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The one, the only Garth Hudson.

 

The Band are known for a number of things, one of them being their organist Garth Hudson. Garth also played clavinet and piano on a number of songs, and in this video displays his encyclopedic knowledge of music, informed by Classical and Jazz.

The other members of The Band were unusually (for Rock ’n’ Roll) talented as well; no one played drums as did Levon Helm (and Richard Manuel on a surprising number of Band songs, including about half of the brown album), bass like Rick Danko, piano like Richard Manuel, and guitar like Robbie Robertson. And then there was their singing; Three lead singers, all unique.

After you listen to Garth in this video, listen to his piano playing (and Richard’s drumming) in "Rag Mama Rag" on the brown album. The only other Rock band keyboardist I've heard who imo plays on the same level as Garth is Terry Adams of NRBQ.

 

https://youtu.be/eGs34RcdDz8

 

128x128bdp24
whart's avatar
whart
3,047 posts
 

They were so good (the RL Brown album is a classic, I have an early green label) and their endings, for the most part, so sad. 

bdp24's avatar
bdp24 OP
9,821 posts
 

Yeah Bill, especially that of Richard Manuel, whose suicide brought me to tears. The only death of a musician I've cried about.

tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,597 posts
 

He is definitely a unique human being and was a big part of making The Band's sound unique.

stuartk
2,888 posts
 

@bdp24 

"The only other Rock band keyboardist I've heard who imo plays on the same level as Garth is Terry Adams of NRBQ."

Maybe this is a dumb question, but what do you mean, exactly, by "the same level"? Technical? Emotional? Conceptual? 

minkwelder
256 posts
 

When Music From Big Pink came out, I bought it unheard due to their association with Dylan. At first, I was taken aback by how different it was from what I was used to listening to. Before long, it had grown on me and I absolutely loved it

When their second album came out, I was floored by how good it was. The Band carved out their own category of music that no one has come close to since.

In the last band I was in before hanging it up, we played a knock-off of their The Shape I'm In.

Garth is truly a musical treasure.

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