It’s the end of an era in modern American music.
The Band‘s Garth Hudson, renowned multi-instrumentalist, passed away on Jan. 21st in upstate New York. At 87, he was the oldest and also the last surviving member of the iconic and beloved group.
“Honey Boy,” as Hudson was affectionately known, is predeceased by his fellow bandmates Robbie Robertson, the band’s guitarist and lead songwriter, who died in 2023 after a long illness; keyboardist-drummer Richard Manuel, who passed in 1986; bassist Rick Danko, who died in his sleep in 1999; and drummer Levon Helm died of cancer in 2012.
The Band’s official Instagram page paid loving tribute to Hudson, calling him, a “musical genius and cornerstone of the group’s timeless sound.” But joining the group seemingly was not an obvious choice for a young Hudson, who worried that his parents would disapprove. It was the early 1960s, and the guys had been hired as “The Hawks” to back rocker Ronnie Hawkins, whose solution to Hudson’s conundrum was to offer him a gig as a “musical consultant” for ten extra bucks a week.
The rest, as they say, would go on to become rock music history. The group would move on to become Bob Dylan‘s primary backing band, and that’s when they’d officially re-brand as “The Band.” They were a fixture on tours with Dylan and would become an integral part of Dylan’s infamous sonic evolution away from traditional folk. Time away from the spotlight with Dylan in Woodstock would produce more than 100 songs written and recorded together and eventually lead to The Band recording and releasing their own, self-titled album, which many still consider their greatest and one of the best rock albums of all time.
Future albums and tours would help cement their status in the American musical landscape, but perhaps nothing catapulted them to icon level quite like the famous taping of The Last Waltz, the star-studded concert film directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese. Though tension in the group caused them to disband before the film’s release in 1978, the film still to this day remains foundational in the world of musical documentaries.
“I found some true enjoyment in helping people get to the bottom of their feelings.” — Garth Hudson, The Band
In 1989, The Band was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would follow in 1994 and in 2008, the group received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2014.
And Hudson was there through it all. He continued to travel and make music after the group parted ways, collaborating on sessions with everyone from Emmylou Harris to Leonard Cohen to Van Morrison and then some.
His contributions to one of the greatest groups ever recorded will live on forever and continue to inspire future artists and budding musicians for generations to come. Farewell, Honeyboy and thank you.