R.I.P. Robbie Robertson
His “weight” has now been lifted--
Guitarist and singer-songwriter Robbie Robertson, best known as front man of Americana pioneering group The Band whose songs included “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down,” “Up On Cripple Creek” and numerous others, died earlier today at the age of 80, confirmed to Variety by his management company.
Although no cause of death was specified, an extended illness had been previously disclosed and this may have been imminent, as the statement from his manager, Jared Levine reads in part: “Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death, including his wife, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s partner Kenny. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Six Nations of the Grand River to support the building of their new cultural center.”
Born Jaime Royal Robertson in Toronto, Canada on July 5th, 1943, to a Native American mother and Jewish father (who it would be revealed later, to really be someone else) who met at a local jewelry plating factory. The family moved frequently during his early years, but Robertson still managed to pick up a guitar early, entertaining his cousins and family, joining several bands in his teens and leaving high school before graduation in the process.
He notably joined Ronnie Hawkins’ rockabilly band (The Hawks) and would pick up his nickname, partially inspired by a band name taken from Robby the Robot of the sci-fi classic film, “Forbidden Planet.” While in Hawkins’ band, he would meet the remaining members of The Band (drummer Levon Helm, keyboardist Richard Manuel, organist Garth Hudson, bassist Rick Danko), forming their own group and eventually touring with Bob Dylan in 1965.
The next year following, they were also in the studio with Dylan, creating the classic Blonde on Blonde album and a series of home recordings eventually known as “The Basement Tapes.” As Dylan went his own way in 1968, the group humbly re-named themselves The Band and started work on their first album, Music From Big Pink, which was released that August.
The album, which contained the classic “The Weight”, would prove to have a major musical impact, both at the time and the future music it would go to inspire, influencing the biggest names in the business and resulting in numerous cover versions of the mostly Robertson-penned songs.
The rocket ride would continue but burn out after the course of eight years, with hits like “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down,” and “The Shape I’m In” along the way- a successful set at Woodstock, the cover of Time magazine (a first for any North American band) seven studio albums during their tenure, and a massive 1974 stadium reunion tour with Dylan.
By 1976, Robertson was completely disillusioned about continuing to tour and Danko and Manuel had developed serious substance issues, so he made the decision to end the group. But would end things with a huge exclamation point, planning an all-star concert at The Winterland in San Francisco, featuring many of the group’s friends as musical guests and getting director Martin Scorsese to capture the event, resulting in one of the greatest concert films of all time.
Robertson and drummer Helm would feud over the film’s emphasis, royalties, songwriting credits, and other issues in a never-resolved rift that lasted past Helm’s death in 2012 (though Robertson would make an empathetic hospital visit to check in on his ill former bandmate).
The relationship between Robertson and Scorsese would grow as a result of the film The Last Waltz, resulting in a decades-long collaboration on several projects. Robertson also embarked on a solo career, though would forgo touring of any kind, despite releasing five solo albums, beginning with 1987’s acclaimed Robbie Robertson album, which featured appearances from the likes of U2, Peter Gabriel, and Lone Justice’s Maria McKee.
He would also continue producing and guesting on others’ albums, returning with 2011’s bluesy How to Become Clairvoyant, which featured Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Tom (Rage Against the Machine) Morello and Trent (Nine Inch Nails) Reznor, and 2019’s Sinematic, being his final solo release (two songs from which appeared in Scorsese’s “The Irishman” film). His music will be featured in Scorsese’s upcoming film, “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
Robertson would come to embrace and become an activist and supporter for the Cayuga / Mohawk heritage of his mother’s side, and the many accolades bestowed upon him and/or the group include 1994 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (he would not attend though) and the Canadian Juno Hall of Fame; Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame; the Governor General's Performing Arts Award (Canada’s highest performing arts honor); and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the National Academy of Songwriters, the Grammy Awards, and the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, among numerous others.
“You put the load right on me, you put the load right on me” – Robbie Robertson “The Weight.”
1992 photo by Jorid Vidal - Redferns/Getty
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