The Band‘s lead guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson has died. He was 80. Robertson passed away on Wednesday, August 9, after a long illness.
“Robbie was surrounded by his family at the time of his death, including his wife, Janet, his ex-wife, Dominique, her partner Nicholas, and his children Alexandra, Sebastian, Delphine, and Delphine’s partner Kenny. He is also survived by his grandchildren Angelica, Donovan, Dominic, Gabriel, and Seraphina,” a statement announced.
“Robertson recently completed his fourteenth film music project with frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon,” the statement continued. “In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Six Nations of the Grand River to support the building of their new cultural center.”
Jaime Royal Robertson was born on July 5, 1943, in Toronto, Ontario. He is recognized for his work as lead guitarist for Bob Dylan in the mid-late 1960s and early-mid 1970s as well as guitarist and songwriter with the Band from their inception until 1978.
Robertson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame as a member of the Band and was inducted to Canada’s Walk of Fame, both with the Band and on his own.
As a songwriter, Robertson is credited with writing “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” and “Up on Cripple Creek” with the Band and had solo hits with “Broken Arrow,” “Somewhere Down the Crazy River” and many others.
(Photo: Don Dixon)
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