Levon Helm
On Tour
Play Radio
Listen to Levon Helm Radio,
featuring artists like The Band, Rick Danko, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, Little Feat and more…
-
Search on Spotify
Yes, it scrobbles! Learn more
392,940 plays (43,786 listeners)
Marvell AR, United States (May 26, 1940 – present)
Mark Lavon Helm (born May 26, 1940), better known as Levon Helm, is an American rock musician most famous as the drummer for the rock group The Band. Helm is also known for his deeply soulful, country-style voice, and powerful drumming style highlighted on many of the The Band’s recordings, such as “The Weight”, “Up On Cripple Creek”, “King Harvest”, “Ophelia” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”.
Early years
Helm was born in Marvell, Arkansas and began playing the guitar at the age of eight. Helm also played drums during his formative years and established his first band The Jungle Bush Beaters while in high school. He was influenced by the Grand Ole Opry and by R&B songs that he heard on radio station WLAC out of Nashville, Tennessee.
Helm became interested in rock and roll after attending an Elvis Presley concert. He moved from Arkansas to Memphis, Tennessee where he was influenced by Bo Diddley and Conway Twitty. At age 17 he was invited to join The Hawks, backing rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins. Soon after Helm joined The Hawks, they moved to Toronto where, in 1959, they signed with Roulette Records and released several singles, including a few hits.
In the early 1960s Helm and Hawkins recruited an all-Canadian lineup of musicians: guitarist Robbie Robertson, bassist Rick Danko, pianist Richard Manuel and organist Garth Hudson. In 1963, the band parted ways with Hawkins and started touring under the name Levon and The Hawks and later to the Canadian Squires before finally changing back to The Hawks.
The Weight”, “Up On Cripple Creek”, “King Harvest”, “Ophelia” and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”.Early years
Helm was born in Marvell, Arkansas and began playing the guitar at the age of eight. Helm also played drums during his formative years and established his first band The Jungle Bush Beaters while in high school. He was influenced by the Grand Ole Opry and by R&B songs that he heard on radio station WLAC out of Nashville, Tennessee.
Helm became interested in rock and roll after attending an Elvis Presley concert. He moved from Arkansas to Memphis, Tennessee where he was influenced by Bo Diddley and Conway Twitty. At age 17 he was invited to join The Hawks, backing rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins. Soon after Helm joined The Hawks, they moved to Toronto where, in 1959, they signed with Roulette Records and released several singles, including a few hits.
In the early 1960s Helm and Hawkins recruited an all-Canadian lineup of musicians: guitarist Robbie Robertson, bassist Rick Danko, pianist Richard Manuel and organist Garth Hudson. In 1963, the band parted ways with Hawkins and started touring under the name Levon and The Hawks and later to the Canadian Squires before finally changing back to The Hawks.
Shouts:
50 shouts
Top Albums
-
Dirt Farmer
Levon Helm
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital $8.99
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $14.33
- eBay Search
-
Electric Dirt
Levon Helm Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $11.99
- eBay Search
-
Ramble At The Ryman
Levon Helm Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $10.99
- 7digital $11.99
- iTunes $10.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $12.21
- eBay Search
-
Levon Helm
Levon Helm Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.49
- 7digital $8.99
- iTunes $9.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $12.64
- eBay Search
Shoutbox
-
KenConroy wrote:
time traveler indeed
-
Druid66 wrote:
This guy is a time traveler, I'm sure; he must be from the nineteenth century. He's just that dyed-in-the-wool authentic to a forgotten time and place. And, by the way, one hell of a musician.
-
Skyliner_6_5000 wrote:
all-time classic
-
johnurocks wrote:
finally got around to checking out his solo stuff. damn! i love this guy
-
neverboughtit wrote:
electric dirt is boss
-
bernarducs wrote:
great levon, amazing late solo albuns - keepin on goin man
-
FabyBlues wrote:
He's big
-
theheadlocks wrote:
hey check out this NYC based roots rock band... http://www.last.fm/music/The+Headlocks
-
wilddawg wrote:
i have so much respect for this man. his drum beats and voice are unique to the bone. The Band is one of the greatest of all time. to top it off -- he's 70, and still tours with high energy. Levon, you rule!
-
TEKENA24 wrote:
leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn FTWWWWWWW
-
kevin0123 wrote:
i'm so glad i found his music
-
fannyberlin wrote:
He has such a great voice, the best from the whole band!
-
Marcellinha1202 wrote:
I LOVE YOU LEVON!
-
PseudoSplash wrote:
Oh Levon. You posses my heart.
-
RonenKohavi wrote:
What a legend! Maybe one day I can achieve his status. http://www.last.fm/music/Ronen%2520Kohavi?ac=ronen
-
bioalcon wrote:
Me ha encantado "Electric Dirt", es justo lo que esperaba, y eso a veces es bueno
-
Diotor wrote:
"Electric Dirt" is a cracker. Went into one of my local record shops and the owner recommended it to me. Glad he did.
-
StanLeChinois wrote:
Greetings from Paris /France http://www.myspace.com/stanlechinois
-
blevon wrote:
He is just the best drummer ever. The Band is the best band ever. Nice :-)
-
travelin_man wrote:
levon helm! poor old dirt farmer. essential crazy old guy. love it.
Videos
-
Play
"Tennessee Jed" on Letterman…
-
Play
A Train Robbery - Levon Helm
-
Play
"Poor Old Dirt Farmer" Official…
1 shout
-
Play
Levon Helm
Events
-
Mar
2
The Levon Helm Band
Calvin Theatre, Northampton MA, United States
1 going
- Mar 13 The Levon Helm Band Northern Lights Theater, Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee, United States
-
Mar
14
The Levon Helm Band
Northern Lights Theater, Milwaukee, WI, Milwaukee, United States
1 going
Listening Now
Top Listeners
-
selmil
Top Listener
-
BVaughn68
Top Listener
-
tweedyfarrar
Top Listener
-
mcsaxman
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
hells4heroes, nordisch_nobel, GingerHaycox and 66 other people added Levon Helm to their libraries. yesterday evening
-
Bernsoft tagged Levon Helm with classic rock, country rock and americana. last month
-
Bernsoft, RichieLennon, guswilliams and 3 other people added Levon Helm to their libraries. last month
-
RPLastFM tagged Levon Helm with radio paradise and radioparadise. last month
-
Phantasm69, blackthunder66, louhenseppo and 4 other people added Levon Helm to their libraries. last month
-
travelin_man wrote about Levon Helm in 110 Great Album of 2011. December 2011
-
travelin_man wrote about Levon Helm in a deleted journal. December 2011
-
travelin_man wrote about Levon Helm in a deleted journal. December 2011
-
travelin_man wrote about Levon Helm in a deleted journal. December 2011
-
drcc54 added Levon Helm to drcc54’s library. December 2011
Related Journals
-
110 Great Album of 2011
by travelin_man |
29 Dec 2011
-
#lpgroup (@LPGrp) - Solo Projects From Band Members
by rattlebag |
14 Nov 2011
-
Live version 2
by WLDB |
3 Aug 2011
Groups (14)
-
Bob Dylan
5,281 members
-
Americana
785 members
-
The Band
413 members
-
For people who have a headache by eating too cold ice cream
378 members
-
Honest Tunes, jambands AND roots music
198 members
More Information
- Links
- Labels
