Garth Hudson, the keyboardist, saxophonist, and multi-instrumentalist who was the final surviving member of the Band, has died. He was 87.

His former supervisor, Jim Della Croce, confirmed his dying to Leisure Weekly, sharing that Hudson "handed in his sleep early this morning at a nursing house close to Woodstock, New York."

The Canadian musician, who served because the principal architect of the Band's sound, was additionally honored on the group's official Instagram web page.

"As we speak, we sadly say goodbye to Garth "Honey Boy" Hudson, the final residing authentic member of the Band," learn the Tuesday put up. "A musical genius and cornerstone of the group’s timeless sound, Garth as soon as stated, 'I discovered some true enjoyment in serving to folks resolve their emotions.' By means of his music, he did simply that—serving to us all really feel extra deeply and connect with one thing larger. Relaxation straightforward, Garth."

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Born Eric Garth Hudson in Windsor, Ontario on Aug. 2, 1937, music was part of his life from the very starting. Hudson joined a household of musicians: his father performed flute, drums, cornet and the saxophone, performing frequently in native dance bands, whereas his mom was a vocalist, who additionally performed the accordion and piano. It was solely becoming that Hudson started piano classes at an early age. He went on to play organ at his church and in his uncle's funeral parlor.

Hudson penned his first authentic track at age 11, and started taking part in professionally with dance bands at 12. He later studied music on the College of Western Ontario, the place he was classically educated in piano, music concept, concord and counterpoint.

He initially discovered reasonable success as a member of the London band, the Silhouettes — then got here the summer season of 1961, when Hudson was first approached by Ronnie Hawkins and Levon Helm to hitch their band, then known as the Hawks. Although he initially declined, by December of that 12 months Hudson was lured into the group =, which included Robbie Robertson, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko. Per his deal, he was awarded a brand new Lowrey digital organ and was paid a further $10 per week to present his bandmates music classes (and mollify the considerations of his doubtful dad and mom).

"Simply having Garth as a instructor was an honor," Helm wrote in his 1993 memoir, This Wheel’s on Hearth. "He’d hearken to a track on the radio within the Cadillac and inform us the chords because it went alongside. Sophisticated chord buildings? No drawback. Garth would determine them out, and we discovered ourselves capable of play something. Our horizons had been lifted, and the factor turned extra enjoyable. It was like we didn’t need to guess anymore, as a result of we had a grasp amongst us. That’s the way it felt."

The group first gained notoriety as a backing band for Ronnie Hawkins, therefore the title, earlier than splitting with the singer and being employed for Bob Dylan's electrical 1965-66 world tour. In time, the Hawks turned the Band.

After the discharge of their debut album Music From Large Pink, the Band solely lasted eight years. Throughout their tenure, they despatched shockwaves by way of the music business. credited with popularizing Americana music with basic songs like "The Weight," "Up on Cripple Creek," and "The Night time They Drove Previous Dixie Down."

The Band's 1976 farewell live performance The Final Waltz was captured on movie by legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. After they known as it quits, Hudson labored as a session musician with many artists, together with Van Morrison and Leonard Cohen.

The Band reformed in 1983 with out Robertson, and Hudson appeared on the three albums they launched within the '90s. Hudson additionally labored together with his bandmates, together with Robertson, on their solo initiatives and contributed to a number of movie soundtracks similar to Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, and The Proper Stuff.

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Hudson and his bandmates had been inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame in 1994 and obtained the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

Maud Hudson, his spouse of 43 years and longtime musical associate, died in February 2022. The couple shared a daughter, Tami Zoe Hill.

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