Robbie Robertson, musician, raconteur, RIP

More than a week has passed since the Canadian musician Robbie Robertson died at the age of 80 on 9 August, and you might have read all the obituaries and retrospective pieces on him and his iconic group, The Band, whose debut album came out in 1968 and changed the direction of rock music as few other bands have done. Musicians who have said how The Band’s music, which drew from early R&B, folk, rock, and jazz, had indelibly influenced them include legends such as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Elton John, and The Grateful Dead. While much of The Band’s success is due to the relentless songwriting talent of Robertson, who started writing at 15, it was the way all five members gelled together that made it what it was. The song showcases the vocal uniqueness of the band: Four of the five band members were singers and it features all four, Robertson, Helm, Danko and Manuel.