Video/Levon Helm Tribute Du Jour: John Fogerty & the Black Keys

Levon Helm

There have been a lot of tributes to fallen singer Levon Helm since he died last week – none better, though, than this affectionate yet clear-eyed appreciation by Peter Gerstenzang that appeared in the Village Voice. Here is one appropriate excerpt:

“After I got the news yesterday that he’d died, I got into the car to drive around and think, two things I’m never good at doing simultaneously. Foolishly, I turned on the radio, expecting to hear The Band’s music blasting, from one end of the dial to the other. I forgot about how doomed my expectation was. Corporate radio was not going to budge its mix of Def Leppard and Rihanna for five fucking minutes to fete this great master of American Music. I thought, none of these programmers realize what terrible fate is awaiting them. And, that, as they say down South, Hell is only half-full. So, I turned off the radio and just started singing “The Weight,” one of the biggest hits The Band ever had and a song that introduced, to most of us little hippies, the first Southern voice since Elvis that didn’t seem scary, or possessed by a guy who had a shotgun pointed at the front wheel of our motorcycle.”

Read the entire Village Voice piece here.

In related news, this appeared on Facebook today:

Message to Robbie Robertson from Dennis Miele: “Robbie, there seems to be a debate about the lyrics to “The Weight”. Can you confirm that the line is ‘Take a load off FANNY’?’

Robbie Robertson: Fanny.

If you are near your computer tonight KUT-FM in Austin remembers legendary musician Levon Helm. Tune in to hear “Levon Helm Rambles Home: An Appreciation,” produced by Paul Ingles, by streaming it on the KUT home page. Show starts at 8 p.m. CDT.

And finally, this tribute to Levon Helm by the Black Keys and John Fogerty took place over the weekend at Coachella:

Levon Helm official website

Chris Ethridge, R.I.P.

The Flying Burrito Brothers, circa 1969: clockwise from top right, Chris Ethridge (d. 2012), Chris Hillman, "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow (d. 2007) and Gram Parsons (d. 1973).

Chris Ethridge, a founding member of the country rock pioneers The Flying Burrito Brothers, has died. He died in Mississippi of complications from pancreatic cancer; he was 65.

He played bass and piano on the Burritos’ The Gilded Palace of Sin debut album in 1969, co-writing a few songs with singer Gram Parsons, including “Hot Burrito No. 1.”

After leaving the Flying Burrito Brothers in 1969, Ethridge worked with Linda Ronstadt, Ry Cooder and Randy Newman, among others. He also spent several years as a member of Willie Nelson’s band.

Read an obituary of Chris Ethridge in the Los Angeles Times

MP3: “Hot Burrito #1″ by The Flying Burrito Brothers

Video Du Jour: Norah Jones

Norah Jones

We kinda sorta fell in love with Norah Jones during SXSW. We saw her play with her countryfied cohorts the Little Willies, and we were just taken with her voice and her shy-but-not-so-shy stage presence.

What we didn’t do was catch her evening SXSW set, where she showcased songs off her upcoming album Little Broken Hearts. This is a solo pop effort, produced with the help of Danger Mouse … it’s coming out May 1 and the first single is “Happy Pills.” Catch Norah on “Late Night With David Letterman” on May 2.

Norah Jones official website

Record Store Day 2012

Evanescence with Amy Lee (far right) showed up to sign autographs for Record Store Day in Houston. What happened where you live?

I still have a bit of a hangover from Record Store Day yesterday … what about you? The fifth annual event, staged to help music fans remember their independent music stores, took place yesterday at record shops across the country, and people walked away with armloads of exclusive, rare vinyl and CD items made just for the occasion.

As someone who’s faithfully patronized RSD every year since its inception,I found that the asking prices for this year’s exclusive items have gotten a bit steep. Seven-inch singles by classic bands like the Byrds and the Small Faces, as well as by current artists like Jack White and the Flaming Lips, reached into the $12 range this year … I found that a bit much to pay for a couple songs on a 45-rpm single.

Likewise with the longer offerings – I bought a Miles Davis LP with five unreleased songs for $25 … but passed on the Flaming Lips’ The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, a double LP that went for upwards of $35 and which may or may not have contained an autograph from band frontman Wayne Coyne. (Ha ha, that item was long gone by the time I got to the table – we purchased a Mastodon/Flaming Lips 45 single instead, for 10 bucks.)

