The Band | Discography, Interviews, Reviews

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An in-depth look at the Band discography, with interviews and both album and song reviews.

Included are seven albums from the legendary original lineup featuring Robbie Robertson, among them Music from Big Pink and The Last Waltz; a trio of reunion-era recordings from the core remaining trio of Rick Danko, Levon Helm and Garth Hudson after Richard Manuel‘s tragic death; as well as key solo moments from the individual members like the terrific self-titled debuts by Danko and Robertson, and Helm’s rollicking valedictory Ramble at the Ryman, among others.

Click through for expanded information on the Band discography …

THE BAND, ‘MUSIC FROM BIG PINK’ (1968)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

The Band discography begins on July 1, 1968 with an album that grew out of loose collaborations with Bob Dylan, many of which were later explored more fully in ‘The Basement Tapes.’

Song reviews:
Caledonia Mission
Chest Fever
In a Station
I Shall Be Released
Long Black Veil
Lonesome Suzie
Tears of Rage
The Weight
This Wheel’s On Fire
To Kingdom Come
We Can Talk

Album review: Exploring Deep Cuts From the Band’s ‘Music From Big Pink’



THE BAND, ‘THE BAND’ (1969)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

The Band’s self-titled platinum-selling follow up, released on September 22, 1969, is considered their masterpiece. “Up on Cripple Creek” reached the Top 30 as a single.

Song reviews:
Across the Great Divide
Jawbone
Jemima Surrender
King Harvest
Look Out Cleveland
Rag Mama Rag
Rockin’ Chair
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
The Unfaithful Servant
Up On Cripple Creek
When You Awake
Whispering Pines

Album review: Deep Cuts from the Band’s Self-Titled 1969 Masterpiece

THE BAND, ‘STAGE FRIGHT’ (1970)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

The Band discography continues with the often-overlooked ‘Stage Fright,’ which became their second – and last –
gold-selling original album after its release on August 17, 1970.

Song reviews:
All La Glory
Daniel and the Sacred Harp
Just Another Whistle Stop
Stage Fright
The Rumor
Time to Kill
Sleeping
Strawberry Wine
W.S. Walcott Medicine Show

Album review: Exploring Deep Cuts from the Band’s Underrated ‘Stage Fright’



THE BAND, ‘CAHOOTS’ (1971)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

Issued on September 15, 1971 to mixed reviews, ‘Cahoots’ failed to crack the Top 20 in the U.S., becoming the Band’s last album of original material for four years. In the meantime, the Band discography continues with live sets, a covers album and collaborations.

Song reviews:
4% Pantomime
The River Hymn
Thinking Out Loud
When I Paint My Masterpiece

Album review: The Band’s Overlooked, Imperfect ‘Cahoots’ Held a Few Musical Treasures

THE BAND, ‘ROCK OF AGES’ (1972)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

The Band returned with a muscular No. 6 hit live recording on August 15, 1972. The shows, recorded from December 28 through December 31, 1971, were later reissued as ‘Live at the Academy of Music 1971.’

Song reviews:
Don’t Do It
Get Up Jake
(I Don’t Want To) Hang Up My Rock ‘n’ Roll Shoes
Loving You is Sweeter Than Ever

Interviews on The Band’s ‘Rock of Ages’:
Robbie Robertson on a thrilling, unrehearsed New Year’s Eve set with Bob Dylan

Album review: The Band – Live at the Academy of Music 1971

THE BAND, ‘MOONDOG MATINEE’ (1973)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

The Band discography’s lone all-covers album, this October 15, 1973 release continued their chart slide, only reaching No. 28. They’d return to work with early collaborator Bob Dylan thereafter.

Song reviews:
Back to Memphis
Mystery Train
Saved
Share Your Love (With Me)
The Great Pretender

Album review: Five Key Tracks from ‘Moondog Matinee’



BOB DYLAN AND THE BAND, ‘PLANET WAVES’ (1974)

Rick Danko, Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

A No. 1 smash upon arrival on January 17, 1974, this next item in the Band discography was delayed for a couple of weeks when Dylan decided to change its original title, ‘Ceremonies of the Horsemen.’

Song reviews:
Forever Young
Going Going Gone
On a Night Like This
Something There Is About You

BOB DYLAN AND THE BAND, ‘BEFORE THE FLOOD’ (1974)

Rick Danko, Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

A document of the roaring reunion tour that actually began before ‘Planet Waves’ even arrived. This Band discography item, released on June 20, 1974, represents the first-ever live release by Dylan.

