Levon Helm

And then there were three. The premature, tragic deaths of Richard Manuel and Rick Danko left only the triumvirate of Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson and Levon Helm to carry on the Band’s legacy. Helm does this and more with his first solo studio recording in 25 years. The rock’n’roll pioneer was knocking on death’s door a number of years back but beat throat cancer. And, thanks in part to what he calls "the power of prayer,” he started to sing again. While recorded at Helm’s Woodstock, NY studio, the disc is a rich, harmony-heavy record that seeks inspiration (both musically and lyrically) from Helm’s Southern upbringing. Mixing a little bluegrass with a little country folk, plus lots of the Americana sounds for which the Band were known, Dirt Farmer is a down-home gift from a soulful Southern son. Helm pays tribute to many of his heroes, such as the Stanley Brothers, A.P. Carter, Buddy and Julie Miller and Steve Earle. A big shout out to who he was praying to for bringing the blessed gift of his rich and distinctive voice back to us again.