Robbie Robertson was a songwriter and musician who cofounded the classic Americana group The Band, writing “The Weight” and several more of their best-known songs, as well as playing lead guitar for Bob Dylan.
- Died: August 9, 2023 (Who else died on August 9?)
- Details of death: Died in Los Angeles of prostate cancer at the age of 80.
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Robbie Robertson’s legacy
Born in Canada to an Indigenous mother and a Jewish father who was killed in a hit-and-run, Robertson entered entertainment at a young age, working with a carnival side show at the age of 14. He formed his first band as a teenager in the mid 1950s and was soon touring with Ronnie Hawkins, an early star of rock and roll. Robertson led Hawkins’ backing band, the Hawks.
In the mid-1960s, Robertson and the band joined Bob Dylan during what proved to be a controversial change for the protest singer: they backed Dylan as he transitioned to electric music. That switch briefly caused a stir, but it also led to the rebirth of the band as, officially, “The Band.” The Band’s blend of Americana, folk rock, country, and R&B was a soulful shift away from the folk and rockabilly they used to play as the Hawks. The Band became giants in the 1970s, thanks to songs like “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” and “Up on Cripple Creek,” all written by Robertson. Their career culminated in Martin Scorsese’s movie “The Last Waltz,” widely considered one of the greatest concert films ever made.
In 1980, Robertson shifted his focus to the screen, briefly as an actor and more prominently as a soundtrack composer. Robertson served as music supervisor and composer on an array of films. Most notably, he continued collaborating with Scorsese on such films as “Raging Bull,” “The King of Comedy,” “Gangs of New York,” and others. For “The Color of Money,” Robertson not only composed the score, but he also co-wrote Eric Clapton’s hit song from the film, “It’s in the Way That You Use It.” He also maintained a successful solo music career during this time.
Robertson was a highly decorated musician, earning entry into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside the Band and receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Songwriters, among many other honors.
Tributes to Robbie Robertson
Full obituary: Rolling Stone
