Robbie Robertson, RIP

This is how I would like to remember Robbie Robertson, who died yesterday aged 80. Robertson was, of course, the guitarist and major songwriter for The Band, and he will always be remembered for the songs that he wrote in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Once The Band broke up after the 1976 Last Waltz, his work (IMHO) never reached the same heights.

I chose this picture - from the Big Pink days of 1967-9 - because it reminds me of a story in either his or Levon Helm's book about being stopped whilst speeding on the New York turnpike (or whatever it's called). The policeman let him off with a warning, "Take better care, Rabbi, and don't drive so fast next time".

Robbie was half Jewish and half Indian; his autobiography, 'Testimomy', gives information about his early years that I had never read elsewhere. Maybe the 'Rabbi' look was unintentional but he did have the right genes for it.

I will treasure the first three Band albums forever.

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This day in history:

Blog #	Date	Title	Tags
99	10/08/2007	Nothing new under the sun	TV series, Skins, The Simpsons
1063	10/08/2017	Friend leaving work	Personal, Fairport Convention, Theanine