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Artwork for The Band: A History

The Band: A History

The Band: A History

Exploring the history of Canadian-American roots rock group, The Band.

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20 episodes
Updated July 15

Episodes20

July 15 · 18 min
The Battle For Levon Helm Studios
Levon Helm built The Barn in Woodstock as a place to keep making music, make a home and then when stuggles hit - through throat cancer and in the process, built something just as lasting with his daughter Amy, who grew up on that stage and has kept it running ever since he passed. This episode is a tribute to that relationship, and a look at what's happening at Levon Helm Studios today, as a leadership dispute has put Amy's role there in question. We trace the history of the place, the people involved, and why we think the Barn only works when it's still in the family's hands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
March 8 · 56 min
Jericho
Jericho was the first Band studio album in sixteen years, and by the time it arrived a lot had changed. Richard Manuel was gone. Robbie Robertson was gone. What remained were Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Garth Hudson, joined by Jim Weider, Randy Ciarlante, and Richard Bell, trying to figure out what The Band could still sound like in the 1990s. In this episode, I take a look at how Jericho finally came together after years of touring, a failed attempt at a record, and more than a little loss along the way. We talk through the songs, the players who helped make the album, and what was happening around the band when they stepped back into the studio. It’s not a return to the past. It’s a later chapter. A record made by musicians who had already lived through the legend and were still trying to keep the music going. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
February 22 · 46 min
The Lost Album
Before Jericho, there was Tombstone. In this episode, we examine the Band’s abandoned 1990 Sony sessions, recorded with Jules Shear and ultimately rejected by the label. Through the music and the context, we piece together what this project was meant to be and what it tells us about the Band’s struggle to redefine themselves in the early 1990s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
January 3 · 38 min
Richard Manuel’s Final Chapter
A clear, unflinching look at Richard Manuel’s final years, tracing the grind of the road, the strain he carried, and the night that brought his story to an end.
Dec 15, 2025 · 24 min
Jim Weider
This episode follows guitarist Jim Weider, from growing up in Woodstock to finding his way onto the road with Levon, Rick, Richard, and Garth. We trace how he joined The Band in the mid-’80s, held things together through years of hard touring, helped shape their final studio records in the ’90s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 27, 2025 · 11 min
Review: Robbie Robertson's Insomnia
In this mini episode, we dive into Robbie Robertson’s Insomnia — a vivid, late-life reflection from one of rock’s most self-mythologizing figures. Less a memoir and more a cinematic vignette, Insomnia captures the years between 1976 and 1980, when Robertson drifted through post-Band life alongside artists, filmmakers, and excess. The song played during the episode is entitled "At Last" from Scorsese's Raging Bull, produced by Robertson and performed with his former bandmates Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 22, 2025 · 28 min
The Band is Back!
In this episode, we revisit The Band’s unexpected 1983 reunion six years after The Last Waltz. With Robbie Robertson absent, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson came together once again, proving their music still carried power and soul. We trace their individual journeys in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the spark that brought them back, and the raw energy of their “The Band Is Back” tour. From theatre gigs and surprise Bob Dylan appearances to sold-out shows across Canada, Japan, and the U.S., this was more than a comeback, it was a second life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 15, 2025 · 13 min
Cahoots Revisited
On the 54th anniversary of Cahoots, we hear The Band’s most grown-up record. Less legend, more real life. We stay with six songs, “Life Is a Carnival,” “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” “Last of the Blacksmiths,” “Where Do We Go from Here?,” “The Moon Struck One,” and “The River Hymn.” Work, doubt, change, and faith said plainly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 16, 2025 · 18 min
Odds & Ends: Get Up Jake
In our series Odds & Ends we dig into Band deep-cut, “Get Up Jake”. You’ll hear how a scrappy LA studio outtake grew into a live showstopper on Rock of Ages, and even survives as a raw hotel-room demo. We’ll break down its driving groove, Helm’s backbeat, Danko’s bouncing bass and that shout-along chorus and compare the lean, two-minute studio take to the full-throttle live version and the stripped-down Calgary jam. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 9, 2025 · 1 hr 14 min
Interview: Stephen Lewis Returns
A discussion with Stephen Lewis, author of Richard Manuel: His Life and Music, from the Hawks and Bob Dylan to The Band
Apr 22, 2025 · 52 min
Levon Helm '82
Levon Helm’s move to Capitol Records in the early '80s was his final shot at keeping his musical vision alive. His bold choice to record at the iconic Muscle Shoals Sound Studio represented his commitment to authentic Southern rock at a time when synth-pop and MTV hits dominated the airwaves. Featuring a remarkable lineup of musicians, his second solo album, simply titled "Levon Helm," embodied his dedication to musical honesty over commercial success. Songs like "You Can't Win 'Em All" and "Money" showcase Helm’s gritty realism and uncompromising style. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 24, 2025 · 1 hr 14 min
Music for Our Lady Queen of the Angels
This episode pays tribute to the late Garth Hudson, whose recent passing reminds us of his monumental impact on music and sound art.
Jan 21, 2025 · 11 min
Rest in Peace Garth Hudson
We mourn the loss of Garth Hudson, one of music's most innovative, intriguing, and truly unique figures.
Dec 27, 2024 · 19 min
Review: A Complete Unknown
A review of James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown and Timothée Chalamet’s take on Bob Dylan.
Dec 23, 2024 · 8 min
Bonus Episode: Christmas Must Be Tonight
The Band's hidden gem Christmas Must Be tonight is a Christmas classic!
Dec 19, 2024 · 59 min
Tears of Rage with Jerry Leger
A Song With returns featuring Canadian singer-songwriter Jerry Leger
Oct 22, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
Robbie Robertson (Album)
Robbie Robertson was ready to make music again. Teaming up with fellow Canadian Daniel Lanois, he entered the studio, driven by his vision of The Shadowland, to craft his first solo album since leaving The Band.
Sep 10, 2024 · 1 hr 21 min
Interview: Stephen Lewis
The Band: A History sits down with Stephen Lewis, author of the forthcoming book, Richard Manuel: His Life and Music, from the Hawks and Bob Dylan to The Band
Aug 5, 2024 · 26 min
Woodstock '79
By the end of the 1970s, Rick Danko found himself in an unexpected place. After the release of his first solo album on Arista Records didn’t sell well, and with management in flux, Arista dropped him.
Jul 31, 2024 · 40 min
Just Another Whistle Stop with Daniel Cervantes
A Song With returns featuring my friend and Chest Fever bandleader, Daniel Cervantes.