How Levon Helm Turned ‘Dirt Farmer’ Into a Rootsy, Thrilling Comeback
Released 15 years ago this week, Levon Helm’s ‘Dirt Farmer’ was so determinedly rustic that it made the Band sound like sleek electronica.
Post Tagged with: "Levon Helm"
How Levon Helm’s ‘Electric Dirt’ Confirmed a Stirring Late-Career Resurgence
Released 10 years ago today, Levon Helm’s ‘Electric Dirt’ was the sound of a man, and a singer, reborn.
Levon Helm, “A Mood I Was In” from Levon Helm and the RCO All-Stars (1977): Across the Great Divide
Levon Helm and the RCO All-Stars seemed to come together through happenstance. Unfortunately, they went their separate ways in a similarly random way.
Levon Helm, “Tennessee Jed” from Electric Dirt (2009): Across the Great Divide
‘Electric Dirt,’ and standout cuts like “Tennessee Jed,” marked Levon Helm’s return not just as a grizzled survivor but as an artist in full again.
Amy Helm, “Rescue Me” from Didn’t It Rain (2015): One Track Mind
This, quite clearly, is a labor of love, and every element speaks to Amy Helm’s steely focus on making the album she always wanted to make.
Levon Helm’s Ramble at the Ryman underscored a sweeping importance
‘Ramble at the Ryman,’ released on May 17, 2011, reminded us that Levon Helm was the Band’s loamy voiced, rhythmic center point. And something more.
Rick Danko + Levon Helm, “Once Upon a Time” from Rick Danko (1977): Across the Great Divide
Rick Danko was the first to start a solo career, but this involving duet with his former Band mate Levon Helm shows a sense of community remained.
‘The Last Waltz’ Was Nearly Derailed, Time and Again: ‘Like Throwing the dice’
‘The Last Waltz,’ released as a triple album on April 7, 1978, chronicled a guest-packed Band concert that overcame one complication after another.
Levon Helm, “Dance Me Down Easy” from American Son (1980): Across the Great Divide
This is a setting, like the measured context of the Band’s early work, that perfectly suits – even as it amplifies – Levon Helm’s voice.
Levon Helm, “Feelin’ Good” from Dirt Farmer (2007): Across the Great Divide
After a series of solo records that tended toward blues- and R&B-soaked fun, Levon Helm’s ‘Dirt Farmer’ goes deeper, experiences more.
