Listening to Levon

Listen while you read: Love for Levon

I was sitting with Mary in my dad's blue Valient
Rain was coming down and the radio was playing
Mary was talking a million miles a minute
I could not hear one word she was saying

'Cause I was lost, I was gone
I was listening to Levon
In another world, in another place
I was lost, I was gone
I was listening to Levon

I was looking at Mary's eyes but I was listening to Levon

Mary's hair was black, that much I remember
Mary's skin was smooth, I remember that, too
And she opened her eyes sometimes when she kissed me
I don't know why she did that. Maybe Mary knew
. . . 

I changed her name to protect the innocent
I might have even lied about the car
This is just to say sorry if I hurt you
Maybe if you're out there, you know who you are

I'm sorry, Mary

It serves me right if you can't hear me singing
If you tuned me out a long time ago
And it served me right if you already changed the station
And you're listening right now to that old boy on the radio

And you're lost and you're gone
Listening to Levon
In another world from some other place
Are you lost? Are you gone?
Listening to Levon
Is there a smile on your face while you're listening to Levon?

~ Marc Cohn

Levon Helm, most famous as the drummer for The Band, would have turned 77 years old today. Levon died on April 19, 2012, already five years ago. (These time passages frighten me.) The video linked above (which I really hope you watched) was filmed at the "Love for Levon" concert at the Izod Center on October 3, 2012. I was in the audience for that show.

Marc Cohn's gorgeous ballad, which pays tribute to young love and to the music of The Band, appears on the 2007 release Join the Parade. At "Love for Levon," Cohn was backed up by The Levon Helm Band. I've seen this band many times, most often while Levon was still with them. Most of those performances took place at Levon's Barn in Woodstock NY, a 150 - 200 capacity studio adjoining Levon's home. Those concerts were intimate and exciting, and I was usually in the front row. Consequently, I got to shake Levon's hand many times. Yes, I was a big fan of Levon's.

My favorite memory of concerts at Levon's took place when I took my 19-year-old son to see guest band moe. After the show, one of the security guys walked up to us as we were exiting and handed my son a pair of Levon's drumsticks wrapped in a copy of the set list. "Levon wants you to have these," he said. And that was Levon, taking note of the "youngster" sitting in the front row with his mom and gifting him with a memory that he will keep forever.

In the video, take note of the band. That's Teresa Williams singing back-up vocals, along with her husband, Larry Campbell, playing a tiny guitar (which I think belonged to Levon). Jim Wieder, who at one time played with The Band in their later incarnations, plays the electric guitar solo. Wieder now tours with The Weight, a band made up of musicians who've all played with Levon or The Band at some point. Larry and Teresa are scheduled to play tomorrow at Dylanfest, a 3-day tribute to Bob Dylan at the local Warwick Valley Winery. Barring a rain-out, I expect to be there. The music lives on.

Much love for Levon.

Note the tiny guitar?