For me, Record Store Day is starting to lose its charm. These prices are seeming more than ever like a gouge, for limited-edition stuff that most likely winds up on eBay an hour or two later. I’d rather go to my hometown independent record store – that’s Cactus Music in Houston – on a non-special day when I can peruse the stacks of used vinyl at my leisure. And of course, I’m there when the good folks at Cactus want to set up a fine in-store performance with free beer. And for all of you who didn’t make it on Saturday – visit your friendly neighborhood record store on Monday … you’ll be surprised what is left over!

On Saturday, Cactus in Houston hosted the band Evanescence for a meet-and-greet autograph session, and a live solo performance by Old 97s frontman Rhett Miller. I tried to swing downtown to the equally awesome Sig’s Lagoon for a live in-store by classic rocker Mark Andes (formerly of Spirit, Jo Jo Gunne and Heart) but totally failed on that count.

I hope you got most of what you wanted to get on Record Store Day; and I hope you are NOT that asshole who posted it on eBay five minutes later.

Free Download: Band of Heathens’ Tribute to Levon Helm

The Band of Heathens, playing an instore in Houston last year.

Austin’s Band of Heathens have recorded a spur-of-the-moment to the great Levon Helm. Here’s what they said:

4.20.12 – Yesterday one of our musical heroes, a true American original, Levon Helm passed on.

By some strange twist of cosmic fate, we were in his birth-state of Arkansas when we heard the news. There was some sort of comfort in knowing we were treading on the ground that sculpted the man and set him on the path to utter and complete righteousness.

We wrote this song (“One More Song”) right before our show in Little Rock last night to play during a mini-Levon tribute encore. This is a demo of the song as we recorded it in the parking lot.

Although we’ll never get to hear his voice in the present anymore, we are incredibly lucky to be able to be with our friend whenever our ears are open.

Play us one more song cuz.

Love, The Band of Heathens

MP3: “One More Song” by the Band of Heathens

Band of Heathens download/streaming page for “One More Song”

Levon Helm, R.I.P.

Levon Helm, with the Band. (Photo by Art Meripol)

Sad news from Woodstock, N.Y., today: Levon Helm, drummer and singer for The Band and a Grammy Award-winning solo artist, has died.

Helm, 71, was diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1990s. Intensive radiation treatment left him with a raspy voice that can be heard on the album Dirt Farmer (2007). Nevertheless, the Arkansas native carried on a busy touring schedule and hosted “Midnight Ramble” events at his barn in Woodstock.

The Band in the 1980s - Garth Hudson (left), Rick Danko (center) and Levon Helm (far right). (Photo by Art Meripol)

After backing Bob Dylan on his notorious 1965-66 “electric” tours, The Band released its first album in 1968, Music from Big Pink, which included one of the group’s signature songs “The Weight.”  The Band followed that with The Band album, which included “Up On Cripple Creek,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “Rag Mama Rag.” Helm played drums and sang with The Band until 1999, when bassist-singer Rick Danko died.

Helm was also an actor; he appeared in a number of theatrical and TV movies, including Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980), The Right Stuff (1983), Fire Down Below (1997) and In The Electric Mist (2009).

Thanks to Art Meripol for graciously allowing the use of his photos.

Levon Helm obituary from the Poughkeepsie Journal

MP3: “The Weight” by The Band

MP3: “Up On Cripple Creek” by The Band

MP3: “Take Me To The River” by Levon Helm

MP3: “Tennessee Jed” by Levon Helm

MP3: “Hurricane” by Levon Helm

MP3: “Summertime Blues” by Levon Helm

MP3: “Atlantic City” by The Band

MP3: “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” (live) by The Band

YouTube: “I Shall Be Released” by Levon Helm and friends (2010 Newport Folk Festival)

YouTube: “Poor Old Dirt Farmer”

YouTube: “Ophelia” (2009)

Levon Helm official website

Playing with the Band in Arkansas, during the 1980s. (Photo by Art Meripol)

Video Du Jour: Robert Earl Keen’s Tribute to Levon Helm

Texas songwriter Robert Earl Keen wrote this great tribute to Levon Helm, “The Man Behind the Drums.” Keen performed it on the TV show “Austin City Limits.” Levon Helm died today, he will be greatly missed.

Austin City Limits website