Song reviews:
Endless Highway

Interviews on Bob Dylan and the Band:
‘Down in the Flood’ Explores the Relationship Between Bob Dylan and the Band
Rick Danko Remembers Seeing a Sea of Bic Lighters for the First Time

THE BAND, ‘NORTHERN LIGHTS-SOUTHERN CROSS’ (1975)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

A deeply-underrated effort, this marks the last great original-lineup album in the Band discography – though ‘Northern Lights-Southern Cross’ somehow only reached No. 26 upon release on November 1, 1975.

Song reviews:
Acadian Driftwood
Forbidden Fruit
Hobo Jungle
It Makes No Difference
Jupiter Hollow
Ophelia
Rags and Bones
Ring Your Bell

Interviews on The Band’s ‘Northern Lights-Southern Cross’:
Robbie Robertson Offers a Track-by-Track Analysis of ‘Northern Lights-Southern Cross’


BOB DYLAN AND THE BAND, ‘THE BASEMENT TAPES’ (1975)

Rick Danko, Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

Questions remained over the timeline for some of these tapes, but fans apparently couldn’t have cared less. Another Bob Dylan collaboration, released June 16, 1975, sent the Band back to the Top 10.

Song reviews:
Ain’t No More Cane
Bessie Smith
Clothes Line Saga
Don’t Ya Tell Henry
Dress It Up, Better Have It All
Katie’s Been Gone
Lo and Behold
Odds and Ends
Orange Juice Blues
Yazoo Street Scandal

Interviews on The Band’s ‘The Basement Tapes’:
Garth Hudson on the Band’s Influences, ‘Basement Tapes,’ Tragic Losses
The Band’s Garth Hudson on Why ‘The Basement Tapes’ Are Still ‘Special and Treasured’

Album reviews: Bob Dylan and the Band – The Basement Tapes Complete: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 11
Bob Dylan Found Refuge, Artistic Rebirth with the Band on ‘The Basement Tapes’

THE BAND, ‘ISLANDS’ (1977)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson

The final release from the five-man edition of the Band arrived on March 15, 1977 as a collection of odds and ends – then promptly slumped to No. 64. Still, there were a few moments worth celebrating.

Song reviews:
Ain’t That a Lot of Love
Christmas Must Be Tonight
Let the Night Fall
Livin’ In a Dream



RICK DANKO, ‘RICK DANKO’ (1977)

Rick Danko, with Eric Clapton, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson, Ronnie Wood and others

The first solo album in the Band discography was also Rick Danko’s only full-length, non-collaborative studio effort. He released two other non-group albums in his lifetime, both of them live recordings.

Song reviews:
New Mexicoe
Once Upon a Time
Tired of Waiting
What a Town

LEVON HELM, ‘LEVON HELM AND THE RCO ALL-STARS’ (1977)

Levon Helm, with members of Booker T. and the MGs, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield and others

Levon Helm adds a solo project to the Band discography. It’s an guest-packed affair featuring Donald “Duck” Dunn, Steve Cropper, Booker T. Jones and Fred Carter Jr., among others, recorded at Helm’s RCO Studios in Woodstock.

Song reviews:
Blues So Bad
A Mood I Was In

THE BAND, ‘THE LAST WALTZ’ (1978)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel and Robbie Robertson, with Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Muddy Waters, the Staple Singers and others

A long-percolating live document from shows recorded on Thanksgiving 1976, this Top 20 smash didn’t finally arrive until April 7, 1978. Filled with a slew of great guests, it was worth the wait.

Song reviews:
Evangeline
The Well

Interviews on The Band’s ‘Last Waltz’:
Producer John Simon on the Band, Fixing ‘The Last Waltz’ and Taking Credit
Mavis Staples goes behind the scenes at the Band’s ‘Last Waltz’
The Band’s ‘Last Waltz’ was nearly derailed, time and again
The Band’s Robbie Robertson discusses the conflict on Thanksgiving for native peoples


LEVON HELM, ‘AMERICAN SON’ (1980)

Levon Helm, with Buddy Emmons, Jerry Carrigan, Hargus “Pig” Robbins and others

A typically forgotten project in the Band discography that grew out of soundtrack work for the Loretta Lynn biopic ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter,’ in which Helm played the country star’s father.

Song reviews:
Dance Me Down Easy
Hurricane

LEVON HELM, ‘LEVON HELM’ (1982)

Levon Helm, Donald “Duck” Dunn and Steve Cropper of Booker T. and the MGs, among others

When this second all-star, self-titled studio release failed to hit, Levon Helm began to focus more intently on movie work. He didn’t have add another item to the Band discography until 2007’s ‘Dirt Farmer.’

