The Weight Band

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The Weight Band is an American rock band formed in 2013. It consists of Jim Weider (guitar), Michael Bram (drums, vocals), Brian Mitchell (keyboards, vocals), Matt Zeiner (keyboard, vocals) and Albert Rogers (bass, vocals). [1] The Weight Band was created by Jim Weider to continue the musical legacy of The Band. [2]

Contents

History

The Weight Band originated inside the barn of Levon Helm Studios in 2013 when Jim Weider and Randy Ciarlante, both former members of The Band, were performing “Songs of The Band” with Garth Hudson, Jimmy Vivino and Byron Isaacs. [3] Weider, Ciarlante and Isaacs continued performing songs from The Band and invited Brian Mitchell. Marty Grebb, who contributed to The Band albums Jericho_(The_Band_album) and Jubilation_(The_Band_album) was also invited to join The Weight Band. The Weight Band later added Albert Rogers (2016) [4] and Michael Bram from Jason Mraz's band (2017) [5] and Matt Zeiner from Dickey Betts' band(2018). [6]

In 2015, Jim Weider started Camp Cripple Creek with The Weight Band. Camp Cripple Creek is a celebration of The Band’s music. [7] [8] The first Camp Cripple Creek event was at Levon Helm Studios, with subsequent annual Camp Cripple Creek events at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, New York. [9] Camp Cripple Creek guest artists have included Jackie Greene, [10] Larry Campbell (musician), Paul Barrere & Fred Tackett, [11] David Bromberg, [12] Maria Muldaur, [13] and John Sebastian, [14] among others. Part of Camp Cripple Creek proceeds go to Levon Helm Studios. [15]

In 2017, PBS's Infinity Hall Live program aired a televised performance by The Weight Band. [16]

In February 2018, The Weight Band released their first studio album, World Gone Mad. [17] [18] [19]

On April 18, 2018, The Weight Band performed at the Folk & Americana Music Series at the Boch Center in Boston, Massachusetts. [20]

In 2018 and 2019, The Weight Band toured in the United States, with tour dates in Europe and Japan as well.

On October 25, 2019, The Weight Band rehearsed at Big Pink, the same venue where Bob Dylan and The Band collaborated. The Weight Band’s rehearsal and live performances at Big Pink became The Weight Band’s Acoustic Live album. [21]

On July 3, 2020, The Weight Band’s Live is a Carnival live album was released by Continental Record Services. [22]

On January 20, 2022, The Weight Band released “Shines Like Gold,” a single for an upcoming album of the same name. [23]

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Band</span> Canadian-American rock band

The Band was a Canadian-American rock band formed in Toronto, Ontario, in 1967. It consisted of Canadians Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson, and American Levon Helm. The Band combined elements of Americana, folk, rock, jazz, country, and R&B, influencing musicians such as George Harrison, Elton John, the Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton and Wilco.

<i>Music from Big Pink</i> 1968 studio album by the Band

Music from Big Pink is the debut studio album by the Band. Released in 1968, it employs a distinctive blend of country, rock, folk, classical, R&B, blues, and soul. The music was composed partly in "Big Pink", a house shared by bassist/singer Rick Danko, pianist/singer Richard Manuel and organist Garth Hudson in West Saugerties, New York. The album itself was recorded in studios in New York and Los Angeles in 1968, and followed the band's backing of Bob Dylan on his 1966 tour and time spent together in upstate New York recording material that was officially released in 1975 as The Basement Tapes, also with Dylan. The cover artwork is a painting by Dylan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Robertson</span> Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist (1943–2023)

Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson was a Canadian musician. He was lead guitarist for Bob Dylan in the mid-late 1960s and early-mid 1970s, guitarist and songwriter with the Band from their inception until 1978, and a solo artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levon Helm</span> American musician (1940–2012)

Mark Lavon "Levon" Helm was an American musician who achieved fame as the drummer and one of the three lead vocalists for The Band, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. Helm was known for his deeply soulful, country-accented voice, multi-instrumental ability, and creative drumming style, highlighted on many of the Band's recordings, such as "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek", and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".

<i>Moondog Matinee</i> 1973 studio album by the Band

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<i>Jericho</i> (The Band album) 1993 studio album by the Band

Jericho is the eighth studio album by Canadian-American rock group the Band. Coming seventeen years after their "farewell concert", it was released in 1993 and was the first album to feature the latter-day configuration of the group, as well as their first release for the Rhino subsidiary Pyramid Records.

