There’s a real case to be made that The Band, and their lead songwriter Robbie Robertson, are the most quietly influential group in rock music history; even if their legacy was limited to their first few years backing Dylan they’d be deeply important, but that was just their start: if you haven’t heard their first three albums, you’re missing out on some of the epochal rock music ever created, and even then, those records and their-near incalculable impact doesn’t even begin to cover their legacy, culminating in the legendary The Last Waltz farewell show and movie directed by Martin Scorsese, who Robertson worked with as his music supervisor for the rest of his life, and if that wasn’t enough, his solo discography is excellent, especially his debut record.
Robertson obviously has a bit of a reputation, largely due to Levon Helm’s legendary shit-talking memoir, but regardless of personal drama, his importance on both pop and film music is incalculable and unquestioned.
