Every week at his Woodstock home and studio, Band drummer Levon Helm entertains folks with his Midnight Ramble. It’s a casual, intimate show that features Helm with his band and a variety of guests. He’s brought his ramble to the road and this recording is from his performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium during the fall of 2008. Multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell leads the band. This set features guests Sam Bush, Sheryl Crow, John Hiatt, and Buddy Miller. The tracks range from Band classics, “The Weight,” “The Shape I’m In” and “Chest Fever” to New Orleans-style R&B versions of “Back to Memphis,” “Fannie Mae” and “Baby Scratch My Back.” His voice is in surprisingly good form. Helm beat throat cancer, but his voice has become even more ragged but right over the years. There’s a downhome authenticity to the performances here. The sawing of the fiddle during “Anna Lee,” the deep country of “No Depression In Heaven” and the rockabilly-meets-Appalachia of “Time Out for the Blues” are in a world of their own.
Genres: Rock, Music, Blues, Southern Rock, Roots Rock, Rock & Roll
Released: May 13, 2011
℗ 2011 Dirt Farmer Music, distributed by Vanguard Records. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation of applicable laws. Manufactured by Caroline Third Party,
Track List:
01 Ophelia
02 Back to Memphis
03 Fannie Mae
04 Baby Scratch My Back
05 Evangeline
06 No Depression In Heaven
07 Wide River to Cross
08 Deep Elem Blues
09 Anna Lee
10 Rag Mama Rag
11 Time Out for the Blues
12 A Train Robbery
13 The Shape I’m In
14 Chest Fever
15 The Weight
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ramble-at-the-ryman/id434035559