<i>High on the Hog</i> (The Band album) 1996 studio album by the Band

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<i>Jubilation</i> (The Band album) 1998 studio album by the Band

Jubilation is the tenth and final studio album by Canadian/American rock group the Band. Recorded in the spring of 1998 in Levon Helm's home studio in Woodstock, New York, it was released on September 15, 1998. For the first time since the group reformed without guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson, there were more originals than covers. Songs include "Last Train to Memphis", featuring guest guitarist Eric Clapton, Garth Hudson's solo instrumental closer "French Girls", Rick Danko's "High Cotton" and the ode to Ronnie Hawkins, "White Cadillac".

<i>To Kingdom Come: The Definitive Collection</i> 1989 greatest hits album by the Band

To Kingdom Come: The Definitive Collection is an anthology by Canadian-American rock band the Band, released in 1989. The thirty-one tracks were mostly taken from the group's eight albums on Capitol Records. The group's better-known songs, such as "The Weight", "Up on Cripple Creek", "Chest Fever", "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "The Shape I'm In", "Life Is a Carnival" and "It Makes No Difference", are all present. Rarities such as "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "Get Up Jake" and "Back to Memphis" are also present.

<i>Across the Great Divide</i> (album) 1994 box set by the Band

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Weight</span> Song by The Band

"The Weight" is a song by the Canadian-American group the Band that was released as a single in 1968 and on the group's debut album Music from Big Pink. It was their first release under this name, after their previous releases as Canadian Squires and Levon and the Hawks. Written by Band member Robbie Robertson, the song is about a visitor's experiences in a town mentioned in the lyric's first line as Nazareth. "The Weight" has significantly influenced American popular music, having been listed as No. 41 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time published in 2004. Pitchfork Media named it the 13th best song of the 1960s, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named it one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. PBS, which broadcast performances of the song on Ramble at the Ryman (2011), Austin City Limits (2012), and Quick Hits (2012), describes it as "a masterpiece of Biblical allusions, enigmatic lines and iconic characters" and notes its enduring popularity as "an essential part of the American songbook."

<i>Times Like These</i> (Rick Danko album) 2000 compilation album by Rick Danko

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<i>A Musical History</i> 2005 box set by the Band

A Musical History is the second box set to anthologize Canadian-American rock group the Band. Released by Capitol Records on September 27, 2005, it features 111 tracks spread over five compact discs and one DVD. Roughly spanning the group's journey from 1961 to 1977, from their days behind Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan through the departure of Robbie Robertson and the first disbanding of the group. The set includes highlights from each of the group's first seven studio albums and both major live recordings and nearly forty rare or previously unreleased performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Weider</span> American guitarist (born 1951)

James Jeffrey Weider is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the Band. He joined the reformed version of the Band in 1985 to replace original guitarist Robbie Robertson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Up on Cripple Creek</span> 1969 single by the Band

"Up on Cripple Creek" is the fifth song on the Band's eponymous second album, The Band. It was released as an (edited) single on Capitol 2635 in November 1969 and reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Up on Cripple Creek" was written by Band guitarist Robbie Robertson, with drummer Levon Helm singing lead vocal.

Brian Mitchell is a musical artist who records and performs his own original music. He has also worked with artists such as Levon Helm & The Midnight Ramble Band, Bob Dylan, BB King, Al Green, Dolly Parton, Buster Poindexter, and Allen Toussaint. Mitchell has appeared on five Grammy Award-winning recordings, three with Levon Helm, and one each with BB King and with Les Paul. In 2015, Brian was inducted into the New York Blues Hall Of Fame. He is known to have versatility on piano, Hammond B-3 organ, accordion, various vintage keyboards and harmonica, plus his distinct vocal stylings. Mitchell believed that music is life music can heal people

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<i>Let It Rock</i> (Ronnie Hawkins album) 1995 live album by Ronnie Hawkins

Let It Rock is a Juno Award-nominated album that documents American-Canadian singer Ronnie Hawkins's 60th birthday celebration and concert at Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario. The concert took place on January 8, 1995, and featured performances by Hawkins, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Band and Larry Gowan. Jeff Healey sat in on guitar for most, if not all, of the performances. Hawkins's band, the Hawks, or permutations of it, backed most, if not all, of the acts. All of the musicians performing that night were collectively dubbed "the Rock ‘N’ Roll Orchestra". The concert is among the last recorded of both Perkins and Rick Danko of the Band. An eponymous video of the concert was also released.

Love for Levon: Benefit to Save the Barn was a benefit concert held on October 3, 2012 at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The concert was a tribute to the life of The Band's co-lead vocalist and drummer Levon Helm, who died of throat cancer on April 19, 2012. The concert featured a wide variety of musicians who had worked with Helm as well as musicians who were influenced by him. Proceeds from the concert went towards keeping Helm's Woodstock barn in his family's control as well as continuing his Midnight Ramble concert series in the barn. The concert's musical directors were Don Was and Helm's frequent collaborator Larry Campbell. The concert was released on CD and DVD on March 19, 2013.

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References

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