Levon Helm American rock musician and actor Date of Birth: 26.05.1940 Country: USA

1. Biography of Levon Helm
2. Early Life and Musical Beginnings
3. The Band and Solo Career
4. Health Struggles and Revival

Biography of Levon Helm

Levon Helm was an American rock musician and actor, best known as the drummer (and often as the vocalist) of the rock group "The Band." He was famous for his deep, soulful country-style voice and his powerful drumming, particularly notable in many of the band's compositions such as "The Weight," "Up on Cripple Creek," "Ophelia," and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." Helm's album "Dirt Farmer," released in 2007, won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album in February 2008, and in November of the same year, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Helm at number 91 on their list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Levon Helm was born in Marvell, Arkansas, and was the second of four children in a family of cotton farmers. All members of his family were very musical, so Levon began playing guitar at the age of eight and later started playing drums. During his school days, Helm formed his first band, "The Jungle Bush Beaters." From the age of seventeen, he played in local bars and clubs. After graduating from high school, he was invited to join Ronnie Hawkins' band "The Hawks." This musical collective performed rockabilly music and was already popular throughout the South and even in Canada. Soon, the band went to Toronto, where they recorded several singles at Roulette Records in 1959, including a couple of hits. In 1963, Hawkins and the rest of the band parted ways. After changing names several times, they eventually returned to the original name. The band recorded two more singles and became known as a popular musical collective performing in clubs and bars, touring in Texas, Arkansas, Canada, and the East Coast.

The Band and Solo Career

In the mid-1960s, Bob Dylan, who was interested in electronic rock music, asked Helm's group to perform as his backing band. Dylan's fans reacted negatively to the "new sound," which led Helm to become disheartened, and he left the group and returned to Arkansas. When he returned in 1967, it was decided to rename the group simply "The Band." They soon released an album titled "Music From Big Pink," which immediately brought them overwhelming popularity. Helm remained with the group until their final farewell concert in 1976, called "The Last Waltz." This concert was filmed by Martin Scorsese and became a documentary film about the group. After the band's breakup, Helm began working on a solo album called "Levon Helm and the RCO All Stars," followed by another album called "Levon Helm." In 1980 and 1982, he released his solo albums "American Son" and another self-titled album, "Levon Helm." In 1983, The Band reunited without Robbie Robertson. During a concert tour in 1986, another band member, Richard Manuel, tragically passed away. In 1993, The Band recorded the album "Jericho," followed by "High on the Hog" in 1996. Their last album was called "Jubilation" and was released in 1998 to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary. In 1993, Levon Helm's autobiography, "This Wheel's on Fire," was published. He also showcased his acting skills by appearing in several well-known films.

Health Struggles and Revival

In the late 1990s, suffering from severe hoarseness, Helm sought medical attention and was diagnosed with throat cancer. He underwent radiation treatment at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Although the tumor was completely eradicated, his vocal cords were damaged, and his clear, powerful tenor voice was replaced by a barely audible, raspy voice. In 2007, while working on a new album, he discovered that his voice had recovered by 80%. In the fall of 2007, Helm released a new album, "Dirt Farmer," recorded with his daughter Amy and dedicated to his parents. This album was warmly received by critics and won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Music in the same year.

On June 30, 2009, Levon Helm's new solo album, "Electric Dirt," is expected to be released.