Favorite Canadian Musicians: The Band (#2)

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Oh, you may accuse me of cheating here today as I count down my favorite music acts from Canada, in celebration of Canada Day. Accuse away, it’s my list! To probably everyone’s surprise, here’s today’s act from Canada that’s long been a favorite of mine. #2: The Band Yes, that The Band. A band so deeply associated with Americana music that many consider them one of the founding fathers of the genre (which wasn’t called “Americana” back then) was actually 4/5 Canadian!! The Band began as The Hawks in Toronto in 1960, backing Canadian rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins. Then, in the mid-60s, Bob Dylan decided to “go electric,” so he hired the Hawks as his backing band. From there, they became known as The Band, and for their short run as a musical act (their first album was released in 1968, recorded while Dylan was recovering from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident; and their final show, the iconic The Last Waltz, happened in 1976) they bombarded rock and roll with a wonderfully eclectic mix of country, blues, rock, and anything else they could put in there. Their success and influence earned them induction into both the Canadian Music and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Grammy award. Only two members of The Band remain: Garth Hudson and Robbie Robertson. Richard Manuel committed suicide in 1986 (Robertson’s first solo album featured “Fallen Angel,” a tribute to Manuel); Rick Danko died of heart failure in 1999; and sole American Levon Helm passed from throat cancer in 2012. The music remains, though, and will endure and inspire for generations to come. The Band Originally known as The Hawks Formed in Toronto, Ontario, 1960 One of the best-known songs from The Band (and your trivia: the band Nazareth took their name from the first line of this song):