Song review:
Even a Fool Would Let Go

ROBBIE ROBERTSON, ‘ROBBIE ROBERTSON’ (1987)

Robbie Robertson, with Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Peter Gabriel, U2, Terry Bozzio, Tony Levin, Manu Katche and others

A Top 40 comeback released on October 27, 1987, Robbie Robertson’s long-awaited solo debut was produced by Daniel Lanois, who was also working with guest stars U2 and Peter Gabriel on ‘Joshua Tree’ and ‘So,’ respectively.

Song reviews:
Broken Arrow
Fallen Angel
Sonny Got Caught in the Moonlight



RICK DANKO, ‘RINGO STARR AND HIS ALL-STARR BAND’ (1990)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Ringo Starr, Dr. John, Joe Walsh, Billy Preston, others

Ringo Starr’s first official live album was also the first recorded under his then-new All-Starr Band banner. Two members of the Band were featured on the project, which arrived on October 8, 1990.

Song reviews:
Raining in My Heart

RICK DANKO, ‘DANKO / FJELD / ANDERSEN’ (1991)

Rick Danko, Jonas Fjeld, Eric Andersen

Released on April 21, 1991, this album melded the voices – and musical styles – of Canada (Rick Danko), Norway (Jonas Fjeld) and the U.S. (Eric Andersen). Later paired with a live disc and retitled ‘One More Shot’ in 2002.

Song reviews:
Blue River
Drifting Away

ROBBIE ROBERTSON, ‘STORYVILLE’ (1991)

Robbie Robertson, with Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Neil Young and the Neville Brothers, among others

The next item in the Band discography focuses on the dark mythos of New Orleans, as Robbie Robertson releases his second solo album on September 30, 1991. Highlights include a pair of intersections with former bandmates.

Song reviews:
Hold Back the Dawn
Night Parade
Soap Box Preacher

Album review: Robbie Robertson was again sparked by America, old friends on ‘Storyville’

THE BAND, ‘JERICHO’ (1993)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, with Randy Ciarlante, Jim Weider, Richard Bell and Stan Szelest

By the time the Band discography resumed on November 2, 1993, Robbie Roberton and Richard Manuel were gone but – with the right material – Helm and Danko could still spark alongside Hudson’s reliably thrilling asides.

Song reviews:
Blind Willie McTell
Country Boy
Remedy
Stuff You Gotta Watch

Interviews on The Band’s ‘Jericho’:
Band Guitarist Jim Weider Goes In Depth on ‘Remedy’ from ‘Jericho’



ROBBIE ROBERTSON, ‘MUSIC FOR THE NATIVE AMERICANS’ (1994)

Released on October 4, 1994, this score for PBS’ ‘The Native Americans’ was recorded with a revolving group of collaborators called the Red Road Ensemble. Robertson’s son Sebastian handled drums on four songs, including “It Is a Good Day to Die.”

Song reviews:
Ghost Dance
It Is a Good Day to Die

Inside Robbie Robertson Tribute by Son Sebastian:
Sebastian Robertson crafted a labor of love in honor of his father

THE BAND, ‘HIGH ON THE HOG’ (1996)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, with Randy Ciarlante, Jim Weider and Richard Bell

As with ‘Jericho,’ this February 27, 1996 release includes an archival recording from the late Richard Manuel – the last we’d hear – but elsewhere the material wasn’t quite as consistently strong, even as health issues began creep in.

Song reviews:
She Knows
Where I Should Always Be


ROBBIE ROBERTSON, ‘CONTACT FROM THE UNDERWORLD OF REDBOY’ (1998)

Robbie Robertson, Marius de Vries, Rita Coolidge, Bill Dillon, others

Released on March 10, 1998, ‘Underworld of Redboy’ dug into age-old aboriginal themes, but this time with a distinctly modern electronica-influenced sound. Not many albums include credits for both the Six Nations Women Singers and DJ Premier.

Song reviews:
The Lights

GARTH HUDSON, ‘LARGO’ (1998)

Song reviews:
Garth Largo

THE BAND, ‘JUBILATION’ (1998)

Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, with Randy Ciarlante, Jim Weider and Richard Bell

This 10th and final album in the Band discography arrived on September 15, 1998 with only one song – “If I Should Fail” – that features all six members at the same time. Danko died the next year.

