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The Band's Levon Helm to Release First Album in 25 Years

Levon Helm, best known as the singer-drummer of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act the Band, will be releasing his first solo studio album in a quarter century. The 13-song LP, titled 'Dirt Farmer,' appropriately recorded at his home studio known as "The Barn," will be released October 30.

Helm, who periodically hosts a series of intimate, star-studded concerts known as Midnight Rambles at his Woodstock, N.Y. home, decided to lay down these tracks after recently regaining his voice following a bout with throat cancer. On 'Dirt Farmer,' the 67-year-old Helm applies those newly recovered vocals, as well as drums, guitar and mandolin, to a collection of blues and country favorites that hearken back to his rural Arkansas youth. He also preforms tunes by singer-songwriter Steve Earle and the late blues legend J.B. Lenoir on the new record, on which he is assisted by multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell and his daughter Amy Helm, who is a member of the New York-based roots-music quintet Ollabelle.

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Mike

Levon is a fabulous example of what is great about traditional mountain music.His work beats the heck out of the so-called traditional music that Nashville feeds us.His albums "Dirt Farmer' and 'Electric Dirt' are the best I've heard in decades.

October 04 2011 at 6:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Amanda Carlson

Levon really deserves the recogonition of a Grammy award for his amazing musical talent. I truly hope he wins!

February 07 2008 at 6:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Amanda Carlson's comment
Mike

Amanda, I totally agree with you he should have got a grammy for this album. It's the best mountain music I've heard in forty years!

October 04 2011 at 6:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply