Robbie Robertson, songwriting force in rock group The Band, dies at 80

Record ID: 1737018

  • Title: Robbie Robertson, songwriting force in rock group The Band, dies at 80
  • Date: 9th August 2023
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - SEPTEMBER 27, 2019) (REUTER) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MUSICIAN ROBBIE ROBERTSON, ON RED CARPET AT PREMIERE OF "THE IRISHMAN," FOR WHICH HE COMPOSED THE MUSIC ROBERTSON TALKING ABOUT COMPOSING MUSIC FOR "THE IRISHMAN" ROBERTSON ON RED CARPET NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES FILE - APRIL 10, 2002) (REUTERS) ROBERTSON BEING INTERVIEWED AT PREMIERE OF "THE LAST WALTZ" VARIOUS OF ROBERTSON SPEAKING ABOUT THE FILM ROBERTSON BEING INTERVIEWED
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 2023 21:36
  • Keywords: Robbie Robertson The Band music musician
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK AND BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES/ TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
  • City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK AND BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES/ TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
  • Country: US
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Music,North America
  • Reuters ID: LVA001347909082023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Robbie Robertson, the guitarist and main songwriter in The Band, the Canadian-American group known for songs including "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," has died at the age of 80, his manager said on Wednesday (August 9).
    Robertson, who left his Toronto home at age 16 to pursue his rock 'n' roll dreams, died Wednesday in Los Angeles after a long illness, Robertson's manager of 34 years, Jared Levine, said in a statement.
    "Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death," the statement added.
    The Band included four Canadians - Robertson, Rick Danko, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel - and was anchored by an Arkansas drummer, Levon Helm. Originally dubbed The Hawks as the backing band for rockabilly wild man Ronnie Hawkins, they gained attention supporting Bob Dylan on his "Going Electric" tours of 1965-1966.
    After changing their name to The Band and rebasing in Woodstock, New York, they became one of the most respected groups in rock.
    Their 1976 farewell concert in San Francisco was the basis of Martin Scorsese's 1978 movie "The Last Waltz."
    (Production: Jane Ross)
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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