AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Band

Artist:The Band

Song:Up on Cripple Creek

Album:Greatest Hits

The Band never had a big hit single. Underground radio had become popular by the late 60s. That's what I listened to. So they didn't need a hit single. The 1969 single Up on Cripple Creek was their biggest hit. And the B side The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down also got airplay. The Band started out as The Hawks. They backed up Ronnie Hawkins when he moved from Arkansas to Toronto in 1958. He brought drummer Levon Helm with him. The rest of The Band were Canadians Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson. Hawkins was a great training ground, But by 1964, it was time to leave. At first they were called The Levon Helm Sextet which included saxophonist Jerry Penfound. After he left, it was changed to Levon and the Hawks. They called themselves The Canadian Squires when a 1965 single was released on Ware Records. They changed back to Levon and the Hawks for an Atco Records recording session. They met bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson and were planning to be his backing band. But he died. Then Bob Dylan hired them and they toured with him for a couple of years. They also recorded The Basement Tapes with Dylan. They also worked on what became the 1968 album Music from Big Pink. When it was ready, they decided to call themselves The Band as that is what musicians called them. When the album was ready, they signed with Capitol Records. And Music from Big Pink was released in 1968. The Weight was the best known song from that album as it was used in the 1969 film Easy Rider. The album was highly acclaimed. After they toured, they recorded the 1969 album The Band. Both albums were produced by John Simon. Robertson wrote most of the songs including Up on Cripple Creek. But Helm sang lead. It reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The record is notable for Hudson's use of the clavinet with a wah wah pedal. The album was certified Platinum. This comp is the best single CD collection of The Band's music. But there are box sets available. And there's a 2CD 50th Anniversary edition of The Band with plenty of extras. They recorded several albums in the 70s. But I think the 1978 film The Last Waltz is considered to be the highlight of The Band's run. They split up after that. The Band reformed in 1983 without Robertson who had success as a solo artist. He was replaced by studio musician Jim Weider. After years of alcoholism, Manuel hung himself in 1986. He was replaced by Richard Bell from Janis Joplin's Full Tilt Boogie Band. They continued to tour and released the 1993 album Jericho. Robertson appeared at The Band's 1994 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. Helm wasn't there as he was in conflict with Robertson over songwriting royalties. They released a couple more albums. Then Danko died on Dec. 10, 1999 and The Band split up for good. Helm died on Apr. 19, 2012. Robertson died on Aug. 9, 2023. Hudson died on Jan. 21, 2025. Here's The Band performing Up on Cripple Creek on the Nov. 2, 1969 episode of The Ed Sullivan Show.