According to the Band’s spokespeople, Garth Hudson, whose dexterity on a variety of instruments. And imaginative approach to the organ gave the Canadian-American group’s roots-rock a unique touch, has passed away. According to the Toronto Star, Hudson “passed away peacefully in his sleep. Tuesday morning at a nursing home in Woodstock, New York, the Band’s longstanding home base. He was 87.
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Hudson, who is retired and rarely interviewed, was the quiet guy in the ensemble that started out as the backup band for rockabilly singer. Ronnie Hawkins of the Hawks, Arkansas, and advanced to accompany Bob Dylan on his turbulent debut tour as a rock ‘n’ roll artist in 1966.
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Hudson had been living in an upstate New York nursing facility as the last living member of The Band. Which became well-known as Bob Dylan’s supporting group. The Band’s social media platforms verified his passing.
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Garth Hudsonis skill set extended beyond the conventional keyboard. He was also a master of horns, synthesizers, and the Lowrey organ. His distinctive talents enabled Dylan. And The Band to establish a reputation that had a significant impact on upcoming musical generations.
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In his 2016 memoir “Testimony,” Robbie Robertson, the Band’s guitarist and lyricist during their years of fame (he himself died in August 2023), provided a far more detailed evaluation of what Hudson contributed.
According to his writing, “He played brilliantly, in a more complex way than anybody we had ever jammed with.” The majority of us had just picked up our instruments as children and continued playing, but Garth had classical training and was able to discover melodic possibilities on the keyboard that we were unaware of. It greatly impressed us.
His lengthy, Bach-inspired prelude to “Chest Fever,” a mysterious “Big Pink” rocker, later became a stand-alone concert feature known as “The Genetic Method,” leaving a lasting impression.
