Garth Hudson, the legendary keyboardist of The Band, known for his exceptional musical talents and diverse soundscapes, has passed away at the age of 87. Hudson was the eldest and final surviving member of the influential group that once accompanied Bob Dylan and played a significant role in shaping modern American music. His death was confirmed on Tuesday through The Band’s social media accounts, though no further details were shared. Hudson had been residing in a nursing home in upstate New York.
With his distinctive appearance, marked by a large forehead and a wide beard, Hudson was both classically trained and self-taught, offering a unique voice through his instruments, including piano, synthesizers, horns, and his beloved Lowrey organ. Whether it was the playful clavinet and wah-wah pedal on “Up on Cripple Creek,” the energetic piano on “Rag Mama Rag,” or the soulful saxophone on “It Makes No Difference,” Hudson always brought the perfect tone and emotion to every song.
Garth Hudson, the only non-singer among the five members of The Band, was celebrated for his musical contributions, which were essential to the group’s signature camaraderie, texture, and versatility. Although he often played a supporting role in the background, Hudson had a standout moment with the iconic song “Chest Fever.” For this Robbie Robertson composition, Hudson created a memorable organ intro, “The Genetic Method,” a blend of diverse moods and melodies that smoothly transitioned into the song’s hard rock riff.
Robertson, the band’s guitarist and chief songwriter, passed away in 2023 after a long illness. Other members of The Band who have since passed include keyboardist-drummer Richard Manuel, who took his own life in 1986; bassist Rick Danko, who died in 1999; and drummer Levon Helm, who succumbed to cancer in 2012. The Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Originally formed in the early 1960s as a backing group for rockabilly star Ronnie Hawkins, The Band was first known as The Hawks. It consisted of Helm, who was from Arkansas, and four Canadians—Hudson, Danko, Manuel, and Robertson—whom Helm and Hawkins recruited.
The Band honed their skills over years of performing as relatively unknown musicians—first as part of Ronnie Hawkins’ backing group, then as Levon and the Hawks, and eventually as the subject of controversy when they began working with Bob Dylan in the mid-1960s. All the members of The Band joined Dylan on his groundbreaking 1965-66 tours (though Helm left halfway through). During this time, Dylan moved away from his folk roots and, alongside The Band, created some of the most powerful and tumultuous music of the era. This shift angered some of his traditional fans but drew in many new ones. The group later adopted the name “The Band” partly because Dylan’s followers had often referred to them simply as “the band.”
By 1967, Dylan had retreated from the public eye, reportedly due to a motorcycle accident, and he and The Band settled in the artist community in Woodstock, which would later gain worldwide fame due to the nearby Bethel festival. With no formal album planned, the group began writing and playing music spontaneously in an old pink house outside of town, where Hudson, Danko, and Manuel lived. Hudson handled the tape recorder as Dylan and The Band recorded over 100 songs. These tracks, which circulated as bootlegs for years, became known as “The Basement Tapes.” Often regarded as the roots of “Americana” and “roots” music, the recordings ranged from traditional folk, country, and Appalachian tunes to original compositions like “Tears of Rage,” “I Shall Be Released,” and “This Wheel’s on Fire.”
In a 2014 interview with the online publication Something Else!, Garth Hudson recalled how The Band would have informal discussions before each recording session. “There would be ideas floating around, and stories would be told,” he explained. “Then we’d return to the songs.” He described their creative process as focused on finding words, phrases, and situations worth writing about, adding that Bob Dylan taught them the importance of discipline and a timeless commitment to the quality of their art.
In late 1967, Dylan made his return with the minimalist album John Wesley Harding, and shortly after, The Band debuted with Music from Big Pink. Their unique, rootsy sound was a stark contrast to the prevailing psychedelic trends of the time. This new approach influenced artists like The Beatles, Eric Clapton, and the Grateful Dead. The Band followed up in 1969 with their self-titled album, which is often considered their finest work and remains one of the greatest rock albums ever made.
The Band’s later albums included Stage Fright, Cahoots, and Northern Lights/Southern Cross (1975), the latter of which earned Hudson particular praise for his keyboard contributions. In 1976, Robbie Robertson decided to step away from live performances, leading the Band to stage the iconic farewell concert, The Last Waltz, which was also captured in a Martin Scorsese-directed film. The concert featured many legendary artists, including Dylan, Clapton, and Neil Young. However, tensions between Robertson and Levon Helm, who felt the film unfairly highlighted Robertson, eventually led to a complete breakup of the group before the film’s release in 1978.
After the breakup, Hudson briefly played with the English band The Call and participated in several later versions of The Band, typically alongside Danko and Helm. He also contributed to solo albums by Robertson and Danko and performed with Danko and Helm at a concert in Berlin, where they played Pink Floyd’s The Wall at the Berlin Wall. Additionally, Hudson worked as a session musician on albums by Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen, and Emmylou Harris.
Garth Hudson also ventured into his own musical projects over the years. His first solo album, The Sea to the North, was released on September 11, 2001, the same day as the tragic terrorist attacks. In 2005, he formed a 12-piece band called The Best!, with his wife providing vocals. He also led a 2010 tribute concert titled Garth Hudson Presents: A Canadian Celebration of The Band, featuring Canadian artists like Neil Young and Bruce Cockburn.
In his later years, Hudson faced significant financial struggles. He had sold his share of The Band to Robbie Robertson and filed for bankruptcy multiple times. In 2013, he lost a home to foreclosure and saw many of his possessions auctioned off due to unpaid storage fees. Tragically, his wife, singer “Sister” Maud Hudson, passed away in 2022.
Born in Windsor, Ontario, in 1937 to musician parents, Hudson received formal music training from an early age. He began performing and composing before his teens, but by his early 20s, he had grown disillusioned with classical music and switched to playing rock with a band called The Capers.
Hudson was the last member to join The Band, and initially, he was concerned that his parents would disapprove. To overcome this, Ronnie Hawkins hired him as a “musical consultant,” paying him an additional $10 a week.
In a 2002 interview with Maclean’s, Hudson described his role in The Band: “It was a job. Play a stadium, play a theater. My job was to provide arrangements with pads underneath, pads and fills behind good poets. Same poems every night.”