Finished Sa 8/27/11
Levon Helm documents the stellar career of the musical group which truly exemplifies and celebrates the quintessential American musical experience, yet they just happened to erupt out of Canada. And, after more than a decade of playing the circuit both in the US and Canada, they became, "overnight sensations", as Dylan's sidemen. This rock biography is much more than an expanded Wikipedia entry, and after you finish the book you really gain an insight into the band.
I was amazed to find that Roy Buchanan was once a member of the band, and that Robbie Robertson was judged to be the better guitarist! Also, Robertson's work is so exquisitely blended within the collective whole of the Band's sound that it is hard to believe that he could 'shred like the dickens' when they were Dylan's backup band. He does not seem to be in the mold of Clapton or Hendrix, but apparently this was true.
Also, it is interesting to note that Robertson happened to be closer to their manager, Albert Grossman, so Robbie got more of the monetary compensation for the Band's catalog. The infraction was not quite as severe as what Alan Price did to The Animals, but along the same lines. As Levon Helm tells it, "We got pencil whipped"!
A great read, and it has greatly expanded my appreciation of this superb musical group.
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