Levon Helm, Tom Paxton, Jorma Kaukonen...

[Steven]

And Tom Rush, Arlo Guthrie, David Amram (and many others) comprise an impressive lineup
of performers scheduled for this summer's 50th annual season of the Philadelphia
Folk Festival. The schedule and other information can be found at:
http://www.pfs.org/folk-festival.

Gene Shay will be emceeing the Philadelphia Folk Festival for his 50th consecutive
year. Gene Shay's July 8, 2011 interview on the WCHE Entertainment and
Culture Show went on podcast and is currently accessible at:
http://wche.podomatic.com/player/web/20 ... 5_11-07_00.

[Kush]

Hi Steven,

I was recently introduced to Levon Helm's music by a friend...what a fantastic musician!! I have since downloaded the 'Ramble at the Ryman' live album. A video of the live performance aired on PBS. Here is a video of the last song of the album - a duet with John Hiatt doing 'The Weight'. Awesome performance!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BAp5BxpIR8

Have also seen Jorma Kaukonen live a few years ago in Dallas, TX.

[Steven]

Hi Kush,

A terrific assemblage performing a beloved classic in a storied venue. I've never attended a concert with any of the
performers. Thanks for posting the link to the video. Hadn't seen it before.

[lonndubh]

And Tom Rush, Arlo Guthrie, David Amram (and many others) comprise an impressive lineup
of performers scheduled for this summer's 50th annual season of the Philadelphia
Folk Festival. The schedule and other information can be found at:
http://www.pfs.org/folk-festival.

Really enjoyed having a look at that Stephen.Thanks as always for your great links
I have not seen Tom Paxton or Arlo for some time now ,even though Arlo played in Dublin last year.
I enjoyed hearing again and listening to all 18 minutes of Alice's Restaurant lately on our local radio.

[Steven]

Hi lonndubh,

Thank you. Also heard "Alice's Restaurant" on local radio recently. It was an anniversary of something,
an annual tradition on a rock station. Probably haven't heard it played on the radio more than a few times
in 18 years.

[Kush]

Levon Helm is in the final stages of his battle with cancer - I came by his music fairly recently but it made an impression on me.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/18/showbiz/l ... index.html

Helm's wife, Sandy, and daughter Amy posted a message to the artist's website regarding his condition on Tuesday.

"Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey," his wife, Sandy, and daughter Amy wrote in a message posted to the artist's website.

"Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration ... he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make the people dance! He did it every time he took the stage," they said.

Ophelia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcgxuGiI7wU&

[Steven]

Hi Kush,

Thank you for letting us know about this sad news and for posting the video link.

[Kush]

Hi Steven,

In the two video clips from Ryman (Ophelia and The Weight), I believe his daughter Amy is one of the two women onstage.
BTW, were you actually able to go to the festival last year ?

[Steven]

Hi Kush,

Got to the festival on Friday night. Returned again on Saturday morning. The weather here on Sunday was stormy with
thunder/lightning and downpours, so didn't return then. Levon performed on Sunday. Heard later that the storm
wasn't very bad at the Festival location. Wish I made a different choice. Had stayed till midnight the prior two
nights. That coupled with the turbulent weather led to a decision I now regret.

[Kush]

ah ..something eerily similar happened to me at Jazzfest in New Orleans think it was 2009. We arrived late afternoon friday and spent a wet but enjoyable saturday at the festival. With more rain forecast for sunday and amidst rumors of possible cancellation we decided to head back to Texas sunday morning. As it turned out the weather was quite acceptable. But I did manage to see Aaron Neville sing Song of Bernadette in one of the tents from just a few feet away on the previous afternoon. That was memorable.

[John Etherington]

Sorry to hear that Levon Helm lost his battle with cancer, today: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/ap ... sfeed=true

[lonndubh]

Levon Helm moved on today but left us with so much amazing music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDnlU6rPfwY&sns=fb

[John Etherington]

llondubh - I've just watched "The Last Waltz" again in his memory, and appreciated it more than ever (I've only seen it twice before). I only saw The Band three times - Isle of Wight 69, Wembley mid-70S, & Forum London 90s.

R.I.P. Levon

[sue7]

Listening to The Band yesterday and today in honor of Levon Helm, as well as his "Dirt Farmer." I saw him once at the Beacon just a few years ago: an amazing survivor, and such an incredibly generous musician.
I'm so sorry we never made it to his Midnight Ramble in upstate New York.

[Steven]

Sad news.

"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VShpcqd3zE