Hello every one I am back !!!!!

[J70]

Drummer in our band saw Levon playing at Newport during the summer.  Said he mightn't have too many gigs left in him.  His voice is nearly gone after his throat cancer.  He said it was heartbreaking watching the gig because his daughter had to keep taking on the vocals because Levon couldn't sing.  She ended up crying on stage.

I've seen him a few times over the past few years, and he generally only does a couple of songs (its a miracle he's singing at all), as his voice gets very raw, very quickly. He has a lineup of people who do most of the singing, like his daughter, as well as Jimmy Vivino, Little Sammy Davis and a load of others (Elvis Costello and Dr John have shown up too!). He had a woman called Phoebe Snow on at one gig I saw - she looks like a typical, overweight middle-aged Yank, and I had never heard of her, but holy Christ, you'd want to hear her voice! She did the most amazing version of Van Morrison's Into the Mystic - it was on youtube and is well worth a look.

Have you got his new album J70?  Its class.

I presume you're talking about Dirt Farmer? It was out in the states about this time last year. Fantastic album. His voice takes a little getting used to if you're familiar with the Levon Helm of The Weight or The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down or The Last Waltz film, but it is a wonderful album. I love his version of Steve Earle's The Mountain, as well as that harmonies plus fiddle song, Anna Lee.

He has a new cover of You Better Move On out on a charity album that Don Imus (a major radio DJ over here) has put together. The Stones did it way back when they were starting. Excellent version from Helm, and his voice holds up pretty good. Its available on iTunes I think.

[The Gs Man]

Good stuff.  I'll definitely check that out.