Robbie Robertson Dead at 80
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
The post Robbie Robertson Dead at 80 appeared first on Consequence.
Robbie Robertson, lead guitarist and songwriter of The Band, has died at the age of 80.
Robertson passed away on Wednesday (August 9th) after a long illness, his management announced.
“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. He is also survived by his grandchildren Angelica, Donovan, Dominic, Gabriel, and Seraphina.”
“Robertson recently completed his fourteenth film music project with frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon,” the statement continued. “In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Six Nations of the Grand River to support the building of their new cultural center.”
Jaime Royal Robertson was born on July 5th, 1943 in Toronto, Ontario. As a child, he picked up guitar through mentoring by his extended family members, and was an avid listener of rock ‘n’ roll radio stations.
At 14, Robertson began working at a traveling carnival circuit as well as at a local freak show; those jobs inspired The Band’s song “Life is a Carnival.” He joined his first band, Little Caesar and the Consuls, in 1956 along with pianist/vocalist Bruce Morshead and guitarist Gene MacLellan. Over the next decade or so, Robertson played in a number of bands including Robbie and the Rhythm Chords, The Suedes, and Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks; the latter of which would go on to be known simply as The Hawks, the backing band of Bob Dylan (and, later, the founding lineup of The Band).
After Dylan retreated to upstate New York in 1966, Robertson and his then-girlfriend moved to Woodstock in a large pink house they named “Big Pink.” It was here where The Hawks recorded the famous Basement Tapes compilation, The Great White Wonder (widely considered one of the first-ever bootlegged records), and The Band’s 1968 debut studio album Music from Big Pink.
The Band began performing regularly in spring 1969, including appearances at the legendary 1969 Woodstock Festival and the UK Isle of Wight Festival with Dylan. Over the next few years, they would appear on The Ed Sullivan Show, grace the cover of Time Magazine, perform at Summer Jam at Watkins Glen. They also collaborated on a concert film called The Last Waltz with Martin Scorsese, documenting what would be one of The Band’s final performances. The film was released in 1978, and set a precedent for future “rockumentaries” like Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense and U2’s Rattle and Hum.
Between their runs from 1964 to 1976, and from 1983 to 1999, The Band released ten studio albums and nine live albums, including two with Dylan. Robertson also recorded six albums as a solo artist.
Outside of his performing endeavors, Robertson was also an author and worked in the film industry. He co-authored Legends, Icons and Rebels: Music That Changed the World and a 2016 autobiography called Testimony. He also served as a music supervisor or producer on many of Scorsese’s feature films, including Raging Bull, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Departed, Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Irishman.
Robertson fathered three children: Alexandra, Delphine, and Sebastian.
Below, revisit Robert’s 2019 interview with Kyle Meredith…, where he discussed the 50th anniversary of The Band’s self-titled sophomore album, working with Scorsese, his solo work, and more.
Robbie Robertson Dead at 80
Abby Jones and Scoop Harrison
Popular Posts
Lostprophets Singer Ian Watkins Taken Hostage and Brutally Stabbed in Prison: Report
Chad Kroeger Pauses Nickelback Show Due to Vocal Issues: "I Cannot Take Your Money"
Taylor Swift Announces New "Eras Tour" North American Dates in 2024
Beyoncé's Tour Rider Includes Brand-New Toilet Seats at Each Venue: Report
