#Levon

I have seen Levon many times.  He was a regular at the King Bisquit Blues Festival held Columbus Day week end every year in Helena, Arkansas.  As a member of the Band, of which everyone know the story, he was the only member who was not Canadian.  Lavon, his real name, played with Ronnie Hawkins, another Arkansan, and the Hawks.  Mostly rock-a-billy in the late 50's and early 60's.  Ronnie Hawkins was some performer.  As a matter of fact, it was Hawkins who invented the moon walk, not Michael Jackson.  Just look it up on YouTube.  What a blast.

Being born in Marvel, Arkansas and raised in Turkey Scratch, just a few mile west of Helena,  Levon was exposed to the Mississippi Delta sound of the blues.  Most especially the harp playing of Sonny Boy Williamson.  Levon got the beat.  No doubt.  What is so great about Levon Helm is that you can not put him in one covey hole.  You could have asked him yesterday "What do you call the type of music that you play?" and he would have answered, "Dance music.  It don't matter if it is the push of the fifties, the twist of the sixties, or whatever.  It could be the Clod dancing of the Ozark hillbilly, as long as people are jumpin' to the sound that is what Levon was all about.  All musicians who have played for that number of years understand one thing.  You gotta get 'em up and dancin'.

God bless Levon, I know some are dancin' upstairs tonight.