Robbie Robertson, who was famous as the lead singer and guitar player of the well-known band The Band, has passed away on Wednesday, 9 August 2023 at the age of 80.
His longtime manager, Jared Levine, confirmed this sad news by releasing a statement. He mentioned that Robbie was with his loved ones when he passed away.
Robbie is survived by his wife Janet, ex-wife Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Delphine, and Dominique.
Just before he passed away, he worked with Martin Scorsese once again on a project called “Killers of the Flower Moon.” This was his 14th time working on music for a film.
Instead of sending flowers, his family is asking people to donate to the Six Nations of the Grand River to help with a new Woodland Cultural Centre.
Statement from Robbie Robertson’s family:
Statement from Robbie Robertson’s family.
📸 Luis Sinco pic.twitter.com/J9c79003D5
— Robbie Robertson (@r0bbier0berts0n) August 9, 2023
Robbie Robertson Cause Of Death
Reports indicate that Robbie had been facing an illness for some time, but the specific information about his health issue has not been disclosed to the public.
The Journey of Robbie Robertson and The Band
Robbie Robertson really liked music when he was young, and he started playing the guitar at 10 years old. As he got older, he teamed up with Levon Helm to make a group called the Hawks, supporting Ronnie Hawkins.
Even though they were still young, their music journey started taking off. They even played with Bob Dylan during his tours where he switched to electric music in 1965 and 1966.
Eventually, they became known as The Band. Alongside Robbie and Levon, there were other people in the band like Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko, Jim Weider, Richard Bell, Stan Szelest, and Randy Ciarlante.
Together, they made famous albums like “Islands,” “High on the Hog,” “Stage Fright,” “Rock of Ages,” and more.
But sadly, after about eight years, The Band decided to go their own ways. In 1976, Robbie Robertson was the one who led the choice to have a big goodbye concert called “The Last Waltz.”
Robbie Robertson’s Music for Movies and Grammy Achievement
After his time with The Band, Robbie Robertson got into making music for movies. He created music for films like “Carny,” “Raging Bull,” “King Of Comedy,” and “The Color Of Money,” among others. He often worked with Martin Scorsese on these projects.
Besides movie music, he also made his own music and even got nominated for a Grammy Award in 1987.
Tributes
Twitter is overflowing with heartfelt tributes as countless fans pour their emotions into words to honor their beloved Robbie Robertson.
Here are some tweets:
Joni Mitchell: Rest in peace Robbie Robertson, legendary lead guitarist of The Band, fellow Canadian, and cherished collaborator of Joni’s. May his legacy and musical harmony resonate for generations to come.
Rest in peace Robbie Robertson, legendary lead guitarist of The Band, fellow Canadian, and cherished collaborator of Joni’s. May his legacy and musical harmony resonate for generations to come.
Photo from the Michael Ochs Archives pic.twitter.com/1rdu7tihjS
— Joni Mitchell (@jonimitchell) August 9, 2023
Bill Clinton: Robbie Robertson was a brilliant songwriter, guitarist, and composer whose gifts changed music forever. I’m grateful for all the good memories he gave me—going back to his time in the Hawks when I was a teenager—and for his kindness through the years. I’ll miss him.
Robbie Robertson was a brilliant songwriter, guitarist, and composer whose gifts changed music forever. I’m grateful for all the good memories he gave me—going back to his time in the Hawks when I was a teenager—and for his kindness through the years. I’ll miss him.
— Bill Clinton (@BillClinton) August 9, 2023
Neil Diamond: The music world lost a great one with the passing of Robbie Robertson. Keep making that Beautiful Noise in the sky, Robbie. I’ll miss you.
The music world lost a great one with the passing of Robbie Robertson. Keep making that Beautiful Noise in the sky, Robbie. I’ll miss you.
— Neil Diamond (@NeilDiamond) August 9, 2023
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