Levon

Whatever anyone tells you- there is still amazing music out there.
You just need to find it.
Levon Helm is an example of an artist still banging out great rhythms on the eve of his 70th year.
Plus if you have never witnessed his famed Midnight Ramble - at his home and studio, "the Barn" in Woodstock, New York, you really have never have enjoyed true musicians playing. It is probably one of the best shows I have ever seen.....Hands Down. These concerts, featuring Helm and a variety of musical guests, allowed Helm to raise money for medical bills and to resume performing after a nearly career-ending bout with cancer. It isn't the same seeing him at the Beacon Theatre or Red Rocks. You must see him at the barn.

http://www.levonhelm.com/midnight_ramble.htm

That being said - his last album "Dirt Farmer" was a classic. And he is following it up with an electric version (see below). Watch out - could be another classic (as if he doesn't already have a catalogue of music with the Band that placed him firmly in the Rock Hall!).

Proving once again, music is thriving. Just need to find it!

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Musician Levon Helm going "Electric"

NEW YORK (Billboard) – After nabbing a Grammy for his rustic album "Dirt Farmer," drummer/vocalist Levon Helm will return June 30 with "Electric Dirt."
The 11-song set will be released on Helm's own Dirt Farmer Music, in conjunction with Vanguard. As with "Dirt Farmer," Helm recorded at The Barn, his studio in Woodstock, New York, and reteamed with multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell for production duties.
On "Dirt Farmer," which ended a 25-year absence from solo work, Helm -- a member of defunct rock group The Band -- explored the roots of classic Americana and folk. "Electric Dirt" promises to continue in that tradition, but will tap into more forms from the American musical canon. The original "Growing Trade" will feature horn arrangements from veteran New Orleans R&B musician Allen Toussaint, and Randy Newman's "Kingfish" gives a nod to the musical heritage of ragtime-era New Orleans.
The Grateful Dead often covered the Band's classic "The Weight" in concert, and Helm returns the gesture by opening the album with the group's early-70s tune "Tennessee Jed," by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter.
Helm's band is scheduled to make a short run of shows in mid-June, with stops at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado (June 13), Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma (June 16), and the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas (June 18).
In addition, Helm will resume his weekly "Midnight Ramble" sessions on April 18. The jam sessions take place at The Barn and promise different special guests each week. They're slated to run through May 30.