Song reviews:
Book Faded Brown
Don’t Wait
You See Me

RICK DANKO, ‘TIMES LIKE THESE’ (2000)

Rick Danko, with Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Randy Ciarlante, Jim Weider, Aaron “Louie” Hurwitz, Richard Bell and others

A posthumous compilation of songs, some as old as an aborted 1993 solo project. Others were as recent as Rick Danko’s final live date at Ann Arbor, Michigan, performed just days before his 1999 death.

Song reviews:
Times Like These

GARTH HUDSON, ‘THE SEA TO THE NORTH’ (2001)

Song reviews:
Little Island



LEVON HELM, ‘DIRT FARMER’ (2007)

Levon Helm, with Larry Campbell, Buddy Miller, Amy Helm, Byron Isaacs and others

When the late Levon Helm decided to return to the Americana roots that had for so long nourished his career, he did it his way – with a thrillingly raw-boned release on October 30, 2007 that won a well-deserved Grammy.

Song reviews:
False Hearted Lover Blues
Feelin’ Good

Album review: Levon Helm made a rootsy, thrilling comeback with ‘Dirt Farmer’

LEVON HELM, ‘ELECTRIC DIRT’ (2009)

Levon Helm, with Larry Campbell, Buddy Miller, Amy Helm, Byron Isaacs and others

Levon Helm added a final studio effort to the Band discography on June 30, 2009. ‘Electric Dirt’ earned the first-ever Americana Grammy award, while reuniting Levon with Allen Toussaint.

Song reviews:
Kingfish
Tennessee Jed

Interviews on Levon Helm:
Garth Hudson, Amy Helm, Steve Berlin and Jimmy Vivino Remember Levon Helm
The Band’s Robbie Robertson on his emotional last meeting with Levon Helm

ROBBIE ROBERTSON, ‘HOW TO BECOME CLAIRVOYANT’ (2011)

Robbie Robertson, with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Trent Reznor, Tom Morello and others

A No. 13 U.S. hit upon release in April 5, 2011, Robbie Robertson’s fifth solo release featured a number of special guests – including long-time acolyte Eric Clapton who is featured on seven tracks and co-wrote three.

Song review:
He Don’t Live Here No More

Album review: Robbie Robertson – ‘How to Become Clairvoyant’

LEVON HELM, ‘RAMBLE AT THE RYMAN’ (2011)

Levon Helm, with Larry Campbell, Buddy Miller, Amy Helm, Byron Isaacs and others

Album review: Levon Helm’s ‘Ramble at the Ryman’ underscored a sweeping importance

GARTH HUDSON, ‘A CANADIAN CELEBRATION OF THE BAND’ (2012)

Garth Hudson, with Neil Young, the Sadies, the Trews and others

Song review:
This Wheel’s On Fire

Interviews on Garth Hudson’s ‘A Canadian Celebration of the Band’:
Garth Hudson Goes In-Depth on the Trews’ Brilliant Take on ‘Move to Japan.’

LEVON HELM BAND, ‘THE MIDNIGHT RAMBLE SESSIONS, VOL. 3’ (2014)

Levon Helm, with Larry Campbell, Buddy Miller, Amy Helm, Byron Isaacs and others

These archival live recordings from Levon Helm, hand-selected with guitarist Larry Campbell from five years of Midnight Ramble concert recordings between 2006-10, were added to the Band discography on July 1, 2014.

Song review:
The Same Old Thing

Album Review: The Levon Helm Band – ‘The Midnight Ramble Sessions, Volume 3’


the band

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH THE BAND

GARTH HUDSON:
Garth Hudson on the Band’s Influences, ‘Basement Tapes,’ Tragic Losses
The Band’s Garth Hudson on Why ‘The Basement Tapes’ Are Still ‘Special and Treasured’
Garth Hudson on The Band’s Early Years
Garth Hudson Remembers the Fallen Voices of the Band
Garth Hudson Discusses the Band’s Impact on Americana, and How He Fell in Love with the Lowrey

ROBBIE ROBERTSON:
Robbie Robertson Offers a Track-by-Track Analysis of ‘Northern Lights-Southern Cross’

JOHN SIMON:
Producer John Simon on the Band, Fixing ‘The Last Waltz’ and Taking Credit

JIM WEIDER:
Jim Weider Discusses His Intriguing Career, and the Reunion-Era Edition of The Band

OTHERS:
Allen Toussaint Discusses His Lengthy Musical Association with the Band
Levon Helm’s Daughter Amy On the Flurry of Activity, Recognition That Followed His Passing
Levon Helm Collaborator Jimmy Vivino on the Band’s Indelible Legacy
Garth Hudson, Amy Helm, Steve Berlin and Jimmy Vivino Remember Levon Helm