Robbie Robertson, Band Leader and Film Composer, Passes Away at 80.
Iconic Musician and Composer Robbie Robertson Passes Away at 80
The world mourns the loss of Robbie Robertson, leader of the legendary group The Band and renowned cinematic composer. Robertson, who had been battling a long illness, passed away on Wednesday in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 80.
“Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death, including his wife, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s partner Kenny,”
Born Jaime Royal “Robbie” Robertson on July 5, 1943, this Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer-songwriter is best known for his iconic hits such as “The Weight,” “Up On Cripple Creek,” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” which were released by The Band.
Robertson’s musical journey began at the age of 10 in Ontario, Canada, where he was born. After playing with various bands during his teenage years, he joined the American rockabilly group Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks in 1961. It was during this time that he crossed paths with future Band members Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson.
The Hawks, except for Helm, later joined forces with American folk singer-songwriter Bob Dylan for his controversial “Going Electric” tours in 1965 and 1966. In 1967, Robertson officially became a part of The Band and moved to Woodstock, New York, where they recorded the famous “basement tapes” with Dylan.
After gaining widespread popularity with the “basement tapes,” The Band signed with Capitol Records and released their first two albums, “Music From Big Pink” and “The Band.” They also performed at the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969.
Following their successful debut, The Band continued to captivate audiences with albums like “Stage Fright” in 1970, “Cahoots” in 1971, and the double live set “Rock Of Ages” in 1972.
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Despite their stardom, Robertson made the difficult decision to disband the group in the mid-1970s due to reported substance abuse issues among some of the members. In 1976, The Band performed their farewell show, “The Last Waltz,” in San Francisco, which was immortalized in a documentary directed by Martin Scorsese.
Robertson’s collaboration with Scorsese extended beyond The Band’s farewell. He began working as a composer for several of Scorsese’s films, including “Raging Bull,” “The Departed,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and “The Irishman.” Their most recent project, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” was completed just before Robertson’s passing.
“Robbie Robertson was one of my closest friends, a constant in my life and my work,” Scorsese said. “Long before we ever met, his music played a central role in my life—me and millions and millions of other people all over this world. The Band’s music, and Robbie’s own later solo music, seemed to come from the deepest place at the heart of this continent, its traditions and tragedies and joys.”
In 1987, Robertson released his first self-titled solo album, followed by his second solo album, “Storyville,” which earned him two Grammy nominations in 1991.
Robertson, who was born on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada, with the Mohawk community, will be remembered for his immense contributions to music and film. In honor of his memory, the family has requested that donations be made to the Six Nations of the Grand River to support a new Woodland Cultural Center.
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