of 5 members of the Band live (Robbie Robertson with Elvis Costello in Rome, Italy, in the nineties; Rick Danko in NYC in 1998; Levon Helm at the Ramble in Woodstock in 2009; and Garth himself with the Sadies in NYC in 2010). I actually managed to speak to Garth before his concert with the Sadies: he was kind and gracious, he told me he hadn't slept in 14 days. Great article BTW. There'll never be a group even remotely comparable to the Band again.
That's lovely that you got to see them play. I am envious. And thank you! Garth is a great one for sure.
I always love hearing Garth's piano fills in the choruses of The Weight. Each one different, all beautiful.
I got to hear him live playing piano on The Weight in 2016, but sadly, no fills. Maybe just as well; you can't relive the past...
I saw The Band minus Robertson after Last Waltz in DC when they decided they didn’t want to stop touring although Robbie did. If you want to talk to people about Garth, find yourself some Boomers. (The SNL skit with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey … Wayne and Garth and I believe both of them are Canadian.) We ALL know The Band and Garth. We also knew who made the music, and that he figured prominently in that enterprise.
It was God’s final lesson for Robertson that he died before Garth. He was denied his last grandstanding interview where he lowered his head, looked up through tousled curls to explain humbly that he really really was the leader of the band, a bald face lie. I am from Memphis and know musicians who worked with both Levon and Garth. If you want to know how it all came down, believe Levon.
Also, John Berenzy recorded Cold Gray Sky with Garth shortly before he retired to live in the nursing home. John is a NY musician who played CBGB back in the day, toured with Dylan and Willie DeVille, and is an exquisite guitarist. You can hear Cold Gray Sky on YouTube. He and Garth were friends for years. If you ever run into Joe Mulherin in Memphis buy him a beer and ask about Garth, who he wrote about poignantly today.
Very few people could do the things Garth did musically. In a live performance, although his back was to the audience, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Every movement was interesting. I would have watched that crew every night if I could. Nice article Kody. (And yes, we loaded vinyl up on the stereo to play The Band all night long. We were in our 20s and believed we had the best music ever.)
I saw that tour as well in Philadelphia, no Robbie but instead, Blondie Chaplin on guitar and man it rocked! Missed the taping of Rock of Ages (was in the alleyway listening for a bit at the mobile recording unit), decided not to go to Watkins Glen and almost made it to the Last Waltz but decided not to fly out to San Fran :(
I attended Medway High School in Arva, Ont. Canada. Garth was a year ahead of me and always played the piano or organ every Friday for the whole school gathered in the auditorium for the "Friday Morning Exercises." He playing was phenomenal. He made O Canada and God Save The Queen sound like a rock concert. It was the late 50's and his career was just beginning! Enjoyed his playing with the Hawks, Ronnie Hawkins band when they played the Brass Rail Tavern in London Ont. every 3rd Fri/Sat. night. Then they became the backup band for Bob Dylan and toured with him. The last time I saw the Band and got a chance to speak with Garth was at the Old Lantern, near Burlington, Vt. They were trying to begin a world tour but it didn't last long. I had a chance to reminisce with him about the Old Days in London, Ont., I also got a T shirt with all their signatures written in indelible ink on it. Them were the days my friends............!!!!
I hadn't heard that detail about the high school performances before, that's awesome.
Yes, I'm sure that the student body and myself as teens, didn't realize that we were blessed with the best in Garth Hudson playing the piano or organ while we sang O Canada and God Save the Queen. We knew that he was good because he was the only pianist that played. Even then he was already recognized as being an excellent musician. When he played the organ his rendition of those songs was very innovative! Rocking Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks brought Rock and Roll to London Ontario. I remember clearly dancing my head off to the band playing Rock & Roll at the Brass Rail Tavern. Ronnie's theme song was 'Come On Baby Lite My Fire!!' It was a wonderful time to be a teenager. The drinking age was 21, so we all dressed up to look older!
I just had an epiphany: I seriously wonder if my parents played The Band on repeat when I was little because I feel like it was just embedded in my soul since birth. Music has always seemed to hit me different than other people and I have such an appreciation for country, delta blues, bluegrass, and more recently folk music. The whole Big Pink album has always seemed strangely familiar. I am starting to think that I was born with The Band playing on my dad's old "reel to reel". Whether or not, it would be so sad to not appreciate something as amazing as The Band, and "Honey Boy" especially!!!
Amazingly well written! You have spoken for a generation here sir.
Love love love this.
As a kid hearing the opening salvo of "tears of rage" and then "chest fever" as an 11 year old when my brother brought home that new release, had quite an impact! To this day they remain one of my favorite bands. I was fortunate enough to share the stage with Levon when I was touring as a guitarist in Sheryl Crow's band, performing "the weight" among a few other classics with Levon playing mandolin. eventually it was documented at the '94 VH-1 honors show with not only Levon but, Emmylou Harris, Jakob Dylan, James Taylor & Steve Winwood ...
pure bliss for me! RIP Garth and RIP The Band
I fucking love Garth, everything about him, literally everything. I met him whilst having dinner with my friend Jeff from Mercury Rev. Jeff had recorded with Garth in the 90s, I went outside to smoke with Garth and despite explaining multiple times I had NEVER been in Mercury Rev he insisted I was. Once I gave up trying to convince him I was not part of Mercury Rev we got on famously and he regaled me with the most hilarious and amazing stories of years playing music. What a legend. Number one in my book. Can't believe I found the pic we took, Garth & I https://www.instagram.com/p/BtaJZx6lgYM/
It's a beautiful piece of writing. Thank you.
Thank you for this, Kody.
May he live to be 100. One of the first songs that ever grabbed my soul was chest fever. Garths intro was just amazing.
It really punches you in the face.
Wonderful
Help a sister out.
Is Garth "quoting" Irving Berlin's *Alexander's Ragtime Band* at the begining and at the end of *Ophelia*? Very briefly, but I hear it. I can't find confirmation anywhere.
Thanks, and thanks for a cool essay.
There's no one else like Garth Hudson! Simply amazing. If you love The Band, and are on Instagram, check out my page at - jeffs.theband.stuff