First off, I want to recognize two posts already up regarding Levon Helm's passing:
Jeremiah Horrigan's personal account can be found here and Chicago Guy's (Roger) personal story can be read here.
I was on the road this afternoon when I heard the sad news about Levon. Besides being a fan of his music I also took a special interest in Levon due to his friendship with my brother who has known him for a few decades and has worked with him as the owner of the sound company handling concerts in the past. I checked in with my brother this afternoon after hearing the news and he told me had received a call earlier in the week that Levon was gravely ill.
Unfortunately, cigarettes and chewing tobacco are the culprits in this untimely death of Levon.
What a great talent, an American musical legacy, and now a sad loss for fans around the world.
Here's a link to a relatively comprehensive article in The New York Times about Levon.
My number one favorite song of The Band:
In May of last year The Open Salon Rock Group paid homage to the song with our own version of the song:
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Comments
http://open.salon.com/blog/donna_sandstrom/2012/04/19/levon_helm_and_lessons_learned
I don't like to think of writing as therapy, at least not in any obvious sense. But it's undeniable to to me that the urge to write about losing this man is something I need to do for myself, a way to escape the feeling of impotence in the face of his departure.
And, as Roger says, sharing those feelings, anecdotes, clips and thoughts helps create a circle of remembrance. This is one of the great opportunities OS offers us -- a way to connect and find comfort and smiles in each other's stories.