Robbie Robertson, the acclaimed singer/songwriter best known for his work with The Band, passed away today. He was 80 Years Old.
Born in Toronto, Ontario and raised in the Six Nations reserve, Robertson first joined a band at age 13, and would later meet Ronnie Hawkins, a Canadian rockabilly performer who would recruit him for his group, Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks.
It was with the Hawks that he met Levon Helm. The Hawks would later add Rick Danko, Mickey Jones and Garth Hudson, and in 1964, the quintet left the Hawks to form their group, known simply as “The Band”. After touring with Bob Dylan as his backing band, Robertson would be the principal songwriter for the group, penning such hits as “Up On Cripple Creek”, “The Weight” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, which made them stars in the late 60s and early 70s.
Acclaimed director, Martin Scorcese, filmed the documentary, “The Last Waltz”, which served as the backdrop of their breakup. Robertson would work with Scorsese often as a music producer or consultant for many of his films, including “Raging Bull”, “The King of Comedy”, “Casino”, “Gangs of New York” and “The Wolf of Wall Street”.
Robertson had his own successful solo career, generating multiple albums and minor hits. He is a member of the Canadian Juno Music Hall of Fame (1989) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Band (1994).
We here at Notinhalloffame would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Robbie Robertson.
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